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246 comments
1 lawhawk  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:44:48pm

RIP Scott Carpenter:

2 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:47:09pm

Literally the largest traffic jam in the history of mankind

i guess the long island expressway doesn’t count because technically it’s the longest, narrowest parking lot in the united states

3 CarolJ  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:50:31pm

re: #1 lawhawk

scottcarpenter.com

4 lawhawk  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:50:59pm

re: #2 dog philosopher

Literally the largest traffic jam in the history of mankind

i guess the long island expressway doesn’t count because technically it’s the longest, narrowest parking lot in the united states

And that’s saying something when you can experience traffic jams on both the NJ Turnpike and the LIE - in the same day.

Anyone who’s driven the NJT around Exit 8 knows exactly what I’m talking about. There could be no accidents, but volume will turn 20-30 miles into a parking lot in a heartbeat. Accidents at the GWB could turn both the NJT and I-80 into parking lots for 50-60 miles in all directions (1-2 hour delays+)

The LIE from Exit 34 into Queens and the BQE can be a parking lot on a good day. Bad traffic? From exit 50 in to the Queens Midtown Tunnel.

5 Kragar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:54:05pm

Because the best way to get people to join your cause is to needlessly inconvenience them and make their day harder.

6 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:54:54pm

my surprise…let me show you…


The House GOP’s Little Rule Change That Guaranteed A Shutdown

7 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 1:55:32pm

re: #5 Kragar

Because the best way to get people to join your cause is to needlessly inconvenience them and make their day harder.

Look how well it works for Code Pink, and before them ACT UP.

8 erik_t  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:00:38pm

re: #5 Kragar

Because the best way to get people to join your cause is to needlessly inconvenience them and make their day harder.

Does that not work?
—Reince Priebus

9 lawhawk  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:00:56pm

But but but… they refuse to meet.

Except that it was an open meeting to all House GOPers. They instead sent only 18 leaders and chairmen…


Lest anyone in the caucus realize that they’re being screwed by the leadership, or get ideas of their own on how to end this (namely pushing Boehner to accept the #CleanCR instead of the nonsensical ravings of the TP).

10 Political Atheist  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:02:34pm

re: #1 lawhawk

RIP Scott Carpenter:

[Embedded content]

Dude, Page that. The Life gallery is amazing.

11 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:04:47pm

re: #9 lawhawk

But but but… they refuse to meet.

Except that it was an open meeting to all House GOPers. They instead sent only 18 leaders and chairmen…

[Embedded content]


Lest anyone in the caucus realize that they’re being screwed by the leadership, or get ideas of their own on how to end this (namely pushing Boehner to accept the #CleanCR instead of the nonsensical ravings of the TP).

Boehner’s probably happier without the nutcases yapping at his heels. It’ll be like when stay-at-home Moms get a chance to go out with other adults.

12 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:04:54pm

re: #10 GOPHostage#25698724

Dude, Page that. The Life gallery is amazing.

agree, it is amazing.

13 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:09:09pm

Scott Carpenter was 88, not bad for a guy some had given up for dead when his re-entry went bad back in 1962.

This leaves John Glenn, now 92, as the last surviving member of the Mercury 7.

14 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:12:01pm

re: #13 Shiplord Kirel

Scott Carpenter was 88, not bad for a guy some had given up for dead when his re-entry went bad back in 1962.

This leaves John Glenn, now 92, as the last surviving member of the Mercury 7.

You know, there will soon come a time when there will once again be no human alive who ever walked on the moon.

15 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:13:15pm

re: #14 GeneJockey

You know, there will soon come a time when there will once again be no human alive who ever walked on the moon.

That’s sad. I always felt something of a connection to the astronauts. My great aunt worked for NASA in the 60’s and knew many of the original astronauts and I went to an elementary school named for Neil Armstrong.

16 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:16:13pm

Btw, it was Scott Carpenter who uttered the famous words, “Godspeed, John Glenn” at Glenn’s launch in 1962. Carpenter was Glenn’s backup pilot for the flight.

17 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:16:52pm

re: #15 HappyWarrior

That’s sad. I always felt something of a connection to the astronauts. My great aunt worked for NASA in the 60’s and knew many of the original astronauts and I went to an elementary school named for Neil Armstrong.

Like a lot of Boomer boys, I was for a while obsessed with spaceflight. I had models of the Command and Lunar modules, etc.

Even though it is true, logically, that manned spaceflight is ungody expensive and far less efficient as a scientific tool for exploring the Universe, we put men on the fucking MOON!!! And it is beyond sad that we don’t seem likely to go back anytime soon.

18 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:21:22pm

re: #17 GeneJockey

Like a lot of Boomer boys, I was for a while obsessed with spaceflight. I had models of the Command and Lunar modules, etc.

Even though it is true, logically, that manned spaceflight is ungody expensive and far less efficient as a scientific tool for exploring the Universe, we put men on the fucking MOON!!! And it is beyond sad that we don’t seem likely to go back anytime soon.

It had to be humbling for those guys. To be in Armstrong’s head as he made those first steps.

19 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:22:20pm

re: #14 GeneJockey

xkcd.com

20 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:24:49pm

re: #19 The Mountain That Blogs

xkcd.com

No more doughboys and etc from WWI. Always sad to see the last of something. I know I’ll be alive for when the last WWII vet dies.

21 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:27:06pm

talkingpointsmemo.com
Oh really? You get a loan that you knew outright that you won’t be able to pay back and it’s the bank’s fault? Personal responsibility for thee but not for me.

22 Kragar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:28:03pm

re: #21 HappyWarrior

talkingpointsmemo.com
Oh really? You get a loan that you knew outright that you won’t be able to pay back and it’s the bank’s fault? Personal responsibility for thee but not for me.

“You fucked up. You trusted us.”

23 darthstar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:28:18pm

I’d love to go to space. I’ve always wanted to test the propulsion of a fart.

24 darthstar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:31:04pm
An unusually early and enormous snowstorm over the weekend caught South Dakota ranchers and farmers unprepared, killing tens of thousands of cattle and ravaging the state’s $7 billion industry — an industry left without assistance because of the federal government shutdown.

As many as 75,000 cattle have perished since the storm slammed the western part of the state Thursday through Saturday with snowfall that set records for the entire month of October in just three days, state and industry officials said.

Holy shit. And because there’s no farm bill, they can’t ask the government for help. Nice job, GOP. You just turned a large part of Wisconsin blue.

25 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:32:41pm

re: #21 HappyWarrior

talkingpointsmemo.com
Oh really? You get a loan that you knew outright that you won’t be able to pay back and it’s the bank’s fault? Personal responsibility for thee but not for me.

What clowns.

In June, Simon Bloom, the attorney for Graves and Rogers, argued in a court filing that the default was the bank’s fault because it lent the pair the money knowing full well they couldn’t pay. Bloom cited a deposition in which bank officials saw Graves and Rogers’ financial records, and then had them sign personal guarantees so they’d “‘have some skin in the game’ presumably meaning a sense of personal obligation for the debts … even though they clearly could not fulfill the obligation.” Graves and Rogers said they were unaware of that particular filing.

Liars too. Nobody signs personal guarantees relating to a two million dollar business loan without being aware of what they are doing.

26 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:33:48pm

re: #24 darthstar

Holy shit. And because there’s no farm bill, they can’t ask the government for help. Nice job, GOP. You just turned a large part of Wisconsin blue.

Finally, a windfall for renderers!

Too bad the family rendering business is in Illinois, not South Dakota.

27 darthstar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:34:10pm
28 Political Atheist  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:35:05pm

re: #14 GeneJockey

You know, there will soon come a time when there will once again be no human alive who ever walked on the moon.

Which will happen first, the Chinese land or at least orbit a man to the Moon or we have a man rated rocket again? AFAIK so far it looks like a toss up. So I’ll say it again even in the sequester/furlough shutdown.

A Penney For NASA. 1% of the budget in perpetuity.

29 Dr. Matt  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:35:21pm
30 darthstar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:35:36pm

One Palin face is enough. Matt beat me by 15 seconds.

31 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:36:26pm


‘projectile derp’. Heh.

32 Gus  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:37:20pm

re: #29 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Hahahaha! New Egypt. Might as well be South Carolina.

33 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:37:38pm

re: #29 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Heh yeah.

34 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:38:35pm

re: #29 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Christ, that makes me have dark thoughts…

35 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:39:33pm

re: #29 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Wait - the rally’s in New EGYPT? MOOOOZLIMSS!!!!!

36 Dr. Matt  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:39:46pm

re: #34 Justanotherhuman

Christ, that makes me have dark thoughts…

This was my first thought:

37 Dr. Matt  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:41:57pm

re: #30 darthstar

. Matt beat me by 15 seconds.

My girlfriends says that all the time.

Thank you! I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your waitstaff…..

38 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:43:25pm

re: #27 darthstar

Senate now on the motion to proceed to S. 1569, the debt limit bill from Democrats (extends to Dec 31, 2014)

this is gonna be the new reality for the foreseeable future: the government will remain shutdown and short term debt limit extensions will be passed every few months

other than that, the only things that will happen will be when the baggers, the senate, and the president occasionally agree on some spot items that they want to fund

welcome to the teabag version of the United States government

39 thedopefishlives  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:43:35pm

re: #36 Dr. Matt

This was my first thought:

Nah, her head just deflated visibly from all the hot air she’s been expelling.

Evening Lizardim.

40 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:43:48pm

re: #36 Dr. Matt

This was my first thought:

[Embedded content]

Yeah, two of the biggest, racist, fascist shitheads in the country—2 political whores that couldn’t get elected dogcatcher these days. I suppose it’s fair that they overshadow Lonegan who’ll suffer soon enough from the Palin curse.

41 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:43:50pm

re: #30 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Lonegan looks like either he’s constipated, or he’s thinking, “Well, there go my political aspirations to the US Senate. We’re done here.”

42 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:44:45pm

re: #24 darthstar

Holy shit. And because there’s no farm bill, they can’t ask the government for help. Nice job, GOP. You just turned a large part of Wisconsin blue.

Ed Schultz covering this right now.

43 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:46:48pm

re: #29 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

She sure doesn’t look anything like that these days.

44 alpuz  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:50:28pm

re: #29 Dr. Matt

Proof positive there’s no possible way to make Steve Lonegan look cool.

45 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:51:07pm

we are already living in the period of teabag non-government

46 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:51:08pm

Looks like Palin wasn’t enough of a draw, so they had to get Levin.

newegyptspeedway.net

47 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:52:03pm

re: #38 dog philosopher

this is gonna be the new reality for the foreseeable future: the government will remain shutdown and short term debt limit extensions will be passed every few months

other than that, the only things that will happen will be when the baggers, the senate, and the president occasionally agree on some spot items that they want to fund

welcome to the teabag version of the United States government

I think what will happen WRT the shutdown is what happened back in 95/96. It started out with lots of enthusiastic idiots saying things like, “If they wuz nonessenshul, how come we hired ‘em in thuh first place?”, and the GOP thinking the shutdown would show Americans how little they really wanted government in the first place.

As the shutdown continues, the number of people thinking that dropped, as more and more people realized that government does a lot of things we’d really like it to keep doing, because nobody else does them, and we want them to be done. We’re already seeing that in the House GOP’s attempts to fund the government piecemeal - anytime someone who can get on TV is inconvenienced, they’ll write a little funding bill that funds that tiny part of the government. Everyone else can go pound sand.

So long as the Senate Democrats remain firm, the number of people thinking a shutdown is no big deal will continue to drop, along with the GOP’s popularity.

48 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:52:41pm

re: #41 Dr Lizardo

Lonegan looks like either he’s constipated, or he’s thinking, “Well, there go my political aspirations to the US Senate. We’re done here.”

Not mutually exclusive.

49 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:54:06pm

re: #41 Dr Lizardo

Lonegan looks like either he’s constipated, or he’s thinking, “Well, there go my political aspirations to the US Senate. We’re done here.”

He never had any to begin with, IIRC. As I understand it, from the very beginning of his campaign he has run as an orthodox teabagger zealot. That simply will not work for statewide office in NJ.

50 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:54:07pm

re: #48 GeneJockey

Not mutually exclusive.

That’s true, I suppose. I still think Booker is going to win, though it might end up relatively close. I don’t see a Booker tsunami, but I think he’ll win by +5 to 7 points.

51 Kragar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:54:17pm

Lonegan: Obama Will Cave on the Shutdown When I Win My Election

52 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:55:11pm

re: #51 Kragar

Lonegan: Obama Will Cave on the Shutdown When I Win My Election

Ahhh, so he harbors delusions of grandeur.

That’s what I always look for in a candidate.

*headdesk*

53 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:55:40pm

re: #51 Kragar

Lonegan: Obama Will Cave on the Shutdown When I Win My Election

That sound you hear is Obama laughing at Lonegan. Yeah Steve you’re going to win when your party is about as popular as herpes and when you yourself are the poster boy for why that is.

54 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:56:00pm

re: #47 GeneJockey

It is essential that the Democrats not give an inch on the shutdown. If the GOP thinks they can keep the House in 2014 after forcing a government shutdown the whole time between now and then, they are invited to try and fail.

55 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:56:29pm

I mean if teaparty nutters turn people off in Indiana, Alaska, and Missouri, no way they’ll turn people off in Jersey.

56 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:56:46pm

re: #47 GeneJockey

I think what will happen WRT the shutdown is what happened back in 95/96. It started out with lots of enthusiastic idiots saying things like, “If they wuz nonessenshul, how come we hired ‘em in thuh first place?”, and the GOP thinking the shutdown would show Americans how little they really wanted government in the first place.

As the shutdown continues, the number of people thinking that dropped, as more and more people realized that government does a lot of things we’d really like it to keep doing, because nobody else does them, and we want them to be done. We’re already seeing that in the House GOP’s attempts to fund the government piecemeal - anytime someone who can get on TV is inconvenienced, they’ll write a little funding bill that funds that tiny part of the government. Everyone else can go pound sand.

So long as the Senate Democrats remain firm, the number of people thinking a shutdown is no big deal will continue to drop, along with the GOP’s popularity.

they don’t care. they’ve already got the government in the state that they want

tell me - what event is going to force them to change their mind and vote to end the shutdown?

also - anybody like to bet on how long it will take?

We’re already seeing that in the House GOP’s attempts to fund the government piecemeal - anytime someone who can get on TV is inconvenienced, they’ll write a little funding bill that funds that tiny part of the government.

this is exactly the situation they’ve wanted for years - only the little bits of the govenment that the baggers want will be allowed to operate

57 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:57:20pm

re: #52 Dr Lizardo

Ahhh, so he harbors delusions of grandeur.

That’s what I always look for in a candidate.

*headdesk*

Then you’d have LOVED Mike Ditka!

58 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:57:34pm

re: #54 EPR-radar

It is essential that the Democrats not give an inch on the shutdown. If the GOP thinks they can keep the House in 2014 after forcing a government shutdown the whole time between now and then, they are invited to try and fail.

Not just that.

If the Democrats can pull off a trifecta: VA, NJ, NYC Mayor, that could make things interesting. It would have a certain level of impact, and might shake up the GOP a bit going into 2014.

59 AlexRogan  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:57:49pm

re: #51 Kragar

Lonegan: Obama Will Cave on the Shutdown When I Win My Election

re: #52 Dr Lizardo

Ahhh, so he harbors delusions of grandeur.

That’s what I always look for in a candidate.

*headdesk*

Being confident and exuding that confidence is one thing, but Lonegan’s just full of shit.

60 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:58:23pm

re: #59 AlexRogan

Being confident and exuding that confidence is one thing, but Lonegan’s just full of shit.

Exactly.

61 Patricia Kayden  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:58:41pm

re: #50 Dr Lizardo

That’s true, I suppose. I still think Booker is going to win, though it might end up relatively close. I don’t see a Booker tsunami, but I think he’ll win by +5 to 7 points.

The race is that close? Wow. Would have thought Booker would blow it out.

62 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:59:22pm

re: #56 dog philosopher

…

this is exactly the situation they’ve wanted for years - only the little bits of the govenment that the baggers want will be allowed to operate

After enough of this, the Democrats really will need to take a hard line. There is absolutely no reason that the arbitrary spending cuts forced by an extended shutdown should not be directed to districts represented by GOP teabaggers as much as possible.

63 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 2:59:55pm

re: #61 Patricia Kayden

The race is that close? Wow. Would have thought Booker would blow it out.

I’ve read Booker is currently +10 or so.

I always estimate things tighten up as it gets closer to election day. Of course, not always, but I tend to estimate towards a more conservative figure.

64 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:00:48pm

that election is on what day? Can’t wait to see Lonegan’s face when he loses. So much for your masculinity, cigars, and scotch Stevie.

65 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:01:00pm

re: #44 alpuz

Proof positive there’s no possible way to make Steve Lonegan look cool.

He looks like Drew Carey after a year-long bender…

66 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:01:11pm

re: #58 Dr Lizardo

Not just that.

If the Democrats can pull off a trifecta: VA, NJ, NYC Mayor, that could make things interesting. It would have a certain level of impact, and might shake up the GOP a bit going into 2014.

I really do hope the Dems are addressing their turnout problems in special elections and midterms. All three of these races are winnable with good (D) turnout.

67 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:01:18pm

re: #58 Dr Lizardo

Looking at polling the VA Gubernatorial, NJ Senatorial, and NYC Mayoral are looking good.

NJ Gubernatorial, not so much.

68 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:01:39pm

re: #56 dog philosopher

they don’t care. they’ve already got the government in the state that they want

tell me - what event is going to force them to change their mind and vote to end the shutdown?

also - anybody like to bet on how long it will take?

this is exactly the situation they’ve wanted for years - only the little bits of the govenment that the baggers want will be allowed to operate

The way I see it, it’s all about the power of the Teabaggers. As the shutdown winds on and more and more people are damaged, their power will diminish. Non-Teabagger Republicans will go home to devastating Town Hall meetings, the Chamber of Commerce will start throwing its weight around.

The thing is, those piecemeal funding bills aren’t going anywhere. The Senate’s voted on maybe two of them directly related to the military. As long as they stay strong, and Obma stays strong, there won’t be ‘cafeteria’ funding of Government functions.

69 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:02:22pm

rawstory.com
Value Voters Summit represent. Remind me again why we should take this assclown seriously?

70 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:02:26pm

re: #41 Dr Lizardo

Lonegan looks like either he’s constipated, or he’s thinking, “Well, there go my political aspirations to the US Senate. We’re done here.”

My guess is “What the HELL just crawled up my ass and died?”

71 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:03:05pm

re: #66 EPR-radar

Though McAuliffe is not the best person that could have been chosen in VA.

De Blasio and Booker are decent enough though.

72 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:03:21pm

re: #67 ProTARDISLiberal

Looking at polling the VA Gubernatorial, NJ Senatorial, and NYC Mayoral are looking good.

NJ Gubernatorial, not so much.

I figured Christie would win. He’s an incumbent and a lot of times, people will stick with the devil they know then go with the devil they don’t.

It’s just human nature. It’s like with the President; you have to either royally screw up or suffer a series of unfortunate events to not end up a two-termer, especially in my lifetime.

73 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:03:44pm

re: #67 ProTARDISLiberal

Looking at polling the VA Gubernatorial, NJ Senatorial, and NYC Mayoral are looking good.

NJ Gubernatorial, not so much.

Too many people think that removing teabagger madness from a GOP politician can leave a decent human being behind.

74 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:03:56pm

re: #47 GeneJockey

As the shutdown continues, the number of people thinking that dropped, as more and more people realized that government does a lot of things we’d really like it to keep doing, because nobody else does them, and we want them to be done.

A couple of the wingnut techs here collectively had a cow today when they learned they can’t get certain calibration info they need from the NIST website because it’s shut down. Of course, in their mind it was somehow Harry Reid’s and Barack Obama’s fault.

75 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:04:10pm

re: #66 EPR-radar

I really do hope the Dems are addressing their turnout problems in special elections and midterms. All three of these races are winnable with good (D) turnout.

The Democrats really need to focus on GOTV for 2014. They need to go big.

76 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:04:21pm

re: #66 EPR-radar

They won’t even need much for two of them. De Blasio was up by 50 (!) points in recent polls, and New Jersey is, nationally anyway, a pretty blue state. They haven’t elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972, and Booker remains a popular figure with far more statewide appeal than Lonegan, who is a complete nutcase.

Virginia is the one to watch here.

77 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:04:58pm

re: #71 ProTARDISLiberal

Though McAuliffe is not the best person that could have been chosen in VA.

De Blasio and Booker are decent enough though.

True on McAuliffe, but he’d blessed with Cooch as an opponent not to mention Cooch’s fullblown, batshit crazy AND dishonest running mate.

78 Mattand  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:05:04pm

re: #61 Patricia Kayden

The race is that close? Wow. Would have thought Booker would blow it out.

To be honest with you, at least in South Jersey, it’s been kind of quiet. I haven’t seen that many lawn signs out. Only one Lonegan sign I can think of.

I think part of the problem is that Booker hasn’t blown everyone away down here, like Christie did. They’re both North Jersey guys. In a lot of ways, we function as two separate states. Lonegan was unheard of down here, and Booker is “that guy who runs Newark.”

I’d like to think that enough voters will see Lonegan for the Tea Bagger he is, but I know teachers who love Christie. This is despite that fact that the Gov has vowed to make their lives harder by crushing the unions.

79 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:06:44pm

re: #75 Dr Lizardo

The Democrats really need to focus on GOTV for 2014. They need to go big.

This x1000. If teabagger madness gives the GOP a 5% hit or so in the polls in 2014, that makes it worth fighting for every single congressional district in the country, especially where the GOP has gerrymandered the districts.

80 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:07:19pm

re: #77 GeneJockey

True on McAuliffe, but he’d blessed with Cooch as an opponent not to mention Cooch’s fullblown, batshit crazy AND dishonest running mate.

If McAuliffe were facing an actually sane GOP candidate, things could be very different.

81 Mattand  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:07:57pm

re: #72 Dr Lizardo

I figured Christie would win. He’s an incumbent and a lot of times, people will stick with the devil they know then go with the devil they don’t.

It’s just human nature. It’s like with the President; you have to either royally screw up or suffer a series of unfortunate events to not end up a two-termer, especially in my lifetime.

Don’t underestimate the work he did with Obama, trying to clean up after Sandy. He really went to bat for the state at the cost of his national rep.

82 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:08:23pm

re: #78 Mattand

To be honest with you, at least in South Jersey, it’s been kind of quiet. I haven’t seen that many lawn signs out. Only one Lonegan sign I can think of.

I think part of the problem is that Booker hasn’t blown everyone away down here, like Christie did. They’re both North Jersey guys. In a lot of ways, we function as two separate states. Lonegan was unheard of down here, and Booker is “that guy who runs Newark.:

I’d like to think that enough voters will see Lonegan for the Tea Bagger he is, but I know teachers who love Christie. This is despite that fact that the Gov has vowed to make their lives harder by crushing the unions.

I will never understand middle and working class people joining in the demonization of unions. It would be like members of the investor class demonizing corporations.

83 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:09:10pm

re: #76 The Mountain That Blogs

McAuliffe is up by 8 with the Libertarian running. He is siphoning a little bit more from the nut than from McAuliffe.

I think we are seeing the start of the disintegration of the Republican Party.

Polling in VA with that Poll for Example (Quinnipiac):

Terry McAuliffe (D)- 47%
Ken Cuccinelli (R)- 39%
Robert Sarvis (L)- 8%
Undecided- 5%

84 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:09:56pm

re: #79 EPR-radar

This x1000. If teabagger madness gives the GOP a 5% hit or so in the polls in 2014, that makes it worth fighting for every single congressional district in the country, especially where the GOP has gerrymandered the districts.

Nothing is impossible in politics. Despite the extensive GOP gerrymandering, if the Democrats go big on GOTV, and if the Teahadis wind up really screwing up the GOP brand, there’s a possibility that the Dems could take the House and retain the Senate.

I would likely have to haul a couple of buckets off the balcony to catch all the wingnut tears of impotent rage in that event.

85 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:10:09pm

re: #80 Dr Lizardo

If McAuliffe were facing an actually sane GOP candidate, things could be very different.

Very true. This budget showdown would also play out very differently if the GOP held the Senate (as they most likely would if they hadn’t run loons in 2010 and 2012).

86 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:10:31pm

re: #81 Mattand

Don’t underestimate the work he did with Obama, trying to clean up after Sandy. He really went to bat for the state at the cost of his national rep.

Right, that cast him as a guy who cares about the people in his state more than he cares about his political future.

Of course, if he’d been a dick to Obama to please the Teabaggers and fucked over NJ in the process, his future political prospects would be mighty dim.

87 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:10:36pm

re: #81 Mattand

Don’t underestimate the work he did with Obama, trying to clean up after Sandy. He really went to bat for the state at the cost of his national rep.

That’s a good point - Christie was lambasted by the RW noise machine for that.

88 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:12:05pm

re: #85 EPR-radar

Very true. This budget showdown would also play out very differently if the GOP held the Senate (as they most likely would if they hadn’t run loons in 2010 and 2012).

The loons of 2010 and 2012 were a costly mistake for the GOP, yet the RWNJ’s decided they needed to double-down on the crazy.

I’m pretty confident the Democrats will hold the Senate after the 2014 mid-terms.

89 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:14:36pm

re: #85 EPR-radar

Very true. This budget showdown would also play out very differently if the GOP held the Senate (as they most likely would if they hadn’t run loons in 2010 and 2012).

Yep. I remember hearing that the Dems would likely lose the Senate in 2012 because 2006 was a ‘wave year’, and that class was up for reelection. So, the Teabaggers are a two-edges sword. On the one hand, they’re completely destroying the GOP brand and allowed us to keep the Senate two times when odds were against us. On the other, they haven’t yet managed to marginalize the GOP enough to make them just noisy and harmless.

90 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:14:53pm

Also wouldn’t answer questions as he entered Capitol, either.


I hope Pres Obama gave him the spanking of his life.

91 Mattand  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:15:34pm

re: #82 GeneJockey

I will never understand middle and working class people joining in the demonization of unions. It would be like members of the investor class demonizing corporations.

It’s the shiny object theory. Christie came in vowing to clean up Trenton, which admittedly needed (and still needs) it. People are so enamored with him being “take charge” (read: acting like a dick), they overlook shit like “Oh yeah, he wants to make it harder for me to get a raise.”

92 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:15:42pm

re: #90 Justanotherhuman

Also wouldn’t answer questions as he entered Capitol, either.

[Embedded content]


I hope Pres Obama gave him the spanking of his life.

“Here’s my offer - nothing.”

93 psddluva4evah  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:15:47pm
@BenjySarlin 32s
Woah RT @nytimes: Breaking News: Obama Rejects Republican Proposal for Short-Term Debt Limit Plan nyti.ms
94 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:16:10pm

re: #84 Dr Lizardo

Nothing is impossible in politics. Despite the extensive GOP gerrymandering, if the Democrats go big on GOTV, and if the Teahadis wind up really screwing up the GOP brand, there’s a possibility that the Dems could take the House and retain the Senate.

I would likely have to haul a couple of buckets off the balcony to catch all the wingnut tears of impotent rage in that event.

It is precisely the gerrymandered GOP districts that are most vulnerable to this kind of change. A gerrymander gives you more districts leaning your way than the aggregate state population would dictate. It follows that gerrymandered distracts are less safe for the majority party than more naturally drawn districts.

The idea that teabagger madness might cause the Great GOP House District gerrymander of 2010 to blow up in their faces is truly delightful to contemplate.

All the deserts in the world could be made to bloom for a thousand years by irrigation with wingnut tears, should this actually happen.

95 psddluva4evah  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:16:16pm
96 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:16:23pm

re: #80 Dr Lizardo

If McAuliffe were facing an actually sane GOP candidate, things could be very different.

Bolling would have been just that. So when Cooch loses, the TP and extremists within the base will have only themselves to blame for McAuliffe being governor. To be honest, I’m not thrilled about Terry but he’s not insane and won’t push the state on a so-con agenda and that alone makes him preferable.

97 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:16:36pm

re: #93 psddluva4evah

If it had that ‘no extraordinary measures’ poison pill attached, no fucking wonder!

98 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:18:25pm

Rev. Al reporting that Obama has rejected the House GOP’s offer.

99 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:18:37pm

re: #92 GeneJockey

“Here’s my offer - nothing.”

Wouldn’t it be funny for Boehner to visit the White House and unexpectedly meet some other visitors, like the Wall Street Boys visiting DC to explain what _will_ happen.

100 Mattand  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:20:06pm

re: #86 GeneJockey

Right, that cast him as a guy who cares about the people in his state more than he cares about his political future.

Of course, if he’d been a dick to Obama to please the Teabaggers and fucked over NJ in the process, his future political prospects would be mighty dim.

Actually, he was a dick to Obama on the helicopter ride they took as they surveyed the damage.

I forget who reported it, but apparently on the helicopter, Christie said something along the lines of “I don’t care how much you help me, I’m not voting for you.”

I don’t know the context of the conversation. Maybe Christie was kidding. Still, it’s stupefying that one would say something like that to the man who was about to give you billions of dollars to fix your state.

Not Jan Brewer-level finger pointing on the tarmac, but close.

101 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:20:10pm

re: #99 EPR-radar

Wouldn’t it be funny for Boehner to visit the White House and unexpectedly meet some other visitors, like the Wall Street Boys visiting DC to explain what _will_ happen.

Youtube Video

YES!!!

102 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:20:41pm

re: #83 ProTARDISLiberal

McAuliffe is up by 8 with the Libertarian running. He is siphoning a little bit more from the nut than from McAuliffe.

I think we are seeing the start of the disintegration of the Republican Party.

Polling in VA with that Poll for Example (Quinnipiac):

Terry McAuliffe (D)- 47%
Ken Cuccinelli (R)- 39%
Robert Sarvis (L)- 8%
Undecided- 5%

I’ll have a better impression of the VA Republican Party judging who they run against Warner in 2014. Warner will certainly win baring major scandal since he’s very popular here but if they nominate someone with their head screwed on right, maybe I’ll have faith about them governing my state. I totally expect F.W Jackson to be Warner’s opponent and I totally expect Warner to destroy his kooky ass.

103 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:21:08pm

re: #96 HappyWarrior

Bolling would have been just that. So when Cooch loses, the TP and extremists within the base will have only themselves to blame for McAuliffe being governor. To be honest, I’m not thrilled about Terry but he’s not insane and won’t push the state on a so-con agenda and that alone makes him preferable.

I wonder if they’ll turn around and say, “Cuccinelli wasn’t conservative enough! eleventy!!”

104 darthstar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:21:11pm

Obama tells GOP to pound sand…again. Oh, yeah.

105 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:21:16pm

re: #98 Backwoods_Sleuth

Rev. Al reporting that Obama has rejected the House GOP’s offer.

yah, that’s the plan going forward

baggers offer unacceptable “compromises”, obama rejects them, nothing happens and the gummint stay closed

106 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:22:05pm

re: #84 Dr Lizardo

If the national situation is bad enough for the GOP to lose the House, there is no chance the Dems would lose the Senate.

That said, there are an awful lot of vulnerable Democrats up for election in the Senate, and not that many vulnerable Republicans.

107 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:22:20pm

re: #103 Dr Lizardo

I wonder if they’ll turn around and say, “Cuccinelli wasn’t conservative enough! eleventy!!”

Considering Coochy’s ran away from Ted Cruz, it wouldn’t shock me even though Coochie is only slightly to the left of the old Byrd Machine that Pat Robertson’s father was a part of. I say slightly to the left since no way in hell would Harry Byrd run with a black guy.

108 Patricia Kayden  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:22:31pm

re: #93 psddluva4evah

Yip hip hooray!

Great to see the President and Dems standing firm.

109 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:23:52pm

re: #107 HappyWarrior

Considering Coochy’s ran away from Ted Cruz, it wouldn’t shock me even though Coochie is only slightly to the left of the old Byrd Machine that Pat Robertson’s father was a part of. I say slightly to the left since no way in hell would Harry Byrd run with a black guy.

Cruz is a toxic bag of poo, and Coochie at least has the political instinct to recognize this. I’ll give him that much.

110 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:24:52pm
111 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:25:02pm

re: #108 Patricia Kayden

Yip hip hooray!

Great to see the President and Dems standing firm.

If I understand correctly, accepting the GOP’s offer would probably have probably have plunged us into default almost immediately. The only reason we have been able to pay the bills is we’ve been on ‘extraordinary measures’ since May.

Mind you, I could be full of shit. I’ve been told that often enough….

112 darthstar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:25:24pm
113 AlexRogan  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:26:21pm

re: #92 GeneJockey

“Here’s my offer - nothing.”

Youtube Video

114 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:26:57pm

John Boehner and the Teahadis though they were negotiating with Mr. Rogers.

They just found out they’re negotiating with Michael Corleone.

Oh, happy day.

115 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:27:01pm

re: #111 GeneJockey

If I understand correctly, accepting the GOP’s offer would probably have probably have plunged us into default almost immediately. The only reason we have been able to pay the bills is we’ve been on ‘extraordinary measures’ since May.

Mind you, I could be full of shit. I’ve been told that often enough….

The stated reason in the NYT article is “because it does not also re-open government”. That is a harder line than I would expect the Dems to take, and I’ll await confirmation of this first report before going too far with that.

116 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:28:32pm

re: #11 GeneJockey

Boehner’s probably happier without the nutcases yapping at his heels. It’ll be like when stay-at-home Moms get a chance to go out with other adults.

That was my thought as well. The leadership being the only one’s meeting with Obama is likely needed to have any hope of getting anything done.

117 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:31:40pm

re: #111 GeneJockey

If I understand correctly, accepting the GOP’s offer would probably have probably have plunged us into default almost immediately. The only reason we have been able to pay the bills is we’ve been on ‘extraordinary measures’ since May.

Mind you, I could be full of shit. I’ve been told that often enough….

not only immediately, but EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN TIME from here on out…

118 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:33:32pm

re: #115 EPR-radar

The stated reason in the NYT article is “because it does not also re-open government”. That is a harder line than I would expect the Dems to take, and I’ll await confirmation of this first report before going too far with that.

Concur. Neither Politico nor CNN has reported an Obama rejection yet, so we’d wise to wait a bit.

Though this kind of waiting on the reporting feels a little like an election night to me.

119 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:34:46pm

Cantor and Ryan trying to spin the meeting…

120 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:35:11pm

re: #117 Backwoods_Sleuth

not only immediately, but EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN TIME from here on out…

And how does that even make any sense? It ELIMINATES, rather than PROVIDES breathing room.

121 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:35:56pm

re: #118 Dark_Falcon

Concur. Neither Politico nor CNN has reported an Obama rejection yet, so we’d wise to wait a bit.

Though this kind of waiting on the reporting feels a little like an election night to me.

Then Karl Rove will insist that we “turn those machines back on!”

122 Patricia Kayden  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:36:09pm

re: #120 GeneJockey

And how does that even make any sense? It ELIMINATES, rather than PROVIDES breathing room.

Have the Republicans (especially TPartiers) tried to make sense lately?

123 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:36:43pm

re: #120 GeneJockey

And how does that even make any sense? It ELIMINATES, rather than PROVIDES breathing room.

That’s the point. The teahadis want to blow the economy up, so if they can’t do it now, they will want to increase the chance of disaster later on.

124 erik_t  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:37:04pm

re: #120 GeneJockey

And how does that even make any sense? It ELIMINATES, rather than PROVIDES breathing room.

Because the goal is to fuck up everything?

Honestly, I don’t know. You’d think that Boehner would recognize he would rather not have debt-limit negotiations. They put him very much between a rock and a hard place.

125 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:37:08pm

re: #121 GeneJockey

Youtube Video

126 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:37:59pm

re: #122 Patricia Kayden

Have the Republicans (especially TPartiers) tried to make sense lately?

I don’t know if you saw Jason Jones’ ‘Hostage Negotiation’ sketch on Tuesday’s Daily Show, but one of the cuter points was that you have to try and understand that, in the hostage taker’s mind, this makes sense.

127 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:38:29pm

re: #121 GeneJockey

Then Karl Rove will insist that we “turn those machines back on!”

It was heartening watching Megyn Kelly smack Rove down that night.

128 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:38:30pm

So glad I never signed up for this BS. And you thought the govt had the goods on you? Fool, please.

Facebook no longer lets users hide from search

bigstory.ap.org

This is all about commerce, not about your “friends”.

129 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:39:32pm

re: #127 Dark_Falcon

It was heartening watching Megyn Kelly smack Rove down that night.

She has her moments, I’ll give her that.

130 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:39:40pm

re: #127 Dark_Falcon

It was heartening watching Megyn Kelly smack Rove down that night.

“…or is this just math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

Classic.

Corrected

131 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:39:42pm

re: #118 Dark_Falcon

Concur. Neither Politico nor CNN has reported an Obama rejection yet, so we’d wise to wait a bit.

Though this kind of waiting on the reporting feels a little like an election night to me.

Your so called moderates in the GOP need to realize they’re in a civil war for the future ownership of the GOP brand, and start acting like it. Right now they’re just the biggest pussies in the history of big pussies. Willing to go along with the hijacking of their own country’s economy and well being, yet not willing to stand up for themselves and their own best interests against the insane rot brought into their party by the Tea Party.

132 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:40:12pm

re: #109 Dr Lizardo

Cruz is a toxic bag of poo, and Coochie at least has the political instinct to recognize this. I’ll give him that much.

I’m thinking Cruz is well on his way to being a one termer. The bad news that term just started.

133 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:40:24pm

re: #126 GeneJockey

I don’t know if you saw Jason Jones’ ‘Hostage Negotiation’ sketch on Tuesday’s Daily Show, but one of the cuter points was that you have to try and understand that, in the hostage taker’s mind, this makes sense.

Your honor, I an completely innocent of murder in the first degree. I carefully aimed and fired my weapon in a completely safe manner. Regrettably some maniac chose to occupy with her head the same time and space as the bullet.///

(Teabagger logic, elementary division)

134 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:40:26pm

re: #128 Justanotherhuman

So glad I never signed up for this BS. And you thought the govt had the goods on you? Fool, please.

Facebook no longer lets users hide from search

bigstory.ap.org

This is all about commerce, not about your “friends”.

BUT THAT’S OKAY, BECAUSE IT’S THE FREE MARKET!!!!

135 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:40:42pm

re: #127 Dark_Falcon

It was heartening watching Megyn Kelly smack Rove down that night.

I was watching that livestream on Election Night last year, and my first thought when I saw that was, “So this is what it looks like when prophecies fail.”

When Prophecy Fails; a good book, by the way.

136 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:41:22pm

re: #130 GeneJockey

“…or are these just lies you tell yourself as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

Classic.

That one just never gets old.

137 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:41:55pm

re: #130 GeneJockey

“…or are these just lies you tell yourself Is this just math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

The right quote is even better.

138 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:42:24pm

re: #132 HappyWarrior

I’m thinking Cruz is well on his way to being a one termer. The bad news that term just started.

Heh.

Given the TP’ers proclivity to devour their own in the name of ideological purity, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if he did turn out to be a one-termer.

139 jaunte  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:42:26pm
140 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:43:07pm

re: #130 GeneJockey

“…or are these just lies you tell yourself as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

Classic.

As I said Meg has her moments. She’s smacked down some of the sexist shit that happens at FNC. The best that network has though is Shep Smith. Mega respect for him when he told “Joe the Plumber” that eh didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about when he accused Obama of being hostile to Israel and Jews.

141 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:44:16pm

re: #137 The Mountain That Blogs

“…or are these just lies you tell yourselfIs this just math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

The right quote is even better.

You gotta admit, though, my misquote is really Fox’s unacknowledged motto.

142 makeitstop  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:44:27pm

re: #90 Justanotherhuman

Also wouldn’t answer questions as he entered Capitol, either.

I hope Pres Obama gave him the spanking of his life.

I hope the first question Obama asked Boehner was something along the lines of ‘What the fuck is this stuipd shit?’

143 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:44:42pm

re: #138 Dr Lizardo

Heh.

Given the TP’ers proclivity to devour their own in the name of ideological purity, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if he did turn out to be a one-termer.

Hey, remember when they all loved Marco Rubio. Oh wait that was just last year. Cruz will do something that upsets them inevitably. Their problem is they want a supermodel to date when they’re not content with the prettiest girl in town. Not comparing Republican presidential candidates in themselves to beautiful women but comparing how the TP responds to them.

144 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:45:01pm
‘The Navy is not gonna let you win. They would rather sink this boat than let you win.’
-Tom Hanks and Capt. Phillips

‘I’ve come too far. I can’t give up.’
-Muse, Pirate leader.

145 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:46:27pm

re: #143 HappyWarrior

Hey, remember when they all loved Marco Rubio. Oh wait that was just last year. Cruz will do something that upsets them inevitably. Their problem is they want a supermodel to date when they’re not content with the prettiest girl in town. Not comparing Republican presidential candidates in themselves to beautiful women but comparing how the TP responds to them.

And that fleeting love affair with Marco Rubio was quite recent as well.

The TP’ers are like the Jacobins in that sense. I guess in 2016, we’ll find out who has the misfortune to star as their Robespierre.

146 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:46:47pm

re: #142 makeitstop

I hope the first question Obama asked Boehner was something along the lines of ‘What the fuck is this stuipd shit?’

Other possibilities:

“Have you located your spine yet? The lack of a spine must be very unfortunate.”

“Have the Tea Partiers in the House worn their white robes on the House floor yet?”

“Have you no decency?”

147 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:47:25pm

re: #145 Dr Lizardo

And that fleeting love affair with Marco Rubio was quite recent as well.

The TP’ers are like the Jacobins in that sense. I guess in 2016, we’ll find out who has the misfortune to star as their Robespierre.

Yep that’s going to be fun to watch. It’ll make last year look like a serious discussion.

148 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:47:47pm

re: #137 The Mountain That Blogs

“…or are these just lies you tell yourselfIs this just math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

The right quote is even better.

Indeed. Karl Rove was demanding that the decision desk make its calling of states on a partisan basis. But the universal rules at news networks is that decision desk need to be firmly non-partisan and must make their calls based on the facts on the ground. Rove’s demand that rule by abandoned was extremely out of line and thus he was smacked down.

149 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:47:55pm

The Tea Party is cancer, you can’t negotiate with cancer. The only people who refuse to acknowledge this are Republicans, the very party infested with the cancer.

“It’s not a tumor!” is not a viable campaign platform.

150 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:48:14pm

re: #146 EPR-radar

Other possibilities:

“Have you located your spine yet? The lack of a spine must be very unfortunate.”

“Have the Tea Partiers in the House worn their white robes on the House floor yet?”

“Have you no decency?”

“You do realize, John that Congressional Republicans are about as popular as hangovers, right?”

151 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:06pm

I like it when Rove tries to act like he was above slinging mud. Dude, you were Bush’s hatchet man. That’s okay but don’t get pissy when POTUS and POTUS’s party call yours out.

152 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:09pm

re: #145 Dr Lizardo

And that fleeting love affair with Marco Rubio was quite recent as well.

The TP’ers are like the Jacobins in that sense. I guess in 2016, we’ll find out who has the misfortune to star as their Robespierre.

AHA! Now I know who ordered the 30,000 guillotines. It wasn’t FEMA, it was the Tea Party!

“The guillotine, Evremonde! The guillotine!!!” *click,click,click*

153 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:25pm

Doesn’t appear Christie is on the side of Jerseyite same sex marriage.

Judge Clears Way for Gay Marriage to Start in NJ, State Asks for Emergency Appeal
State asks for permission to file emergency appeal; gay marriages still set to begin on Oct. 21

nbcphiladelphia.com

“A request for comment from the governor was not immediately answered.”

Christie is socially conservative, no doubt stemming from his avowed Catholicism.

154 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:26pm

re: #147 HappyWarrior

Yep that’s going to be fun to watch. It’ll make last year look like a serious discussion.

I figure by 2016, the TP’ers will be reduced to gibberish that only other TP’ers will understand; an exclusive language, spoken only amongst themselves.

155 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:40pm

re: #152 GeneJockey

AHA! Now I know who ordered the 30,000 guillotines. It wasn’t FEMA, it was the Tea Party!

“The guillotine, Evremonde! The guillotine!!!” *click,click,click*

LOLOL

156 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:43pm

re: #149 goddamnedfrank

The Tea Party is cancer, you can’t negotiate with cancer. The only people who refuse to acknowledge this are Republicans, the very party infested with the cancer.

“It’s not a tumor!” is not a viable campaign platform.

It is especially ridiculous for the GOP to deny a cancer that the GOP establishment has been fostering and encouraging for at least forty years.

157 piratedan  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:49:54pm

re: #146 EPR-radar

Other possibilities:

“Have you located your spine yet? The lack of a spine must be very unfortunate.”

“Have the Tea Partiers in the House worn their white robes on the House floor yet?”

“Have you no decency?”

How many of you received over 65 million votes in the last election?

158 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:50:07pm

CNN update:

House Speaker John Boehner — the top Republican in the fight that’s led to a government shutdown and the threat of a first-ever U.S. debt default — left the White House on Thursday evening without commenting on a highly anticipated meeting with President Barack Obama.

But his top deputy, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, described the session between Obama and House leaders as “a very useful meeting.”

“We’re going to have more discussions on both sides tonight,” the Virginia Republican said.

What that means, exactly, remains to be seen. But the White House said in a statement that no specific determination was made at the meeting.

‘No specific determination’ is a decent ways away from ‘rejection’.

159 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:50:39pm

re: #154 Dr Lizardo

I figure by 2016, the TP’ers will be reduced to gibberish that only other TP’ers will understand; an exclusive language, spoken only amongst themselves.

HP Lovecraft has given us a preview of this language.

160 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:50:58pm

re: #148 Dark_Falcon

Indeed. Karl Rove was demanding that the decision desk make its calling of states on a partisan basis. But the universal rules at news networks is that decision desk need to be firmly non-partisan and must make their calls based on the facts on the ground. Rove’s demand that rule by abandoned was extremely out of line and thus he was smacked down.

So what does it say that now Rove is on the slightly more sane end of the Republican spectrum? What does it say that your party’s leadership pushed us into shutdown and has steadfastly refused to hold a vote on the clean CR against Rove’s warnings?

Deep down, honestly, how do you feel about this mess?

161 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:51:03pm

re: #153 Justanotherhuman

Doesn’t appear Christie is on the side of Jerseyite same sex marriage.

Judge Clears Way for Gay Marriage to Start in NJ, State Asks for Emergency Appeal
State asks for permission to file emergency appeal; gay marriages still set to begin on Oct. 21

nbcphiladelphia.com

“A request for comment from the governor was not immediately answered.”

Christie is socially conservative, no doubt stemming from his avowed Catholicism.

I think it’s sad that Christie is what we call a centrist Republican these days. Even Huntsman. These guys are merely conservative Republicans who live in some form of reality. And please do note I said some form because Huntsman is a lunatic when it comes to the EPA.

162 makeitstop  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:51:10pm

re: #105 dog philosopher

yah, that’s the plan going forward

baggers offer unacceptable “compromises”, obama rejects them, nothing happens and the gummint stay closed

Not for nothin’, but you’re bumming me out, dog.

163 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:51:25pm

re: #159 EPR-radar

HP Lovecraft has given us a preview of this language.

A lot of consonants, and not enough vowels, and not in the right places.

164 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:51:30pm

re: #153 Justanotherhuman

I don’t think Christie cares about gay marriage one way or the other; he just knows coming out in favor would be suicidal for his national aspirations. They hate him enough already for not spitting in Obama’s face after Sandy.

165 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:52:56pm

re: #163 GeneJockey

A lot of consonants, and not enough vowels, and not in the right places.

Fitting that disemvoweling is a common approach for dealing with internet wingnuts.

166 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:53:08pm

re: #159 EPR-radar

HP Lovecraft has given us a preview of this language.

Yes, he has. He was quite the visionary, in some ways.

For example, the TP’ers are clearly adherents of the Cthulhu Cult. They just haven’t come out yet.

167 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:53:26pm

re: #165 EPR-radar

Fitting that disemvoweling is a common approach for dealing with internet wingnuts.

Hh, ndd.

168 Kragar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:53:48pm

re: #159 EPR-radar

HP Lovecraft has given us a preview of this language.

“As for the Republicans — how can one regard seriously a frightened, greedy, nostalgic huddle of tradesmen and lucky idlers who shut their eyes to history and science, steel their emotions against decent human sympathy, cling to sordid and provincial ideals exalting sheer acquisitiveness and condoning artificial hardship for the non-materially-shrewd, dwell smugly and sentimentally in a distorted dream-cosmos of outmoded phrases and principles and attitudes based on the bygone agricultural-handicraft world, and revel in (consciously or unconsciously) mendacious assumptions (such as the notion that real liberty is synonymous with the single detail of unrestricted economic license or that a rational planning of resource-distribution would contravene some vague and mystical ‘American heritage’…) utterly contrary to fact and without the slightest foundation in human experience? Intellectually, the Republican idea deserves the tolerance and respect one gives to the dead.”

― H.P. Lovecraft

169 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:53:54pm

re: #153 Justanotherhuman

The Pope is being more reasonable than him.

Hell, I would go as far as to say that the Pope is the best thing going inChristianity right now.

We need someone like him in my own faith to become big right now.

And I see Pakistan is doubling down in being a myopic cesspit.

170 b.d.  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:53:56pm

Must be tough being a wingnut these days.

171 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:53:58pm

re: #164 The Mountain That Blogs

I don’t think Christie cares about gay marriage one way or the other; he just knows coming out in favor would be suicidal for his national aspirations. They hate him enough already for not spitting in Obama’s face after Sandy.

In many ways, this kind of craven opportunism is more contemptible than the honest hate of the vocal so-cons.

172 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:54:39pm

re: #170 b.d.

Must be tough being a wingnut these days.

It’s why wine comes in box form.

173 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:54:57pm

re: #166 Dr Lizardo

Yes, he has. He was quite the visionary, in some ways.

For example, the TP’ers are clearly adherents of the Cthulhu Cult. They just haven’t come out yet.

If the Democrats were to nominate Cthulhu in 2016, the GOP could still go with the slogan “Why settle for the lesser evil?”.

174 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:56:26pm

re: #168 Kragar

“As for the Republicans — how can one regard seriously a frightened, greedy, nostalgic huddle of tradesmen and lucky idlers who shut their eyes to history and science, steel their emotions against decent human sympathy, cling to sordid and provincial ideals exalting sheer acquisitiveness and condoning artificial hardship for the non-materially-shrewd, dwell smugly and sentimentally in a distorted dream-cosmos of outmoded phrases and principles and attitudes based on the bygone agricultural-handicraft world, and revel in (consciously or unconsciously) mendacious assumptions (such as the notion that real liberty is synonymous with the single detail of unrestricted economic license or that a rational planning of resource-distribution would contravene some vague and mystical ‘American heritage’…) utterly contrary to fact and without the slightest foundation in human experience? Intellectually, the Republican idea deserves the tolerance and respect one gives to the dead.”

― H.P. Lovecraft

For all his faults *cough* blatant racism *cough*, Lovecraft did turn more liberal in his latter years. That quote of Lovecraft’s is still perfectly applicable to this day, in many regard, and especially in regard to the TP’ers.

175 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:56:27pm

re: #169 ProTARDISLiberal

The Pope is being more reasonable than him.

Hell, I would go as far as to say that the Pope is the best thing going inChristianity right now.

We need someone like him in my own faith to become big right now.

And I see Pakistan is doubling down in being a myopic cesspit.

Eh let me speak up as a baptized Catholic and point to the liberal Protestant demonations that have sancitioned same sex weddings and allow GLBT people to be ordained as well as women. Francis is putting the RCC in the right direction but I wouldn’t say the best thing Catholicism has going. Best thing to happen to the Vatican in a while though. Now if only he can take on the abuse problems.

176 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:56:43pm

re: #173 EPR-radar

If the Democrats were to nominate Cthulhu in 2016, the GOP could still go with the slogan “Why settle for the lesser evil?”.

LOLOLOL

177 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:56:56pm

re: #168 Kragar

“As for the Republicans — how can one regard seriously a frightened, greedy, nostalgic huddle of tradesmen and lucky idlers who shut their eyes to history and science, steel their emotions against decent human sympathy, cling to sordid and provincial ideals exalting sheer acquisitiveness and condoning artificial hardship for the non-materially-shrewd, dwell smugly and sentimentally in a distorted dream-cosmos of outmoded phrases and principles and attitudes based on the bygone agricultural-handicraft world, and revel in (consciously or unconsciously) mendacious assumptions (such as the notion that real liberty is synonymous with the single detail of unrestricted economic license or that a rational planning of resource-distribution would contravene some vague and mystical ‘American heritage’…) utterly contrary to fact and without the slightest foundation in human experience? Intellectually, the Republican idea deserves the tolerance and respect one gives to the dead.”

― H.P. Lovecraft

Whoa. This IS your grandfather’s Republican Party.

178 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:58:51pm

re: #174 Dr Lizardo

For all his faults *cough* blatant racism *cough*, Lovecraft did turn more liberal in his latter years. That quote of Lovecraft’s is still perfectly applicable to this day, in many regard, and especially in regard to the TP’ers.

The Lovecraft quote is a nearly perfect summary of present-day “fiscal conservative” orthodoxy.

What today’s GOP has added to this mess is racism and assorted other malignant grievance/identity politics, all to deflect attention from the points set forth by Lovecraft.

179 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:59:08pm

I thought Bob “I got my law degree at Pat Robertson’s law school and wrote sexist shit in my thesis” McDonnell was fringe as was George “I call Indian-American native Virginians racial slurs to incite my bigoted base” Allen. And then I met Ken “I want to criminalize head” Cuccinnelli and F.W “Planned Parentohood is worse than the Klan” Jackson.

180 makeitstop  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:59:30pm

re: #158 Dark_Falcon

CNN update:

‘No specific determination’ is a decent ways away from ‘rejection’.

If the GOP ‘compromise’ still had a shuttered government and tying the Fed’s hands in it, you can go ahead and bet everything you own the Obama rejected it.

No more bullshit negotiations, Dark. What is so hard to understand about that?

181 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 3:59:57pm

re: #175 HappyWarrior

On the other hand, the membership among Liberal Churches is dropping like a rock.

Yes, I am glad at the growing strength of Muslims in the US, but I like diversity. So I would like Christianity to get it’s ass in gear, and get its head back on straight.

182 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:00:20pm

re: #177 GeneJockey

Whoa. This IS your grandfather’s Republican Party.

The Republicans did turn a bit more progressive towards the middle of the XXth Century, after FDR. A lot of what Nixon did, for example, would be considered fairly liberal by today’s standards.

Then, it would seem from the great quote by Lovecraft, the GOP said, “Well, fuck all that noise” and went right back to where they were before.

183 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:01:42pm

re: #181 ProTARDISLiberal

On the other hand, the member ship among Liberal Churches is dropping like a rock.

Yes, I am glad at the growing strength of Muslims in the US, but I like diversity. So I would like Christianity to get it’s ass in gear, and get its head back on straight.

True that. I’d be happy with more agnostics though. Still get the Catholic guilt though. That shit lingers.

184 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:03:04pm

re: #181 ProTARDISLiberal

On the other hand, the member ship among Liberal Churches is dropping like a rock.

Yes, I am glad at the growing strength of Muslims in the US, but I like diversity. So I would like Christianity to get it’s ass in gear, and get its head back on straight.

I wonder how the Unitarians are doing, membership-wise? They’re a nice bunch of folks. I knew quite a few up in the Pacific NW; dated a young lady who went to a UU Fellowship.

185 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:03:10pm

re: #182 Dr Lizardo

The Republicans did turn a bit more progressive towards the middle of the XXth Century, after FDR. A lot of what Nixon did, for example, would be considered fairly liberal by today’s standards.

Then, it would seem from the great quote by Lovecraft, the GOP said, “Well, fuck all that noise” and went right back to where they were before.

It’s pretty remarkable but our most conservative president from Coolidge to Reagan was in fact Ford and Ford supported the ERA, supported gay rights, and choice.

186 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:03:16pm

re: #182 Dr Lizardo

The Republicans did turn a bit more progressive towards the middle of the XXth Century, after FDR. A lot of what Nixon did, for example, would be considered fairly liberal by today’s standards.

Then, it would seem from the great quote by Lovecraft, the GOP said, “Well, fuck all that noise” and went right back to where they were before.

Perhaps the famous letter by Eisenhower —- about how those who wanted to undo the New Deal were stupid and negligible in number —- was taken with deadly seriousness by the Right.

Movement conservatism as a whole can be viewed as an exercise in constructing a large enough and stupid enough voter block to undo the New Deal.

187 aagcobb  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:04:05pm

re: #111 GeneJockey

If I understand correctly, accepting the GOP’s offer would probably have probably have plunged us into default almost immediately. The only reason we have been able to pay the bills is we’ve been on ‘extraordinary measures’ since May.

Mind you, I could be full of shit. I’ve been told that often enough….

As I understand it, they were going to suspend the debt limit until November 22, so there would be no limit to borrowing and no chance of default.

188 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:04:48pm

Charles Krauthammer: Where is Ted Cruz now?

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer continued his criticism of Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday, asking, “Where is he now?”

“How exactly was he going to achieve abolition of Obamacare? Explain that to me. Has he ever explained it? And where is he now?” Krauthammer said on “The Laura Ingraham Show.”

SNIP

“I argued [to repeal Obamacare] in ‘09 and ‘10. I argued it every week in my writing, on television … all of us were in the trenches. Cruz arrives on the scene and pretends he’s just begun the fight against Obamacare,” Krauthammer said.

He continued, “I’ve been calling this the ‘kamikaze brigade’… ‘the suicide caucus.’ I’m all for charging the barricades, but you’ve got to show me how to penetrate them. … And people are saying Republicans are in retreat. They’re not in retreat, there never was a way to abolish Obamacare now,” Krauthammer said.

Ingraham also expressed her frustration.

“I’m with Cruz in spirit, I like the fact that he’s fighting, but I think we could’ve achieved real victory on the delay and the ‘no Washington’ exemption,” she said.

When your own pundits are calling you part of the ‘the suicide caucus’, you might want to consider the possibility that you’re screwing up.

BBIAB

189 b.d.  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:05:07pm

Chuck Todd is about to faint reporting on how bad the republicans came out looking in their new poll.

190 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:05:41pm

re: #178 EPR-radar

The Lovecraft quote is a nearly perfect summary of present-day “fiscal conservative” orthodoxy.

What today’s GOP has added to this mess is racism and assorted other malignant grievance/identity politics, all to deflect attention from the points set forth by Lovecraft.

True. They squeezed out the Northeastern ‘Jacob Javitz’ style Republicans in exchange for the least attractive parts of the old Democratic coalition of progressives and knuckledragging racists.

191 Feline Fearless Leader  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:06:38pm

re: #184 Dr Lizardo

I wonder how the Unitarians are doing, membership-wise? They’re a nice bunch of folks. I knew quite a few up in the Pacific NW; dated a young lady who went to a UU Fellowship.

I’ve heard UU described as “training wheels for atheists”.

;)

192 piratedan  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:06:40pm

re: #189 b.d.

despite all that water carrying he did, obviously it makes you wonder what is wrong with the American people!

193 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:07:29pm

re: #186 EPR-radar

Perhaps the famous letter by Eisenhower about how those who wanted to undo the New Deal were stupid and negligible in number, was taken with deadly seriousness by the Right.

Movement conservatism as a whole can be viewed as an exercise in constructing a large enough and stupid enough voter block to undo the New Deal.

Heh.

Yeah, undoing the legacy of the New Deal is an absolute central tenet of Movement Conservatism.

194 makeitstop  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:07:42pm

re: #188 Dark_Falcon

Charles Krauthammer: Where is Ted Cruz now?

SNIP

When your own pundits are calling you part of the ‘the suicide caucus’, you might want to consider the possibility that you’re screwing up.

BBIAB

Krauthammer just sounds bitter that Cruz got so much attention - note the whole ‘I was there first’ ‘tude.

195 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:08:21pm

re: #194 makeitstop

Krauthammer just sounds bitter that Cruz got so much attention - note the whole ‘I was there first’ ‘tude.

Yes, but it’s nice to be able to witness the cannibalism going on the R party. : )

196 b.d.  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:09:36pm

lol @ Michael Steele now on Tweety. “The country is pissed and they’re pissed at us.”

197 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:09:44pm

re: #189 b.d.

Chuck Todd is about to faint reporting on how bad the republicans came out looking in their new poll.

I’d like to see a poll where the House GOP polls only a handful of points less unfavorably than airborne Ebola.

198 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:10:31pm

re: #195 Justanotherhuman

Yes, but it’s nice to be able to witness the cannibalism going on the R party. : )

Two Republicans are eating Charles Krauthammmer.

One says to the other, “Does this taste bitter?”

199 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:10:38pm

re: #191 Feline Fearless Leader

I’ve heard UU described as “training wheels for atheists”.

;)

LOL. The UU folks are very nice. They’re very welcoming to everyone. The pastor there let me borrow “Rescuing The Bible From Fundamentalism”; what a great read that was. It still sticks with me to this day; when I read the Qur’an, I remember the lessons of that book about context, historical background, interaction with other faiths, etc. So on the one hand, I certainly can read the Qur’an as a holy text, and on the other, I can read between the lines and appreciate it in its proper contextual setting.

Qur’anic literalism is just as dangerous as Biblical literalism.

200 makeitstop  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:11:11pm

re: #195 Justanotherhuman

Yes, but it’s nice to be able to witness the cannibalism going on the R party. : )

Noted. Gloriously entertaining, considering that just a few years ago Democrats were the ones considered to be incapable of forging a coherent message.

201 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:11:47pm

re: #199 Dr Lizardo

I still wonder how to deal with the Hadith.

202 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:12:21pm

re: #199 Dr Lizardo

LOL. The UU folks are very nice. They’re very welcoming to everyone. The pastor there let me borrow “Rescuing The Bible From Fundamentalism”; what a great read that was. It still sticks with me to this day; when I read the Qur’an, I remember the lessons of that book about context, historical background, interaction with other faiths, etc. So on the one hand, I certainly can read the Qur’an as a holy text, and on the other, I can read between the lines and appreciate it in its proper contextual setting.

Qur’anic literalism is just as dangerous as Biblical literalism.

The belief that one has THE ONE TRUE PATH is a dangerous one, not only for the True Believer, but for anyone they encounter.

Except for me, because I’m right.
///

203 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:12:36pm

re: #199 Dr Lizardo

LOL. The UU folks are very nice. They’re very welcoming to everyone. The pastor there let me borrow “Rescuing The Bible From Fundamentalism”; what a great read that was. It still sticks with me to this day; when I read the Qur’an, I remember the lessons of that book about context, historical background, interaction with other faiths, etc. So on the one hand, I certainly can read the Qur’an as a holy text, and on the other, I can read between the lines and appreciate it in its proper contextual setting.

Qur’anic literalism is just as dangerous as Biblical literalism.

Constitutional literalism isn’t far behind. Of course, all of these ‘literalisms’ have nothing to do with the texts, and everything to do with using the texts to validate the thumper’s predetermined positions.

Very post-modern, actually.

204 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:13:16pm

re: #194 makeitstop

Krauthammer just sounds bitter that Cruz got so much attention - note the whole ‘I was there first’ ‘tude.

Yeah, all he’s doing is bitching. Where’s the advice to Boehner to throw himself on the grenade and hold clean votes on the budget and debt limit?

205 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:14:03pm

re: #204 goddamnedfrank

Yeah, all he’d doing is bitching. Where’s the advice to Boehner to throw himself on the grenade and hold clean votes on the budget and debt limit?

Because in Krauthammer’s world, GOP votes are the only ones worth counting or seeking.

206 Backwoods_Sleuth  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:14:48pm

re: #146 EPR-radar

Other possibilities:

“Have you located your spine yet? The lack of a spine must be very unfortunate.”

“Have the Tea Partiers in the House worn their white robes on the House floor yet?”

“Have you no decency?”

bringing it back in a different incarnation, just because…

Boehner looking for support…or trying to remember where he left his spine…

207 GeneJockey  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:15:49pm

I grew up in a very liberal congregation of Mennonites, though my view is that they adhered more closely to the original tenets of the Anabaptists. Wonderful, caring, truly Christian bunch of folks. The one thing that kept me from joining is not believing in God. Couldn’t make that jump, nor see a reason to.

208 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:15:59pm

re: #181 ProTARDISLiberal

On the other hand, the membership among Liberal Churches is dropping like a rock.

Yes, I am glad at the growing strength of Muslims in the US, but I like diversity. So I would like Christianity to get it’s ass in gear, and get its head back on straight.

DIrty little secret? It’s dropping like a rock in the conservative churches too. Southern Baptist Convention is bleeding membership for example. I’ll have to see if I can find that link my priest shared with me…

209 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:17:01pm


From that link:

You guys know the Guardian, right? The ones so fearlessly reporting on the personal sports teams, lives, sexuality and private conversations of British agents working at GCHQ?

Editors Alan Rusbridger and Janine Gibson boldly do hand-picked Twitter questions where anybody who supports them can ask any supportive question they like?

They stand strong for freedom of information and government openness, don’t they?

Well, here’s a recent exchange I had when the Guardian asked me for an interview:

Click ye on the link and read the exchange.

210 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:17:20pm

re: #201 ProTARDISLiberal

I still wonder how to deal with the Hadith.

To be honest, the only ones I give notice to are the ones that don’t contradict the Qur’an.

I know in America, you have the “Qur’an Alone” movement; they’re -shall we say- controversial, but they make legitimate points. I’m not the kind of Muslim that will say, “Well, those folks over there……they aren’t real Muslims!”

You recite the shahada; you do the prayers, you recite Surah Fatiha, you believe in Muhammad (saas) as the Prophet of Allah (swt), and the 5 Pillars of Faith, and in my book, that’s close enough; Shi’a, Sunni, Sufi, Ahmadiyya, Alevi, so what? It’s Islam. And if you’re jewish or Christian, you’re the People of the Book, our spiritual cousins.

And that’s that. No if’s, and’s or but’s.

211 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:17:44pm

re: #205 EPR-radar

Because in Krauthammer’s world, GOP votes are the only ones worth counting or seeking.

I don’t think he’s doing either. If Boehner held those votes I’m pretty sure both would pass the Hastert rule.

This is all about Boehner wanting to stay Speaker, which isn’t going to happen either way. This entire impasse is him, having fucked everything up, being unwilling to sacrifice his Speakership in order to lead his party out of the Valley of Death.

212 Gus  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:18:25pm
213 Gus  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:19:13pm

News should be reported as is regardless of whether or not one likes the news they’re reporting.

214 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:20:09pm

re: #210 Dr Lizardo

And if you’re jewish or Christian, you’re the People of the Book, our spiritual cousins.

As a way-lapsed Catholic, am I of the ‘people who closed the book’?

215 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:20:36pm

re: #213 Gus

News should be reported as is regardless of whether or not one likes the news they’re reporting.

Extremist.

/

216 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:22:51pm

re: #188 Dark_Falcon

Charles Krauthammer: Where is Ted Cruz now?

SNIP

When your own pundits are calling you part of the ‘the suicide caucus’, you might want to consider the possibility that you’re screwing up.

BBIAB

i don’t mean to become a troll on the subject, but it reinforces my point that it’s not really about obamacare - it’s about keeping the government shut down

217 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:23:04pm

re: #211 goddamnedfrank

I don’t think he’s doing either. If Boehner held those votes I’m pretty sure both would pass the Hastert rule.

This is all about Boehner wanting to stay speaker, which isn’t going to happen either way. This entire impasse is him, having fucked everything up, being unwilling to sacrifice his Speakership in order to lead his party out of the Valley of Death.

I don’t think there are enough GOP votes to pass CR or debt ceiling in the House under the Hastert rule. With 232 republicans in the House, 16 tea baggers can kill anything that is attempted under the Hastert rule.

218 Killgore Trout  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:24:04pm

re: #212 Gus

[Embedded content]

Yeah, looking at the quotes it’s hard to see how some got reports of “Obama rejects proposal”, etc.
usatoday.com

The White House issued a readout of the meeting, saying “After a discussion about potential paths forward, no specific determination was made. The president looks forward to making continued progress with members on both sides of the aisle. The president’s goal remains to ensure we pay the bills we’ve incurred, reopen the government and get back to the business of growing the economy, creating jobs and strengthening the middle class.”

Everybody quoted seems positive and it seems they’re close to working out a deal.

219 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:26:06pm

re: #217 EPR-radar

I don’t think there are enough GOP votes to pass CR or debt ceiling in the House under the Hastert rule. With 232 republicans in the House, 16 tea baggers can kill anything that is attempted under the Hastert rule.

Um, no. That’s not how the Hastert rule works. As long as 116 GOP Reps are for it, the Hastert rule is satisfied.

220 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:26:24pm
221 The Mountain That Blogs  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:26:34pm

re: #217 EPR-radar

I don’t think there are enough GOP votes to pass CR or debt ceiling in the House under the Hastert rule. With 232 republicans in the House, 16 tea baggers can kill anything that is attempted under the Hastert rule

Might be wrong about this, but my understanding of the Hastert Rule was that nothing without support from the majority of the majority party will be brought to a vote, but it doesn’t mean that only things that can pass without any minority votes will be brought. It takes 117 Republicans to destroy a bill before it can be brought up, not 16.

222 b.d.  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:27:09pm

re: #216 dog philosopher

The baggers hate Obama 1st, hate the government 2nd but mostly just hate everything all of the time.

223 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:27:35pm

re: #217 EPR-radar

I don’t think there are enough GOP votes to pass CR or debt ceiling in the House under the Hastert rule. With 232 republicans in the House, 16 tea baggers can kill anything that is attempted under the Hastert rule.

Need to correct myself here. Apparently the historical Hastert rule was a majority of the majority party, and this is probably there for CR and debt ceiling passage.

Teabagger Hastert rule (which is what this Congress has been practicing) is only bringing things to the floor that have 217 or more GOP votes in favor.

224 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:28:13pm

re: #214 wrenchwench

As a way-lapsed Catholic, am I of the ‘people who closed the book’?

Heh. Good one.

I’m always reminded of this Hindu story.

Once there was a man who rejected Lord Krishna. Everyday, when we woke up, first he said was, “Ahhhh, there’s no Lord Krishna”. He’d tell this to everyone; his kids, his wife, the guy who cut his hair, even the dog.

Well, one day, he died like all of us do. And when he woke up in the afterlife, who was sitting right in front of him? Why, Lord Krishna of course.

The man began profusely apologizing to Lord Krishna for his lack of faith; Lord Krishna replied, “Don’t worry. Every time you denied me, you spoke my name. And that is all that matters.”

225 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:29:26pm

This advice should probably be spread around in Washington, DC about now.

226 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:30:28pm

re: #225 wrenchwench

You mean it’s not OK to conclude the sternly worded letter with “fear this and tremblingly obey”?

227 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:30:41pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama and Republican leaders reached no specific determination on how to end the partial government shutdown or raise the nation’s debt ceiling. The White House, however, described the meeting as good and said Obama looked forward to progress.

“Obama met Thursday with 20 House Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner (BAY’-nur), in the White House Roosevelt Room. The Republicans offered a plan for a temporary extension of the federal debt ceiling and immediate negotiations over how to end the partial government shutdown, now in its 10th day.

“Obama has insisted on the government reopening before initiating budget talks.”

bigstory.ap.org

228 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:30:54pm

re: #223 EPR-radar

Need to correct myself here. Apparently the historical Hastert rule was a majority of the majority party, and this is probably there for CR and debt ceiling passage.

Teabagger Hastert rule (which is what this Congress has been practicing) is only bringing thing to the floor that have 217 or more GOP votes in favor.

what’s all this i hear about the has-to-hurt ruler?

229 dog philosopher  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:32:34pm

re: #227 Justanotherhuman

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama and Republican leaders reached no specific determination on how to end the partial government shutdown or raise the nation’s debt ceiling. The White House, however, described the meeting as good and said Obama looked forward to progress.

“Obama met Thursday with 20 House Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner (BAY’-nur), in the White House Roosevelt Room. The Republicans offered a plan for a temporary extension of the federal debt ceiling and immediate negotiations over how to end the partial government shutdown, now in its 10th day.

“Obama has insisted on the government reopening before initiating budget talks.”

bigstory.ap.org

nice selection of typefaces on the AP page there

230 b.d.  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:33:12pm

re: #228 dog philosopher

Time for John to bring about a Boehner Rule, it involves a blender somehow.

231 Interesting Times  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:33:18pm

re: #227 Justanotherhuman

Well, that’s about as vague as vague can be. Might as well go by the 24-hr rule (though maybe the whole “he rejected it” thing was actually about the poison-pill “no extraordinary measures” bit)

232 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:34:45pm
233 Kragar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:35:57pm

re: #232 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

So they finally paved the road between Rohan and Gondor?

234 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:36:55pm

This really is heartbreaking.

‘It’s heartbreaking’: Shutdown could ruin years of Antarctic research

nbcnews.com

“More than 10 years of planning, $10 million of government funding and tireless work from the team that discovered life in a lake buried beneath an Antarctic glacier earlier this year may largely go to waste because of the government shutdown.

“The WISSARD drilling program — a collaborative effort of 14 principal investigators including glaciologists, geophysicists, microbiologists and others from nine institutions across the country — is one of the largest programs ever fielded by the U.S. Antarctic Program.

“The team consists of more than 50 scientists, graduate students and support staff members, who aim to explore the underbelly of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet— a flowing mass of ice about the size of France — in order to study its dynamics and improve models that predict its melting rate. If it were to melt completely, the ice sheet would increase average global sea level by between 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters).”

235 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:37:24pm

re: #226 EPR-radar

You mean it’s not OK to conclude the sternly worded letter with “fear this and tremblingly obey”?

Well, at least that doesn’t contain the ‘f’ word. Maybe add a please and thank you.

236 piratedan  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:39:00pm

re: #233 Kragar

So they finally paved the road between Rohan and Gondor?

With Saruman out of the way, no more litigation on right of way issues

237 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:40:20pm

re: #234 Justanotherhuman

Some teabagger representative will doubtless be stupid enough to say that the resulting lack of data on the West Antarctic ice sheet is actually a positive development.

239 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:44:40pm

re: #236 piratedan

With Saruman out of the way, no more litigation on right of way issues

And enough trees were removed to eliminate opposition to the “Frack Orthanc” shale gas extraction plan.

240 wrenchwench  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:44:58pm

re: #238 Interesting Times

Ha!

Image: 1379243_10151747047108375_1315580104_n.jpg

lol

241 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:45:34pm

re: #239 Dark_Falcon

And enough trees were removed to eliminate opposition to the “Frack Orthanc” shale gas extraction plan.

The Ents were bought off with giant cannabis plants.

242 klys  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:46:49pm

re: #241 EPR-radar

The Ents were bought off with giant cannabis plants.

“They’re Entwives, really!”

243 EPR-radar  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:48:17pm

re: #242 klys

“They’re Entwives, really!”

Or perhaps inflatable whatsits made using Saruman’s idled manufacturing facilities at Orthanc.

244 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:49:17pm

re: #242 klys

“They’re Entwives, really!”

No, I have it on good authority that Entwives were supplied from the Farthest East, Entwives “untainted by toxic feminism”.

/That last is a shot at mail-order bride ads, not at feminism.

BBL

245 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 4:55:19pm

re: #227 Justanotherhuman

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama and Republican leaders reached no specific determination on how to end the partial government shutdown or raise the nation’s debt ceiling. The White House, however, described the meeting as good and said Obama looked forward to progress.

“Obama met Thursday with 20 House Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner (BAY’-nur), in the White House Roosevelt Room. The Republicans offered a plan for a temporary extension of the federal debt ceiling and immediate negotiations over how to end the partial government shutdown, now in its 10th day.

“Obama has insisted on the government reopening before initiating budget talks.”

bigstory.ap.org

Good move, Mr. President.

246 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Oct 10, 2013 5:04:42pm

You know what we need to do?

Replace Columbus Day with de las Casas Day.


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