1 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 7:48:23pm

It never rains but it pours. Point someone like Maddow down a scandal trail and she’ll likely turn up something relevant.

2 Gus  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 7:56:28pm

The NSA should know everything! Allegedly. //

3 Kragar  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:00:57pm

But… but… polling against Hillary… BENGHAZI!

4 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:05:13pm

Evening Lizards…..

5 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:05:50pm

re: #1 Dark_Falcon

There’s a reason for that, she actually remembers what being a journalist used to be about.

6 Kragar  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:10:54pm
7 kirkspencer  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:13:03pm

re: #6 Kragar

[Embedded content]

He’s a troll. That’s a post meant to enrage and get hits from all the Drudge and Christie followers.

Quit feeding him.

8 Gus  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:14:22pm

Hello! NSA!? What’s the skinny on the Bridgegate emails?

[crickets]

//

9 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:18:18pm

Seems like a pretty compelling argument to me.

10 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:18:41pm

So what do you think is the over under on when one of Christie’s stooges turns states evidence?

11 Gus  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:20:12pm

My mom’s brother Pepe called from Argentina. Wanted to know what was up with my “parent’s governor.” My dad is kind of meh about everything. Asked them both, “so, do you think Christie is an asshole.” They didn’t think much of it. They’re both over 80 now.

12 Gus  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:21:21pm
13 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:21:40pm

I have to admit that I am glad Christie is imploding, he was the most dangerous of the potential GOP candidates in that he wasn’t guanomanic enough to turn off people in the General.

14 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:23:57pm

re: #10 PT Barnum

So what do you think is the over under on when one of Christie’s stooges turns states evidence?

Word downstairs is that Wildstein’s looking for immunity in return for his testimony. No word on Kelly or Baroni, but the latter has already lawyered up and the former probably will in the next 24-48 hours. I imagine it now becomes a race to see who rolls first and thus wins immunity from federal charges.

15 Kragar  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:24:25pm

re: #10 PT Barnum

So what do you think is the over under on when one of Christie’s stooges turns states evidence?

Depends on the book deal

16 jaunte  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:25:08pm
17 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:25:24pm

re: #14 Targetpractice

Word downstairs is that Wildstein’s looking for immunity in return for his testimony. No word on Kelly or Baroni, but the latter has already lawyered up and the former probably will in the next 24-48 hours. I imagine it now becomes a race to see who rolls first and thus wins immunity from federal charges.

given that he pleaded the 5th to everything but his name in the trial, I would guess it won’t be long before one of them displays a smoking gun.

18 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:27:46pm

re: #17 PT Barnum

given that he pleaded the 5th to everything but his name in the trial hearing, I would guess it won’t be long before one of them displays a smoking gun.

19 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:27:49pm

re: #17 PT Barnum

given that he pleaded the 5th to everything but his name in the trial, I would guess it won’t be long before one of them displays a smoking gun.

I think what changed everything was the Feds getting involved. Before yesterday, Wildstein probably thought he could stonewall things, get a contempt of court charge, and then get pardoned down the line. Now? Now he’s looking at federal charges, ones that Christie can’t get him out from under.

20 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:29:28pm

re: #19 Targetpractice

I think what changed everything was the Feds getting involved. Before yesterday, Wildstein probably thought he could stonewall things, get a contempt of court charge, and then get pardoned down the line. Now? Now he’s looking at federal charges, ones that Christie can’t get him out from under.

Given it’s Jersey, I’d be more likely to expect Wildstein to be found not only under the bus but under 6 feet of concrete

21 Killgore Trout  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:30:34pm

I was checking to see if anyone else is running with Maddows big scoop. Found this update on her epic smackdown of the Koch bros from last week. Rachel Maddow claims Florida group that backs drug-testing welfare recipients is affiliated with Koch brothers

Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a University of Notre Dame law professor who focuses on nonprofit advocacy issues, told us the Kochs’ network of entities shows that “they have gone to significant lengths and expense to hide their contributions and where those contributions are going,”

But, “it does seem to be a stretch to say that all of the donors to the State Policy Network are somehow affiliated with Foundation for Government Accountability given the small size of the grant to the foundation compared to all the grants made by the network.”

Maddow said the Foundation for Government Accountability, which supported a Florida law requiring drug testing of welfare recipients, is a “Koch brothers affiliated group.”

The evidence to prove that particular claim is thin. We rate the claim Mostly False.

22 wheat-dogghazi  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:31:23pm

Christie made a big mistake, pissing off the Port Authority and New York City, as well as people in his own state.

23 Killgore Trout  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:33:10pm

re: #22 wheat-dogghazi

Christie made a big mistake, pissing off the Port Authority and New York City, as well as people in his own state.

Yeah, it looks pretty bad. His goose might be cooked.

24 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:34:19pm

Here we go again.

25 PT Barnum  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:35:19pm

re: #21 Killgore Trout

Given the Koch Brother’s affinity for dark money, I think it’s more likely than not they were involved, no matter how peripherally.

26 Killgore Trout  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:47:04pm

re: #25 PT Barnum

Given the Koch Brother’s affinity for dark money, I think it’s more likely than not they were involved, no matter how peripherally.

I don’t think there’s much dispute that they were somewhat involved. their contribution in this case isn’t a secret but it’s relatively small. Other groups and companies also contributed, Microsoft and even Comcast (which owns MSNBC). Maddow overstated her case. Think tanks, PACS are very interesting subjects. But they quickly become all encompassing populist conspiracy theories about Soros and Koch Bros. Like the military-industrial complex too, there are real discussions to be had but people get carried away and lapse into quackery.

27 Kragar  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:52:01pm
28 wheat-dogghazi  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:55:13pm

Small world: Weinberg represents the town where my aunt and uncle used to live, and where three of my cousins grew up.

29 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:57:15pm

That Magical Balance Fairy is getting a little long in the tooth.

30 Lidane  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:59:50pm
31 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 8:59:57pm

re: #5 PT Barnum

There’s a reason for that, she actually remembers what being a journalist used to be about.

I know: I’ve read the work of reporters reporters of that caliber before, mostly in the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times.

32 Lidane  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:01:22pm

re: #29 Charles Johnson

That Magical Balance Fairy is getting a little long in the tooth.

It’s a scab MBF. The real one decided to Occupy a Barcalounger and demand both overtime and hazard pay for all the stupid she was being asked to try and balance out.

33 allegro  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:03:09pm

re: #32 Lidane

It’s a scab MBF. The real one decided to Occupy a Barcalounger and demand both overtime and hazard pay for all the stupid she was being asked to try and balance out.

But at least she felt superior.

34 Eclectic Cyborg  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:08:27pm

Now THIS is good advertising!

35 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:10:26pm

If Christie’s been having sleepless nights the last two nights, imagine how he’s going to feel tonight, having bet the farm that no evidence will come out that Samson was involved in the plot.

36 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:13:55pm

re: #33 allegro

But at least she felt superior.

Union Fairies always feel superior, and it helps lead them to demand pensions. The problem is pensions for fairies is that they live so long that the pensions become unaffordable.

Thankfully, fairies exist in small enough numbers that they don’t have a major lobbyist presence in DC. Chairman Ryan plans to take advantage of that this year by passing legislation to defang the Government Fairy Union with a “Scott Walker Special”.

//The preceding is entirely in jest.

37 Varek Raith  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:31:44pm

re: #21 Killgore Trout

Read that article carefully.

38 Varek Raith  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:32:22pm

It’s typical politifact splitting of hairs and semantics.

39 freetoken  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:32:30pm

re: #21 Killgore Trout

I’m finding it very tiring for Politifact to keep trying to force complex groups into simple labels, like “liberal”, and to use hot-button catch phrases like “mostly false” when even their own story you linked would more properly be summarized as “overstated”, but a phrase like “overstated” will not grab headlines, which, like all other media-associated outlets, is what Politifact is trying to do.

40 allegro  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:34:30pm

re: #36 Dark_Falcon

//The preceding is entirely in jest.

Because ripping away the decades of negotiated deferred income from people who counted on that contract to keep them from poverty in their elder years is so fucking funny. Yeah, no.

41 Varek Raith  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:37:44pm
Yes, there are some ties among Scott, Koch and the Foundation for Government Accountability. And yes, there are some slightly stronger interactions between Koch and the State Policy Network.

But it’s not enough to declare the Foundation for Government Accountability a Koch affiliate.

Lol.

42 Varek Raith  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:40:20pm
43 Varek Raith  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:41:39pm

sourcewatch.org

Nice try politifact.
/

44 Varek Raith  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:44:39pm

Politifact didn’t even try to connect the web of funding for these rightwing groups.

45 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:49:19pm

re: #44 Varek Raith

Politifact didn’t even try to connect the web of funding for these rightwing groups.

“Webs of funding” are further than Politifact is set up to go. They value quick-turnarounds in their rulings and that obviates deeper investigation.

Politifact also wishes to be seen as even-handed and partisans on both sides tend to cry “persecution!” if a newspaper tries to discern too many links.

46 The War TARDIS  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:53:49pm

Been thinking about something for a while, finally put on FB, with an article link.

I have to wonder how the American Libertarian and Conservative Christians are reacting to this. So often in the US, we see these so-called-“Christians” promoting politics that care so little for others weaker circumstances, whether it be regards to income, health, or circumstances. In the end, people must choose between God and the Golden Calf. For some American Christians, they may have an extremely hard time. Or they will go to a more “convienent” form of Christianity.

However, the same mindset exists among Muslims as well. look at so, so many of the Gulf States. They have so much wealth, and yet, look at their neighbors. Yemen, with heavy poverty and conflict, and Jordan, bereft of Natural Resources, and barely coping with a staggering number of Syrian Refugees. Instead, they spend billions of dollars for bloated shows of wealth, like the inelegant monstrosity of the Great Mosque in Mecca (which, by the way, is totally against the modesty they oh so claim to promote.), and spreading piffle that Damages the Muslim World like nothing else. Piffle that has no love or care, but just cold rules that make for a very sad world.They claim to have lots of faith, buit in reality they have faith that may be 5 km wide, but only 4 millimeters deep.

Of course, the best thing the US could do this is to stop supporting nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE. They do such great harm to the Muslim World, and have done harm to the United States.

47 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:54:29pm

Politifact does have some utility for separating lies from the truth, but it needs to be remembered that its run by a for-profit newspaper. I love selling on behalf of for-profit entities, as I find the commissions that yields both lucrative and emotionally rewarding. But when the entity is for-profit, its actions will always be about the money.

48 The War TARDIS  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:58:05pm

re: #47 Dark_Falcon

Which one of us killed the thread.

49 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 9:58:19pm

re: #46 The War TARDIS

Been thinking about something for a while, finally put on FB, with an article link.

PLL, without Western support those nations would either fall to Iran or come under Russian or Chinese influence.

I’m not fond of the idea of that much of the world’s oil supply being controlled by the ayatollahs of Iran.

Also, I get Saudi Arabia, but what have those smaller nations done to deserve abandonment?

50 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:02:02pm

re: #48 The War TARDIS

Which one of us killed the thread.

It’s not dead, just in the midst of regenerating.

51 The War TARDIS  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:04:13pm

re: #49 Dark_Falcon

I have a better opinion of Iran than Saudi Arabia and all of those corrupt little statelets.

And I see, even with China’s heavy support, that Pakistan is barely holding together. One massive disaster, and Pakistan will collapse. China can’t keep up its manic growth forever, and the rapid aging of its population has locked it in for decades of problems.

52 Just never mind.  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:08:03pm

re: #48 The War TARDIS

Which one of us killed the thread.

You did!
Giggles!

53 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:09:25pm

re: #48 The War TARDIS

Which one of us killed the thread.

It was hit by time torpedoes, so it must have been a Battle TARDIS. That would put the thread kill on you.

The revelation of military versions of the TARDIS via my reading of the Dr. Who wiki did force me to revise my opinion of the Time Lords leadership downward. They depended far too heavily on ‘sky fences’ to protect Gallifrey, rather than stepping up production of Battle TARDISs to keep the Daleks from reaching orbit of the planet.

I find it curious that the Lords of Time forgot such a key principal: Those who control a world’s orbitals control the world.

54 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:12:30pm

re: #51 The War TARDIS

I have a better opinion of Iran than Saudi Arabia and all of those corrupt little statelets.

And I see, even with China’s heavy support, that Pakistan is barely holding together. One massive disaster, and Pakistan will collapse. China can’t keep up its manic growth forever, and the rapid aging of its population has locked it in for decades of problems.

But Iran is hostile to the US, and its conquest of part of the Arabian Peninsula would be bloody. Moreover, controlling that much of the world’s oil supply would be as corrupting as Sparta’s control of the former Athenian Empire after the Peloponnesian War.

55 The War TARDIS  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:21:41pm

re: #54 Dark_Falcon

A relationship with Iran can be made better. They offered help after 9/11 and after Katrina.

Meanshile, 15 of the 19 Hi-Jackers came from Saudi, along with Bin Laden.

I also heavily doubt that Iran would want to try to recreate the Persian Empire. Times have changed.

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

The Time Lords were originally a not-war-like race.

I find it unsurprising they did so badly.

56 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:27:09pm

The Time Lords may not have sought war, but they certainly went at it with great zeal once started. And it should be remembered that they were the ones who fired the first shot, going so far as to order the Doctor to either wipe out the Daleks or change their whole course of evolution just to remove a potential threat.

57 Kragar  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:30:31pm

A few more:

58 The War TARDIS  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:33:48pm

Don’t see Spain doing this for the Muslims.

Spain invites Sephardic Jews to return after 500 years of exile.

59 piratedan  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:37:43pm

so it may have indeed been political retribution, just not at the target that was first identified. If so, that means that CC lied in his presser, which won’t do him any favors either.

60 allegro  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:40:25pm

re: #57 Kragar

So oh yeah? I can cuddle mine:

61 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:43:19pm

re: #55 The War TARDIS

The Time Lords were originally a not-war-like race.

I find it unsurprising they did so badly.

Even so, they had knowledge of great many wars. It makes their mistakes less understandable.

(In real life, the lack of Battle TARDISs was an example of Author Fiat in action as well as being needed to keep the Doctor as the only Time Lord ‘in play’, as it were.)

62 wheat-dogghazi  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:46:07pm

re: #57 Kragar

A few more:

[Embedded image][Embedded image][Embedded image][Embedded image]

Reminds me of Doctor Octupus, but with heavier armor.

63 sagehen  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:54:23pm

re: #55 The War TARDIS

A relationship with Iran can be made better. They offered help after 9/11 and after Katrina.

Meanshile, 15 of the 19 Hi-Jackers came from Saudi, along with Bin Laden.

I also heavily doubt that Iran would want to try to recreate the Persian Empire. Times have changed.

The Time Lords were originally a not-war-like race.

I find it unsurprising they did so badly.

I’m going to agree with you on Iran — they’re an advanced society, with a functioning government, and the people want so vehemently to move forward and liberalize that a very conservative government is starting to bend to their wishes.

They’re ready to be eased into first-world status.

64 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 10:56:30pm

re: #58 The War TARDIS

You might want to check out the current issue of Military History Quarterly. It has an article on the Hapsburg capture of Tunis from the Ottoman Empire in 1535. It’s an interesting look at a lesser-known battle that formed part of the great dynastic clash of the 1500’s.

Noteworthy is how Arab and Berber light cavalry, though without peer in mobile battles, proven unable to cope with Spanish tercio formations of pikemen and harquebusiers.

65 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 11:22:38pm

66 Lidane  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 11:34:14pm
67 Targetpractice  Thu, Jan 9, 2014 11:41:57pm

re: #66 Lidane

[Embedded content]

All the more reason for SCOTUS to put this issue to rest by just ruling that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.

68 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:16:27am

re: #67 Targetpractice

All the more reason for SCOTUS to put this issue to rest by just ruling that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.

Seriously. They need to make it clear that civil rights are not up for a popular vote, and they’re not up for debate. And also, just like the bans on interracial marriage back in the day, bans on gay marriage are based on irrational fears and have no basis in reality.

69 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:24:34am

re: #68 Lidane

Seriously. They need to make it clear that civil rights are not up for a popular vote, and they’re not up for debate. And also, just like the bans on interracial marriage back in the day, bans on gay marriage are based on irrational fears and have no basis in reality.

I get the unshakable feeling that, when this eventually ends up before SCOTUS, their desire to enshrine “states rights” will reassert itself and lead to another half-assed half-measure to allow some states who wish to discriminate to continue doing so.

70 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:33:13am

re: #22 wheat-dogghazi

Christie made a big mistake, pissing off the Port Authority and New York City, as well as people in his own state.

Sticking it to political opponents on a personal level is SOP in that business, as was the case with the NJ Supreme Court judges & nominees, but using commuters as pawns in a power play is way over the top. I do not suspect that this will cost him his office, but he can give up on any higher political aspirations.

71 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:54:44am

Christie’s big worries going forward are that there’s no further undermining of this narrative he’s trying to sell of a few bad apples who betrayed his trust. If it comes out that Samson was in on the whole plot and lied about it, that Christie was in any way aware of the plot before the email revelations, or may have in some way provided the conspirators with the impression that he approved of their actions, then he’s finished. He may not lose his office, but he can kiss any presidential ambitions goodbye.

72 chadu  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 1:33:12am

O/T:

Report from the wilds of frigid Pennsyltucky:
* Long hair is “weird” here, but extreme tattooing — especially sleeves, neck, ears, and facial — is extremely common. (I’m going back to the “long on top and in back, shaved sides”/”mullet-mohawk” look.)
* Thanks to LGF, I know what this “Duck Dynasty” thing is that overwhelms every single retail outlet in the area.
* Curiosity and/or interest in anything you don’t already know of is evil and should be killed with fire.
* I need to drive 45 minutes minimum to get any cuisine other than utility pizza, Mexican, or Chinese.
* Yuengling is a “fancy” beer.

Right now, pretty sure I’mma gonna be burned as a witch in 6 months.

73 chadu  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 1:44:35am

Also O/T:

I’ll bet anyone $5 I have more books right now in my apartment than there are in the other 23 units in this complex combined

…and that’s not counting the 11 still-packed file boxes in my storage unit.

74 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 2:01:15am

re: #72 chadu

You sum up well why I left the Midwest 35 years ago and never looked back…

75 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 3:37:59am

re: #73 chadu

Also O/T:

I’ll bet anyone $5 I have more books right now in my apartment than there are in the other 23 units in this complex >combined

…and that’s not counting the 11 still-packed file boxes in my storage unit.

The old saw, “You get what you pay for” is absolutely true. I just wish I could afford to pay for more and get out of here.

I live in a similar situation, except this is becoming a BR community of Charlotte and there are some pretty wealthy people living around the lake this county sits on. I’m just not part of that, and most in this county aren’t, either. It’s very conservative, with a redneck working class and a reactionary middle and upper class but lots of churches (figures); one small Catholic church, no synagogue or mosque. Used to be a farming community but being on the lake it’s getting lots of “outsiders” who appreciate the “whiteness”. Only about 5% minority, and I attribute that to a history of racism so bad that there are still KKK members here and racism is passed down like a legacy. I still occasionally see the confederate flag displayed on vehicles and even houses. At least they can’t blame the crime around here on anyone but themselves. It’s almost like living in a time warp.

I’m only here because I’m stuck after losing everything back in 1999, including my house, and having to move in with my son whose ex-wife picked where they were to live. He and my other son are back in Charlotte where I lived most of my life. I couldn’t afford to live there now, but I’m grateful for the internet so I can keep up w/modern life and what’s going on in the rest of the country. : )

76 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 3:46:14am

Morning all.

So, I made a mistake. I haven’t watched Morning Joke in a month or two, but today I turned it on as I awoke. I wanted to hear what Joke’s take on Christie was. I should have known. What I heard was Barack Obama and IRS, Benghazi, and how he never fired anyone and acted like he had no idea what was going on and so he is still more evil than Christie.

Oh, and I learned that Mika and Joke are both friends of Christie and know him quite well…so as Mika said, maybe they are just a little jaded by that.

You think?

I have a feeling today is not going to be a real good day. So, I’m putting on my helmet, digging in on some things I need to get done and staying away from as much media as possible.

Have as good a day as possible everyone!

77 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 3:48:30am

Not much else to see except the dust settling on the shattered remains of Christie’s Presidential ambitions. Time to get back to the usual outrages.

78 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:05:12am

re: #77 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

Not much else to see except the dust settling on the shattered remains of Christie’s Presidential ambitions. Time to get back to the usual outrages.

BENGHAZI!!!

79 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:10:48am

re: #76 ObserverArt

Morning all.

So, I made a mistake. I haven’t watched Morning Joke in a month or two, but today I turned it on as I awoke. I wanted to hear what Joke’s take on Christie was. I should have known. What I heard was >Barack Obama and IRS, Benghazi, and how he never fired anyone and acted like he had no idea what was going on and so he is still more evil than Christie.

Oh, and I learned that Mika and Joke are both friends of Christie and know him quite well…so as Mika said, maybe they are just a little jaded by that.

You think?

I have a feeling today is not going to be a real good day. So, I’m putting on my helmet, digging in on some things I need to get done and staying away from as much media as possible.

Have as good a day as possible everyone!

Funny, I look over the history of the IRS business and see that one person was forced to resign and two were forced into retirement. But I guess that doesn’t hold the same flare as tossing a staffer under the bus without comment beyond not wanting to talk to her for fear of being accused of witness tampering.

And none of them want to address the fact that he allowed two of those involved to resign without apparently thinking anything amiss about the reasons for doing so. He has yet to let on what reasons Wildstein and Baroni gave for turning in their resignations besides “mistakes” being made.

80 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:11:19am

Everyone seems to be asking this…

Chris Christie Took His Sweet Time to Find the Truth About of Bridgegate

Evidence was mounting for months that it was no mere “traffic study” that snarled things on the George Washington bridge. Christie’s two-hour Thursday’s press conference didn’t answer why he looked away.

thedailybeast.com

Not to mention, Christie did not condemn the actual act—just the “culture” he thought was brewing. A culture, actually, that most likely developed around him and his own image.

Pres Obama can’t show anger and must “control” what he says and does and if he “gets out line” he’s going to be condemned as just another “angry black”.

Christy, OTOH, being a white Jersey guy, is pretty much expected to act like “waste mgmt owner” when he feels like it—and gets away with it.

81 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:15:38am

re: #80 Justanotherhuman

Everyone seems to be asking this…

Chris Christie Took His Sweet Time to Find the Truth About of Bridgegate

Evidence was mounting for months that it was no mere “traffic study” that snarled things on the George Washington bridge. Christie’s two-hour Thursday’s press conference didn’t answer why he looked away.

thedailybeast.com

Not to mention, Christie did not condemn the actual act—just the “culture” he thought was brewing. A culture, actually, that most likely developed around him and his own image.

Pres Obama can’t show anger and must “control” what he says and does and if he “gets out line” he’s going to be condemned as just another “angry black”.

Christy, OTOH, being a white Jersey guy, is pretty much expected to act like “waste mgmt owner” when he feels like it—and gets away with it.

Yeah, the only conclusion if you want to believe that Christie was truly in the dark before Wednesday is that he was there willingly, that he knew something funny was going on but chose not to investigate it further. No telling what his reasons were, but my guess is he suspected his staffers had done something of an illegal nature and willfully chose to remain in the dark so that he couldn’t be accused at a later date of being a party to it.

82 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:28:39am

re: #81 Targetpractice

Yeah, the only conclusion if you want to believe that Christie was truly in the dark before Wednesday is that he was there willingly, that he knew something funny was going on but chose not to investigate it further. No telling what his reasons were, but my guess is he suspected his staffers had done something of an illegal nature and willfully chose to remain in the dark so that he couldn’t be accused at a later date of being a party to it.

I’m of the mind that he knew of it all along. I think Kelly & Wildstein got his OK after he discussed the politics of it with Samson; they implemented it, and he could disavow later that he did anything. They all thought they could get away with it.

I don’t trust Christie as far as I could throw him. In fact, I probably couldn’t even move him. I think he’s a vindictive SOB who won’t hesitate to stoop very, very low, regardless of whom it hurts, if it garners points for himself.

83 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:53:18am

This is also interesting about Wildstein—probably Christie’s most trusted—and loyal—advisor at the Port Authority, his “Mr. Fixit”.

They Play Rough

talkingpointsmemo.com

I think Bridget Kelly, while a primary player, was not the person with the authority to get that traffic shutdown. Yet, she was the one Christie fired first. She was a legislative liaison in Christie’s office—not a truly big fish but one who liked to play in the boys’ pool. She was the easiest to get rid of. Wildstein resigned a month ago.

I suppose Christie didn’t know about this, either, until the other day.

nj.com

84 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:56:45am

re: #82 Justanotherhuman

I’m of the mind that he knew of it all along. I think Kelly & Wildstein got his OK after he discussed the politics of it with Samson; they implemented it, and he could disavow later that he did anything. They all thought they could get away with it.

I don’t trust Christie as far as I could throw him. In fact, I probably couldn’t even move him. I think he’s a vindictive SOB who won’t hesitate to stoop very, very low, regardless of whom it hurts, if it garners points for himself.

I’m still of the mind that Christie didn’t personally order anything, but he knew members of his staff were involved, either as it was going on or after the fact, and chose not to take action. It stretches credibility past the breaking point that he, a former federal prosecutor, was so incurious about what went on in Fort Lee for four straight days that he never dug deeper than asking his staff if they were involved. I think when he found out that it had been run out of his office, he panicked and began stonewalling in the hopes that the matter would just die away. Especially when it looked like it was isolated to the Port Authority, where Baroni and Wildstein had already resigned over what looked like a snafu concerning a “traffic study.”

85 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 4:59:47am

re: #84 Targetpractice

One judges the quality of an executive by the people he chooses for his highest offices.

86 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:01:57am

Update: More documents to be released by the NJ State Assembly.

BridgeGate: Documents to be released; Civil suit filed

abclocal.go.com

87 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:12:15am

re: #85 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

One judges the quality of an executive by the people he chooses for his highest offices.

I’ve noticed others commenting on how Christie kept acting as if the “crime” was not that people in his office caused four straight days of needless suffering to the people of Fort Lee or possibly contributed to the death of a 91 year old woman. It’s that they “violated his trust” and how sad he was that they’d do that.

88 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:15:13am

re: #87 Targetpractice

I’ve noticed others commenting on how Christie kept acting as if the “crime” was not that people in his office caused four straight days of needless suffering to the people of Fort Lee or possibly contributed to the death of a 91 year old woman. It’s that they “violated his trust” and how sad he was that they’d do that.

And that, again, is what bugs me. Screwing over political opponents is stock in trade for that business, and it is to be expected in cases such as judicial appointments. But using commuters as pawns in a power play is completely unacceptable and shows a completely boorish, bullying sense of politics.

89 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:20:07am

Bridget Kelly may be finished in politics, but she can save her self respect by spilling her guts to the NJSA committee instead of invoking the 5th like that self-serving goon, Wildstein.

Or, OTOH, she may be his female twin. But I wonder what she’s telling her 4 kids about Mom no longer having a job?

90 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:20:16am

LOL please proceed Bryan.

91 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:20:23am

re: #88 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

And that, again, is what bugs me. Screwing over political opponents is stock in trade for that business, and it is to be expected in cases such as judicial appointments. But using commuters as pawns in a power play is completely unacceptable and shows a completely boorish, bullying sense of politics.

Which is why, if people really believe Christie was totally in the dark, then they can only find themselves asking just what sort of people does the man surround himself with that they’d do something so petty and malicious while purposefully keeping him in the dark about it.

92 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:28:07am

re: #90 Pie-onist Overlord

culture-destroying amnesty

Is Bryan askeered a’them Messicuns making us all larn t’like mariachi music?

93 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:30:10am

re: #90 Pie-onist Overlord

Only 25% of Americans identify as Republicans, number shrinking by the day. Mindless GOP elites are killing their own party.

Because a True Conservative would win!!!

94 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:32:49am

re: #93 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

Only 25% of Americans identify as Republicans, number shrinking by the day. Mindless GOP elites are killing their own party.

Because a >True Conservative True Scotsman would win!!!

FTFY

95 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:32:59am

...

96 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:34:06am

re: #95 Pie-onist Overlord

Didn’t the wingnuts already try this several times last year? How well did it work out for them?

[Embedded content]

If the reason you own guns is because you fear that you might have to fight an insurgency against the government, then you’ve got problems.

97 Mike Lamb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:35:01am

re: #90 Pie-onist Overlord

LOL please proceed Bryan.

[Embedded content]

You mean that “melting pot, welcoming people with open arms, with hard work you can achieve the American dream” culture? That one? And we are talking about allowing people that are already here to stay here without repercussion, yes?

Yup, I can see why this would definitely destroy “American culture”…

98 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:36:14am

re: #96 Targetpractice

If the reason you own guns is because you fear that you might have to fight an insurgency against the government, then you’ve got problems.

Here’s this guy’s profile:

ØP AMERICAN SPRING
@AlphaRomeo223
May 16th, 2014: Operation American Spring in DC to remove Obama, Boehner, Biden, Reid, McConnell, Pelosi, and Attorney General Holder from office. #Yeshua #OAS
DALLAS, TEXAS * patriotsforamerica.ning.com

Yeah, that’s totally going to work. //

99 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:38:59am

re: #97 Mike Lamb

You mean that “melting pot, welcoming people with open arms, with hard work you can achieve the American dream” culture? That one? And we are talking about allowing people that are already here to stay here without repercussion, yes?

Yup, I can see why this would definitely destroy “American culture”…

The best thing to do would be to go door to door and round up everyone who cannot prove legal residency, because that would be very much in line with American Culture.

/

100 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:39:20am

And people are worried about the NSA maybe—maybe—having their phone number?

Target Provides Update on Data Breach and Financial Performance
pressroom.target.com

“Target today announced updates on its continuing investigation into the recent data breach and its expected fourth quarter financial performance.

“As part of Target’s ongoing forensic investigation, it has been determined that certain guest information — separate from the payment card data previously disclosed — was taken during the data breach.

“This theft is not a new breach, but was uncovered as part of the ongoing investigation. At this time, the investigation has determined that the stolen information includes names, mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses for up to 70 million individuals. “

101 A Mom Anon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:39:40am

So Governor Bully’s office is full of hired stooge bullies. Why I am shocked, shocked I tell you. He just can’t imagine how anyone would have found a culture of bullying and cronyism in his office that would make anyone think this crap is ok…I’m surprised he didn’t bat his eyelashes and ask for his clutching pearls while he said that. And said it without laughing.

If this was allowed, I gotta ask, what else was allowed? Let the excavation begin.

102 Dr Lizardo  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:43:34am

re: #100 Justanotherhuman

And people are worried about the NSA maybe—maybe—having their phone number?

Target Provides Update on Data Breach and Financial Performance
pressroom.target.com

“Target today announced updates on its continuing investigation into the recent data breach and its expected fourth quarter financial performance.

“As part of Target’s ongoing forensic investigation, it has been determined that certain guest information — separate from the payment card data previously disclosed — was taken during the data breach.

“This theft is not a new breach, but was uncovered as part of the ongoing investigation. At this time, the investigation has determined that the stolen information includes names, mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses for up to 70 million individuals.

Wow…..that’s what? About 20% of the US population?

Damn.

Edit - math corrected, more or less.

103 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:52:55am

Blame Christy.

New Jersey Transit bus service in Camden, Gloucester and Burlington areas delayed up to 2 hours due to icy road conditions - statement via @NBCNews

Everything post-Bridgegate is now Blame Christy.

104 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:59:13am

Greenwald and the dudebros are getting desperate.


Running out of excuses for Snowgreen crimes, I suppose. And yeah, Conor Friedersdorf, you are absurd for even trying to conflate these.

105 Varek Raith  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 5:59:28am

re: #98 Pie-onist Overlord

Here’s this guy’s profile:

ØP AMERICAN SPRING
@AlphaRomeo223
May 16th, 2014: Operation American Spring in DC to remove Obama, Boehner, Biden, Reid, McConnell, Pelosi, and Attorney General Holder from office. #Yeshua #OAS
DALLAS, TEXAS * patriotsforamerica.ning.com

Yeah, that’s totally going to work. //

I’ll bring the popcorn!

106 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:00:01am

With other politicians I could buy that their staff might (might!) try to pull off a stunt like closing a real busy bridge as political payback.

With Christie…no freakin’ way. Everyone says he runs his office like a military man. Anyone know military procedure? Nothing happens unless it comes down from above. Nothing.

And it is pretty well known he has messed with political opponents before, so he already has a reputation. Being called a bully is not a new thing even though many have never heard much about Christie prior to the storms tearing up NJ.

If you watch him tear into that teacher, have people removed by patrol, and shout down a person while telling the guy not to shout…it is not a big stretch to think he did the bridge stunt.

I’m not buying. He might have set it up so that he could deny it and did it through steps so that the order to the people that implemented it didn’t get the order directly from Christie, but it had to come from the top. Military. Got to remember that.

Let’s ask it this way. Knowing who he is just from what the media has allowed to be seen…would you do the bridge blocking on your own knowing he is your boss. Be honest.

And if someone on his staff did do it by themselves I have a hard time believing no repercussions were taken until yesterday for the party that did it. They would have been gone as soon as the story broke and he would not have been joking bout putting out the cones himself. Who knows the joke about putting out the cones by himself may have just been an arrogant way of saying he did it, what are you going to do about it. I think something like that fits his character.

What is that old phrase…the one about a tiger never changing its stripes?

107 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:00:20am

HURR HURR. CONFIRMED. FACT!!!!!!!!! DERP DERP


(Buncha Fake Quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln)

108 Rev_Arthur_Belling  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:00:49am

re: #100 Justanotherhuman

“This theft is not a new breach, but was uncovered as part of the ongoing investigation. At this time, the investigation has determined that the stolen information includes names, mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses for up to 70 million individuals. “

Until companies start facing stiff penalties, like huge fines, for these types of security breaches, I expect more of the same. It was Adobe a couple of months ago. They don’t seem to really give a shit.

109 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:01:11am

re: #104 Justanotherhuman

Greenwald and the dudebros are getting desperate.

[Embedded content]


Running out of excuses for Snowgreen crimes, I suppose. And yeah, Conor Friedersdorf, you are absurd for even trying to conflate these.

No, he is simply combining two current topics to write an article that people will read. The fact that they have nothing to do with each other is irrelevant, it makes good copy…

110 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:02:37am

re: #107 Pie-onist Overlord

FACT: The govt cannot give to anyone anything that the govt does not first take from someone else


(Buncha Fake Quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln)

The government cannot provide the physical and legal infrastructure to maintain a functioning market unless those who benefit from the market contribute their share.

111 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:02:40am

HURR HURR CONFIRMED!!!!! FACT!!!!1!!!!

112 Rev_Arthur_Belling  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:04:31am

re: #104 Justanotherhuman

I have always found Friedersderp to be insufferable and tl;dr. He’s also a fan of Jonah Goldberg.

I’m writing this letter as a fan - I’ve tremendous respect for the pioneering work you did at National Review Online, your attempts to inject humor into political writing, and the enjoyable debates you’ve done with Peter Beinart.

114 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:07:12am

re: #112 Rev_Arthur_Belling

I have always found Friedersderp to be insufferable and tl;dr. He’s also a fan of Jonah Goldberg.

Yeah, I always figured FanBoi Conor as an opportunistic little libertarian shit.

115 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:10:01am

re: #104 Justanotherhuman

Clowns to the left. Dudebros who think that they know more, and better than the rest of us, but all they’ve done is highlight their infantile worldview.


Jokers to the right. You know the ones. They’re the ones who are Benghazi’ing at the top of their lungs. They’re complaining about how much media attention is falling on Christie and his cronies for the lane closures while everyone gave the president a pass on Benghazi.

It’s an exercise in purposefully and willfully ignoring the facts of both instances.

The Christie crisis is still developing as the governor himself claims to have been blindsided by the actions of his staffers - his deputy chief of staff at that, plus two top political appointees at a high profile bi-state agency.

There’s nothing there with Benghazi. It was a terror attack that also happened to coincide with the release of an anti-Muslim movie of dubious origin (a Coptic Christian looking to cause problems in Egypt too), with a diplomatic mission that lacked inadequate security in part because Congress - the Republican led Congress - refused to fully fund the State Department request for diplomatic security worldwide. If there’s a scandal in all this, that’s the scandal - that the House GOP decided to pinch pennies on security, and the end result was the death of the Ambassador and three other Americans.

The same GOPers who are busy Benghazi’ing are also in denial about what kind of military action the US could take. There weren’t assets in place that could immediately respond - it took the death of the Ambassador to create a rapid response team that would be able to get to areas in the region within hours (which could still be too late to save those being in harms’ way).

It’s also these same GOPers who ignore the rash of attacks on diplomatic missions during the Bush Administration who are suddenly finding their voice about a solitary hit against a diplomatic mission in the Obama Administration and turning it into high crimes and misdemeanors. It’s political blindness - IOKIYAR

But you knew all that.

116 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:11:31am

re: #107 Pie-onist Overlord

Wouldn’t Henry Ford refute all 5?

He raised wages for his workers so that they had the opportunity to buy the very products he was producing en masse.

He understood that his wealth depended on making sure that his employees could share in it - buying the products and spending them so that others too could buy his cars.

117 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:13:38am

re: #116 lawhawk

Wouldn’t Henry Ford refute all 5?

He raised wages for his workers so that they had the opportunity to buy the very products he was producing en masse.

He understood that his wealth depended on making sure that his employees could share in it - buying the products and spending them so that others too could buy his cars.

Not to mention paying a decent wage ensures a happy workforce less likely to seek higher wages elsewhere, reducing turnover and building up a thriving workforce of experienced men versus half-assing it with a bunch of rookies who are constantly being replaced because they go in search of greener pastures.

118 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:15:08am

re: #116 lawhawk

Wouldn’t Henry Ford refute all 5?

He raised wages for his workers so that they had the opportunity to buy the very products he was producing en masse.

He understood that his wealth depended on making sure that his employees could share in it - buying the products and spending them so that others too could buy his cars.

All those five memes were made up by some dude William J. H. Boetcker who was some kind of motivational speaker in the early 1900’s. For some reason his stupid memes got attached to Abraham Lincoln, to give them MOAR AUTHORITAY because who gives a shit about some dude William J. H. Boetcker?

119 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:17:37am
120 Varek Raith  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:18:02am

re: #119 Ryan King

Nothing to see here folks.

Lol.

121 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:19:47am

re: #116 lawhawk

Wouldn’t Henry Ford refute all 5?

He raised wages for his workers so that they had the opportunity to buy the very products he was producing en masse.

He understood that his wealth depended on making sure that his employees could share in it - buying the products and spending them so that others too could buy his cars.

Famous quote from a UAW boss who was being shown the latest GM fully automated assembly line. The GM boss pointed out, “Not a single one of those workers is a union member!”, to which he replied, “And not one of them is a GM customer, either!”

122 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:19:59am

re: #116 lawhawk

Wouldn’t Henry Ford refute all 5?

He raised wages for his workers so that they had the opportunity to buy the very products he was producing en masse.

He understood that his wealth depended on making sure that his employees could share in it - buying the products and spending them so that others too could buy his cars.

Automobiles were luxury items 100 years ago, Henry Ford wanted to increase the market beyond a handful of wealthy eccentrics.

General Motors allegedly fucked up public transportation in major cities in order to promote the use of personal vehicles.

123 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:23:40am

re: #122 Pie-onist Overlord

Automobiles were luxury items 100 years ago, Henry Ford wanted to increase the market beyond a handful of wealthy eccentrics.

General Motors allegedly fucked up public transportation in major cities in order to promote the use of personal vehicles.

Love that invisible hand…

124 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:24:21am

re: #122 Pie-onist Overlord

Automobiles were luxury items 100 years ago, Henry Ford wanted to increase the market beyond a handful of wealthy eccentrics.

General Motors allegedly fucked up public transportation in major cities in order to promote the use of personal vehicles.

Ford understood that quantity has a quality all of its own. Selling a lot of cheaply-built cars to working class customers would make him more money in the long run than selling a few high-quality cars to a small customer base would. Not that Ford ever skimped on the quality, but he was willing to make concessions to price, such as only building cars in one color, if it meant he could cut manufacturing costs.

125 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:26:08am

HURR HURR LIBRUL COMMUNIST!!!!11!!!1!!!

126 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:26:19am

How the networks covered Christie story yesterday.

127 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:28:09am

re: #124 Targetpractice

… Not that Ford ever skimped on the quality, but he was willing to make concessions to price, such as only building cars in one color, if it meant he could cut manufacturing costs.

I read that he stuck with black because it dried the quickest and allowed him to turn out more cars more quickly.

128 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:36:50am
129 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:37:28am

So ‘the media’ wasn’t interested in the ‘IRS Scandal’ like Bridgegate?

When do we cut the shit and relegate these morons to TeaFoil Hat denigration?

130 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:37:41am

re: #127 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

I read that he stuck with black because it dried the quickest and allowed him to turn out more cars more quickly.

That’s one version of the story. Another is that black was cheaper and had better durability, allowing him to produce large volumes of cars at a reduced cost.

131 Political Atheist  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:38:27am

December jobs report….

Ouch!

132 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:38:30am

re: #129 Ryan King

[Embedded content]

So ‘the media’ wasn’t interested in the ‘IRS Scandal’ like Bridgegate?

When do we cut the shit and relegate these morons to TeaFoil Hat denigration?

They weren’t interested in the IRS “scandal”? That’s why we got weeks of constant coverage and three people lost their jobs?

133 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:38:57am

re: #129 Ryan King

Props to @morningmika for being even-handed on how IRS scandal treated v. the media wolf pack attitude toward #Bridgegate.

So ‘the media’ wasn’t interested in the ‘IRS Scandal’ like Bridgegate?

When do we cut the shit and relegate these morons to TeaFoil Hat denigration?

We need a Ministry of Fairness and Balance to ensure that all scandals are given the proportionate share of attention based on their outrageousness.

134 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:39:55am

In what way was the IRS scandal a “scandal”?

Several organizations who promoted stuff like OVERTHROW TEH TYRANT!!!11!!! and INCOME TAXES IS TEH SLAVERYS!!!11!!!! had their 501(3)(c) applications scrutinized.

135 b.d.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:40:30am

Some tweets age faster than bread but this two day old one is still plenty fresh:

136 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:42:27am

re: #134 Pie-onist Overlord

In what way was the IRS scandal a “scandal”?

Several organizations who promoted stuff like OVERTHROW TEH TYRANT!!!11!!! and INCOME TAXES IS TEH SLAVERYS!!!11!!!! had their 501(3)(c) applications scrutinized.

It was a scandal in that NOBODY likes the IRS and were delighted to see them demonized.

137 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:45:16am

Equivocating the IRS potentially not giving Tax Exempt status or delaying a Tax Exempt status application (costing them some $) with shutting down a fucking bridge on ramp during high traffic periods.

Absolutely ridiculous.

138 b.d.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:46:37am
139 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:47:00am

re: #131 Political Atheist

December jobs report….

Ouch!

December’s always tough. I could have hired someone but waited until January because of the holidays. Tough to ramp up when there’s nobody in the office to help a person, so wait for everyone to return.

140 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:47:20am

re: #134 Pie-onist Overlord

In what way was the IRS scandal a “scandal”?

Several organizations who promoted stuff like OVERTHROW TEH TYRANT!!!11!!! and INCOME TAXES IS TEH SLAVERYS!!!11!!!! had their 501(3)(c) applications scrutinized.

It was a “scandal” in that some people had their feewings hurt, and we know that’s always a reason to start lopping off heads in the White House. Meanwhile the reality was that an IRS office, stuck with the thankless job of trying to deduce which applications were for genuine and which were teabaggers trying to make their lobbying BS tax-free in absence of concrete regs, took steps that came off looking politically motivated.

Cry me a fuckin’ river.

141 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:47:43am

Christie isn’t a bully. Except when he is - and is caught on tape:

142 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:48:37am

re: #141 lawhawk

Christie isn’t a bully. Except when he is - and is caught on tape:

[Embedded content]

That’s a line that’s going to get a lot of airplay and ad-time dedicated to it next year. If his primary opponents doing give him hell over it, Democrats certainly will.

143 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:49:59am

re: #142 Targetpractice

That’s a line that’s going to get a lot of airplay and ad-time dedicated to it next year. If his primary opponents doing give him hell over it, Democrats certainly will.

That is the point, one group will take up where the other lets off…

144 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:53:17am
145 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 6:54:14am

Was Christie the one who said the bridge was closed for a traffic study?

146 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:00:29am

re: #145 Ryan King

Was Christie the one who said the bridge was closed for a traffic study?

If that was a traffic study, it was sanctioned by Al Qaida. How to cripple a metropolis: a traffic study.

147 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:01:41am

re: #108 Rev_Arthur_Belling

Until companies start facing stiff penalties, like huge fines, for these types of security breaches, I expect more of the same. It was Adobe a couple of months ago. They don’t seem to really give a shit.

And yet everyone is worried about NSA spying and taking your information while all these companies screw up and get the information taken anyway.

I have an idea. Close down the NSA and hire independent hackers and just go and take the info. America seems to manage to slide by without a care that private companies are giving it up.

Think the dudebros and the wingnuts would go for it?!

/

148 Internet Tough Guy  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:06:11am

re: #147 ObserverArt

Nice sarc tag, but you know as well as I do that their utopia is a place where they and their fellow enlightened ones get to profit from spying on the plebs.

149 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:12:13am

re: #124 Targetpractice

Ford understood that quantity has a quality all of its own. Selling a lot of cheaply-built cars to working class customers would make him more money in the long run than selling a few high-quality cars to a small customer base would. Not that Ford ever skimped on the quality, but he was willing to make concessions to price, such as only building cars in one color, if it meant he could cut manufacturing costs.

Hey! I take offense with that bit about color I highlighted in bold.

You could have any color you wanted as long as it was black! And, as an artist that had some college studies in color…black is indeed ALL colors in the spectrum, that is why it is so dense. White being no color at all. So, there!

///

150 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:16:08am

So now Christie and the state of NJ are facing civil lawsuits, which the parties involved are trying to turn into class action suits. Sorry Chris, but this isn’t going away anytime soon.

151 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:16:08am

re: #98 Pie-onist Overlord

Here’s this guy’s profile:

ØP AMERICAN SPRING
@AlphaRomeo223
May 16th, 2014: Operation American Spring in DC to remove Obama, Boehner, Biden, Reid, McConnell, Pelosi, and Attorney General Holder from office. #Yeshua #OAS
DALLAS, TEXAS * patriotsforamerica.ning.com

Yeah, that’s totally going to work. //

Announcing your jump-off date months in advance wouldn’t work if Obama was a real tyrant, of course. If he was, he’d just have federal law enforcement intercept key people the day before. Harder to revolt when a third of your people are already in FEMA Camps.

Of course, Obama isn’t a tyrant and that guy is a lunatic.

152 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:17:52am

re: #131 Political Atheist

December jobs report….

Ouch!

What is the ouch?

153 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:18:02am

re: #132 Targetpractice

They weren’t interested in the IRS “scandal”? That’s why we got weeks of constant coverage and three people lost their jobs?

The dogs, they are still hungry.

154 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:18:24am

re: #150 Targetpractice

So now Christie and the state of NJ are facing civil lawsuits, which the parties involved are trying to turn into class action suits. Sorry Chris, but this isn’t going away anytime soon.

No wonder the GOP is so obsessed with tort reform.

/

155 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:18:26am

re: #151 Dark_Falcon

Announcing your jump-off date months in advance wouldn’t work if Obama was a real tyrant, of course. If he was, he’d just have federal law enforcement intercept key people the day before.

But that’s the brilliance of his plan…he will then make his real move TWO DAYS before that, and pre-empt the FEMA raiders.

I cannot wait to get my country-tis-of-thee back!!!

156 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:19:31am

re: #135 b.d.

Christie had no idea what his top aides were doing, but Obama was all up IN the IRS Cincinnati office.
— AdamSerwer (@AdamSerwer) January 8, 2014

This is what I learned on morning joe today as the entire panel continued to lie to their audience that there was an IRS in the first place.

157 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:21:19am

re: #132 Targetpractice

They weren’t interested in the IRS “scandal”? That’s why we got weeks of constant coverage and three people lost their jobs?

And there were congressional hearings/witch hunts led by Issa….of which the hearings also received constant coverage.

158 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:21:44am

re: #135 b.d.

Some tweets age faster than bread but this two day old one is still plenty fresh:

Christie had no idea what his top aides were doing, but Obama was all up IN the IRS Cinicinnati office.

Wow, a lot of people musta been tuned into Morning Joke this morning.

That’s too bad.

(Yeah, I’m into hating on Joke this morning. That dude just grinds my gears!)

159 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:23:48am

re: #158 ObserverArt

Wow, a lot of people musta been tuned into Morning Joke this morning.

That’s too bad.

(Yeah, I’m into hating on Joke this morning. That dude just grinds my gears!)

I admit I was curious to see how they would handle it since Mika and Holy Joe are card-carrying Christie fans. As expected, it was the Chris Christie apology hour.

160 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:24:15am

re: #141 lawhawk

Christie isn’t a bully. Except when he is - and is caught on tape:

[Embedded content]

HE LIES!!!

161 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:27:43am

re: #158 ObserverArt

Wow, a lot of people musta been tuned into Morning Joke this morning.

That’s too bad.

(Yeah, I’m into hating on Joke this morning. That dude just grinds my gears!)

So I take it you are not going to Scarborough Fair?

Youtube Video

162 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:28:15am

I’m personally cranking down my political listening for today because, in light of last month’s UE numbers, I expect a lot of screeching about how Obamacare is “killing jobs” and how this is the proof they’ve been waiting on.

163 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:28:28am

Waiting for Christie to yell ‘What difference does it make?’

164 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:29:07am

re: #148 Internet Tough Guy

Nice sarc tag, but you know as well as I do that their utopia is a place where they and their fellow enlightened ones get to profit from spying on the plebs.

Yeah, you’re right. A lot of them probably already work for a place like Dell, the CIA and the NSA anyway!

/ < ‘zat better!

165 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:31:31am

re: #159 Dr. Matt

I admit I was curious to see how they would handle it since Mika and Holy Joe are card-carrying Christie fans. As expected, it was the Chris Christie apology hour.

I was listening to 101.5 FM last night (It calls itself “New Jersey’s Station”). The hosts couldn’t bend over enough to find Christie blameless. One caller even said that Kelly was a Democrat plant. I can sympathize with somebody hoping that Christie didn’t know what his staff was doing, but it just substitutes incompetence for belligerence.

166 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:32:13am

re: #163 Ryan King

Waiting for Christie to yell ‘What difference does it make?’

I admit, he’s holding up well under the pressure so far. But that’s because he probably figured that yesterday’s “apology” might be what was needed to defuse the situation. Of course, then Wildstein played the Fifth Amendment two-step while his lawyer says he’ll talk if granted immunity. And the Feds said they’re getting involved. And now civil suits are being filed while another document dump is scheduled to happen this afternoon.

I expect he won’t be able to keep up this “sad” act for long.

167 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:34:20am

This is a pretty sad photo retrospective of one of the places where I vacationed as a kid. Grossingers was part of the Borsct Belt, and I have many fond memories of going there, the Nevele, Kutschers, and the Homeawack.

The Grossingers’ photos show just how resplendent the place was before it fell on hard times (namely before affordable air travel, cruising, and Vegas took its toll).

168 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:34:20am

re: #159 Dr. Matt

I admit I was curious to see how they would handle it since Mika and Holy Joe are card-carrying Christie fans. As expected, it was the Chris Christie apology hour.

Yeah, I understand. I swore I was giving that show up too, but for some reason I thought…hey they are all about New York/New Jersey (actually the whole BosWash thing), it would be interesting to hear what they have to say. I was wrong. And, I did not know they were all friends. Mika surprised me the most.

169 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:35:08am

re: #161 Dark_Falcon

So I take it you are not going to Scarborough Fair?

[Embedded content]

GROAN…but I upped ya’ one anyway.

170 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:35:55am

I think that Maddow’s analysis is very compelling, and probably would account for the sequence of events. I had forgotten about Christie’s removal of that Supreme Court judge. I always had an uneasy feeling about him and now I remember why.

171 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:37:19am

re: #168 ObserverArt

Mika surprised me the most.

She’s bipolar: she is either completely submissive to Holy Joe or will fight him to the death over such trivial matters. What surprised me is that the entire panel continued to spew the IRS “scandal” meme. Embarrassing.

172 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:37:44am

re: #165 SteveMcGazi

I was listening to 101.5 FM last night (It calls itself “New Jersey’s Station”). The hosts couldn’t bend over enough to find Christie blameless. One caller even said that Kelly was a Democrat plant. I can sympathize with somebody hoping that Christie didn’t know what his staff was doing, but it just substitutes incompetence for belligerence.

I LOVE that “so and so was a Democratic | Gay | Liberal | Other Plant argument. That’s right, the Democratic (or other group you despise) overlords appoint people at an early age to become Republican operatives, and then at the right moment order them to perform some career killing and possibly criminal action in order to embarrass the Republicans.

It’s no different than “Obama is a sleeper agent of the Muslims | Communists”.

Really people… the words that come out of your mouths, do you even listen to them? Do you? Nope, didn’t think so.

RBS

173 Ryan King  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:39:33am

re: #166 Targetpractice

I admit, he’s holding up well under the pressure so far. But that’s because he probably figured that yesterday’s “apology” might be what was needed to defuse the situation. Of course, then Wildstein played the Fifth Amendment two-step while his lawyer says he’ll talk if granted immunity. And the Feds said they’re getting involved. And now civil suits are being filed while another document dump is scheduled to happen this afternoon.

I expect he won’t be able to keep up this “sad” act for long.

He’s played it about as good as it can be played.

174 blueraven  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:40:14am

All this crap this morning about how Christie took responsibility and FIRED SOMEBODY!!
Really? His top aide was caught red handed. WTF else was he gonna do?

Did he try to get to the bottom of this when the whole state was asking questions? No. Nothing until he was backed into the corner.

I cant believe…once it was known that the email/text were going to be made public that someone didn’t warn him of the incriminating nature.
He was a prosecutor for goodness sake. None of this makes sense.

175 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:40:17am

OT search question:

I’m searching for a particular comment I made, but the search won’t go back further than July 7, 2011. I registered in August, 2009. It’s entirely possible I didn’t make any comments until July ‘11, but I seriously doubt it.

Am I missing something?

176 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:40:36am

re: #170 SteveMcGazi

I think that Maddow’s analysis is very compelling, and probably would account for the sequence of events. I had forgotten about Christie’s removal of that Supreme Court judge. I always had an uneasy feeling about him and now I remember why.

He didn’t remove the Supreme Court judge. He felt he was within his rights to not renominate him - and that he could put his own nominees in. There’d been a longstanding policy to maintain the D/R composition of the court, and Christie wanted to change that. That got a lot of pushback.

There’s been an uneasy silence on most of his judicial picks at this point though.

177 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:41:33am

re: #173 Ryan King

He’s played it about as good as it can be played.

I agree. The 2-day presser was well-played. On the surface it showed that he is willing to address this and was not trying to hide anything. But, this is only the surface; we’ll see if new information rises up implicating him directly in the scandal.

178 Gus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:43:25am

OK, plausible theory is plausible.

179 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:43:39am

re: #172 RealityBasedSteve

I LOVE that “so and so was a Democratic | Gay | Liberal | Other Plant argument. That’s right, the Democratic (or other group you despise) overlords appoint people at an early age to become Republican operatives, and then at the right moment order them to perform some career killing and possibly criminal action in order to embarrass the Republicans.

It’s no different than “Obama is a sleeper agent of the Muslims | Communists”.

Really people… the words that come out of your mouths, do you even listen to them? Do you? Nope, didn’t think so.

RBS

That’s one thing I don’t miss about the garden state: New Jersey 101.5. Should have heard them the morning of the OKC bombing. Charming.

180 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:45:05am

re: #178 Gus

OK, plausible theory is plausible.

Do I dare ask?

181 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:45:12am

re: #107 Pie-onist Overlord

FACT FACT FACT FACT DERP FACT DERP FACT DERP

182 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:45:37am

re: #179 Bulworth

That’s one thing I don’t miss about the garden state: New Jersey 101.5. Should have heard them the morning of the OKC bombing. Charming.

I wonder if that was the station where one of the “talent” openly mocked Governor Codey’s wife for going public about postpartum depression.

183 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:46:13am

re: #176 lawhawk

He didn’t remove the Supreme Court judge. He felt he was within his rights to not renominate him - and that he could put his own nominees in. There’d been a longstanding policy to maintain the D/R composition of the court, and Christie wanted to change that. That got a lot of pushback.

There’s been an uneasy silence on most of his judicial picks at this point though.

Maddow does make that distinction that I did not. As far as I am concerned, it was a power grab. He may well have been within his rights not to renominate the judge, but it was certainly a breach of the goodwill that is necessary to maintain functioning government.

184 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:46:53am

re: #177 Dr. Matt

I agree. The 2-day presser was well-played. On the surface it showed that he is willing to address this and was not trying to hide anything. But, this is only the surface; we’ll see if new information rises up implicating him directly in the scandal.

It was played as well as it could possibly be played, which is: rather badly.

I mean, yeah, it could have been worse… a better political prescription is to not put oneself in such untenable positions.

185 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:47:27am

re: #183 SteveMcGazi

Maddow does make that distinction that I did not. As far as I am concerned, it was a power grab. He may well have been within his rights not to renominate the judge, but it was certainly a breach of the goodwill that is necessary to maintain functioning government.

I had utterly forgotten about that until Maddow mentioned it last night. Did Christie ever give a reason, other than “It’s within my rights, so eff off”?

186 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:47:53am

re: #183 SteveMcGazi

Maddow does make that distinction that I did not. As far as I am concerned, it was a power grab. He may well have been within his rights not to renominate the judge, but it was certainly a breach of the goodwill that is necessary to maintain functioning government.

That is not the point, attacking individuals in politics is fair game, even if it is sometimes dirty pool. But inconveniencing thousands of commuters to make a political point? WTF kinda crackerjack politics is that?

187 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:49:01am

re: #171 Dr. Matt

She’s bipolar: she is either completely submissive to Holy Joe or will fight him to the death over such trivial matters. What surprised me is that the entire panel continued to spew the IRS “scandal” meme. Embarrassing.

I gave up probably 25 minutes in and then went to some local news (which is bad enough). Did they manage to shut up Donny? He tried a little there at the beginning.

And Donny Deutsch, wow. I became a graphic artist right out of high school in the early 70s and wanted to work in Advertising. I got a part-time job with an up-and-comer Columbus ad agency (Bank One, The Limited…just a couple of their clients). Just the few months I worked there during summer between sophomore and junior years in college taught me a lot about guys like Donny Deutsch. And sadly, it turned my stomach on the whole ad agency thing. The egos in and around were just way way too much for me. Lots of games, side taking, ass kissing, and washing the feet of the Donny Deutsch types. I believe in doing good work that can stand time, cannot just fling into whatever the fashion is and realized, I’m not this.

Luckily I was able to make a pretty good career out of the technical side of advertising, working first for myself, and then being liked enough to get a job with a small agency that just did tech stuff like catalogs, spec sheets, information brochures, etc. That then led to a job with a company that was one of the largest clients we had at the small group…and that was after the owner passed and the company went downhill and closed a few years after.

188 Gus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:50:33am

re: #180 Dark_Falcon

Do I dare ask?

I don’t know. Didn’t need to watch the whole thing. Watched the last 5 minutes. Christie can’t get his judges approved by a belligerent NJ senate; pulls his near and dear judge Hoens; Christie makes his “Animals” presser and freaks out on 8/12; next day, 8/13, it’s “time for some traffic problems.” Circumstantial still yet plausible in the court of public opinion. Mind you the Ft. Lee mayor was calling it rumors that it was retribution against him just days after it happened. WSJ and others suggested it as retribution against the mayor just days after the event. Rachel Maddow also made a presentation that it was to spite the mayor in December.

189 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:51:08am

re: #171 Dr. Matt

She’s bipolar: she is either completely submissive to Holy Joe or will fight him to the death over such trivial matters. What surprised me is that the entire panel continued to spew the IRS “scandal” meme. Embarrassing.

That’s what gets under my skin with the whole “MSNBC=Fox News” idiocy. The closest thing Fox ever had to a Morning Joe equivalent was Alan Combes doing his punching bag routine for Hannity 5 days a week.

190 Teukka  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:52:05am

re: #186 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

That is not the point, attacking individuals in politics is fair game, even if it is sometimes dirty pool. But inconveniencing thousands of commuters to make a political point? WTF kinda crackerjack politics is that?

Same kind of crackerjack politics it is to cut costs on street cleaning and maintenance in election districts which voted against you. It’s pretty much standard penalizing tactic for some types of politicians, not just in New Jersey but Sweden as well.

191 BusyMonster  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:53:08am

re: #158 ObserverArt

Wow, a lot of people musta been tuned into Morning Joke this morning.

That’s too bad.

(Yeah, I’m into hating on Joke this morning. That dude just grinds my gears!)

Every time Morning Joke pisses me off, I just start seeding articles about Lori Klausutis.

From what I understand, he finds that kind of behavior beyond the pale. Talking about his unsavory, still unexplained past that is.

192 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:54:24am

re: #183 SteveMcGazi

Maddow does make that distinction that I did not. As far as I am concerned, it was a power grab. He may well have been within his rights not to renominate the judge, but it was certainly a breach of the goodwill that is necessary to maintain functioning government.

He needed his own person on the court. You need to understand how power the state supreme court is in the Garden State. given its power to frustrate his plans, Gov. Christie needed to expand his influence on the court.

193 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:54:44am

re: #188 Gus

I don’t know. Didn’t need to watch the whole thing. Watched the last 5 minutes. Christie can’t get his judges approved by a belligerent NJ senate; pulls his near and dear judge Hoens; Christie makes his “Animals” presser and freaks out on 8/12; next day, 8/13, it’s “time for some traffic problems.” Circumstantial still yet plausible in the court of public opinion. Mind you the Ft. Lee mayor was calling it rumors that it was retribution against him just days after it happened. WSJ and other suggested it as retribution against the mayor just days after the event. Rachel Maddow also made a presentation that it was to spite the mayor in December.

Yeah, but it makes a hell of a lot more sense to retaliate against Loretta Weinberg, being the leading Dem in the Senate, than to go after Mayor Sokolich.

Particularly when you factor in Christie yanking Hoens on the 12th, and Kelly seemingly ordering Carmeggedon on the 13th.

I mean, that’s the whole freaking point of what Maddow said last night.

194 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:56:16am

re: #192 Dark_Falcon

He needed his own person on the court. You need to understand how power the state supreme court is in the Garden State. given its power to frustrate his plans, Gov. Christie needed to expand his influence on the court.

“Needed to” or “wanted to”?

195 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:57:05am

If Maddow is wrong, she’s wrong. KT can do a victory pepper spray of some OWS protesters and we can move on.

Given how the actual bridge scandal itself was dismissed as fantasy at first, it seems short sighted to do it with the Supreme Court payback angle.

196 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:57:41am

re: #193 Mattand

Yeah, but it makes a hell of a lot more sense to retaliate against Loretta Weinberg, being the leading Dem in the Senate, than to go after Mayor Sokolich.

Particularly when you factor in Christie yanking Hoens on the 12th, and Kelly seemingly ordering Carmeggedon on the 13th.

I mean, that’s the whole freaking point of what Maddow said last night.

And she posited the political retaliation against Sokolich bit back in December, when most folks didn’t know about the emails she referenced last night and so assumed that Sokolich not endorsing Christie had to be the only logical reason for the phantom “traffic study.”

197 Gus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 7:59:58am

re: #193 Mattand

Yeah, but it makes a hell of a lot more sense to retaliate against Loretta Weinberg, being the leading Dem in the Senate, than to go after Mayor Sokolich.

Particularly when you factor in Christie yanking Hoens on the 12th, and Kelly seemingly ordering Carmeggedon on the 13th.

I mean, that’s the whole freaking point of what Maddow said last night.

Might have been Weinberg alone since she’s the senate leader? But you might also have to consider overall retribution since the two reps are both Democrats and the GWB was an easy target through his aid at PANJ. Maybe Weinberg. Maybe Ft. Lee in general since the kids on the bus were “kids of Buono voters.” Hard to say.

198 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:00:31am

re: #194 Targetpractice

“Needed to” or “wanted to”?

Needed to.

199 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:01:13am

re: #177 Dr. Matt

I agree. The 2-day presser was well-played. On the surface it showed that he is willing to address this and was not trying to hide anything. But, this is only the surface; we’ll see if new information rises up implicating him directly in the scandal.

Yeah, but he is a lawyer good enough to become a US Attorney. Coming off as being earnest in not trying to hide anything is sort of part of the job of a good lawyer. You have to look the part, sound the part and act the part to convince people in your stance on a law and a judgement. I think Christie has the moxie, the steel balls and the arrogance to think he can pull the act off. I give him credit, he is good. He could get a nun to buy in. But, they don’t make nuns likes they used too either.

But as said earlier…not buying…not buying he has nothing to hide. He has a lot to hide. His career is riding on pulling it off. We shall see. Soon I think.

200 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:01:22am

Maddow’s theory is interesting and possible. Under the other theory, I never understood how creating a traffic jam is an act of revenge against a mayor? Am I missing the obvious?

201 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:01:53am

re: #197 Gus

Might have been Weinberg alone since she’s the senate leader? But you might also have to consider overall retribution since the two reps are both Democrats and the GWB was an easy target through his aid at PANJ. Maybe Weinberg. Maybe Ft. Lee in general since the kids on the bus were “kids of Buono voters.” Hard to say.

I really don’t think it’s that hard to say.

202 Gus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:02:14am

Actually the WSJ was first.

203 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:02:20am

re: #198 Dark_Falcon

Needed to.

No Dark, Christie wanted to expand his influence because he wanted to be able to take actions he knew might go before the court and not go his way. So he broke with decades of tradition in order to engage in some court-packing, got rightly chewed out for it, and now has found it impossible to do exactly that.

204 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:02:57am

LOLWHUT

205 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:03:41am

re: #181 Bulworth

FACT FACT FACT FACT DERP FACT DERP FACT DERP

Should have carried that out…

FACT FACT FACT FACT DERP FACT DERP FACT DERP DERP DERP DERP

Hope you don’t mind.

206 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:03:51am

re: #200 Dr. Matt

Maddow’s theory is interesting and possible. Under the other theory, I never understood how creating a traffic jam is an act of revenge against a mayor? Am I missing the obvious?

Only if there was an actual dustup between Christie and Sokolich, which both men appear to be confirming there wasn’t.

Christie’s not shy about retaliating against people who he feels crossed him. He even yanked former Republican Governor Kean’s security detail when Kean got on his bad side.

207 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:03:51am

re: #199 ObserverArt

I think Christie has the moxie, the steel balls and the arrogance to think he can pull the act off. I give him credit, he is good. He could get a nun to buy in. But, they don’t make nuns likes they used too either.

To complete your thought (if you don’t mind), I have bolded something I think is very relevant.

208 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:04:22am

re: #205 ObserverArt

Should have carried that out…

FACT FACT FACT FACT DERP FACT DERP FACT DERP DERP DERP DERP

Hope you don’t mind.

It’s DERP all the way down.

209 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:05:18am

Alan Keyes needs therapy. Seriously,

210 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:09:07am

re: #192 Dark_Falcon

The NJ Supreme Court has significant power on spending issues in the state. They imposed education funding priorities via the Abbott decisions, and several governors have tried to change this, to limited effect. The Abbott system was replaced after the court upheld Corzine’s funding scheme.

The Court then ruled that Christie had to cough up more money to cover education spending; money that Christie’s budget simply didn’t have.

The state constitution requires that the Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State between the ages of five and eighteen years.

The Courts have repeatedly construed this to require more funding, even though NJ spends more per student than adjoining states - and most of the rest of the country, and yet performance is middling.

And the Courts have repeatedly insisted on more spending, without offering up a way to pay for it. That’s left to the governor and legislature to figure out - and with tax hikes a nonstarter for the most part, it means cutting from elsewhere.

The other big area is the affordable housing requirements under the Mount Laurel decision, and that has municipalities struggling to find ways to get affordable housing built (the way most get around this requirement is to authorize building senior/active adult communities, rather than actual affordable housing since they count towards total housing).

211 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:09:25am

re: #191 BusyMonster

Every time Morning Joke pisses me off, I just start seeding articles about Lori Klausutis.

From what I understand, he finds that kind of behavior beyond the pale. Talking about his unsavory, still unexplained past that is.

Whoa! This I had not seen/heard/read. Interesting…gonna search and read some on that at lunchtime. Which is fast heading this way…and I have to get some stuff done.

Nice time this morning. Have a very crispy Christie kind of day.

212 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:09:48am

HURR HURR DERP DERP TAXES IS WORSER THEN TEH SLAVERYS!!!!11!!!!!

213 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:15:22am

re: #207 erik_t

To complete your thought (if you don’t mind), I have bolded something I think is very relevant.

Just caught up as I was getting ready to move on.

No problem, don’t mind at all. I’m here for the back’n’forth. It’s what I like about the LGF way.

…loggin’ out!

214 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:15:51am

re: #210 lawhawk

The NJ Supreme Court has significant power on spending issues in the state. They imposed education funding priorities via the Abbott decisions, and several governors have tried to change this, to limited effect. The Abbott system was replaced after the court upheld Corzine’s funding scheme.

The Court then ruled that Christie had to cough up more money to cover education spending; money that Christie’s budget simply didn’t have.

The state constitution requires that the Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State between the ages of five and eighteen years.

The Courts have repeatedly construed this to require more funding, even though NJ spends more per student than adjoining states - and most of the rest of the country, and yet performance is middling.

And the Courts have repeatedly insisted on more spending, without offering up a way to pay for it. That’s left to the governor and legislature to figure out - and with tax hikes a nonstarter for the most part, it means cutting from elsewhere.

The other big area is the affordable housing requirements under the Mount Laurel decision, and that has municipalities struggling to find ways to get affordable housing built (the way most get around this requirement is to authorize building senior/active adult communities, rather than actual affordable housing since they count towards total housing).

Thus the need for action. The court is economically illiterate, and Christie was trying to restore sanity.

215 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:16:22am

The Founding Fathers also envisioned that every citizen should shit in a dirt hole out in the back yard. I tend to take their visions with a respectful grain of salt.

216 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:16:28am

re: #212 Pie-onist Overlord

Founding Fathers never intended citizens to own high-capacity firearms

Founding Fathers never intended citizens to drive vehicles that can travel at over 100 MPH

Founding Fathers never intended citizens to own handheld devices that can communicate with anyone in the world

Founding Fathers never intended the government to possess weapons that can destroy the entire planet.

Idiots.

217 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:17:02am

The Founders never envisioned the Internet either, but that doesn’t mean we should just ignore Art 1, Sec. 8, and in particular Clause 18 either.

We’ve got a huge country. Huge infrastructure, and lots of programs that serve valid purposes - even in Paul’s district (the lesser- Rand and the former - Ron).

They’ll bitch and moan when they don’t get theirs for their districts, but demand no one else get any either, even when it’s for the same exact purpose (like disaster relief).

Theirs is a libertarian nightmare worldview, and one that doesn’t pass the smell test. After all, the Founders including Washington and Hamilton had no problems putting down the Whiskey Rebellion and asserting the power of the central government to lay excise taxes and enforce the law.

218 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:17:34am

I need to step back for a bit. I’m in grips of a rage against liberalism and I need a little while to calm down.

219 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:18:36am

re: #217 lawhawk

The Founders never envisioned the Internet either, but that doesn’t mean we should just ignore Art 1, Sec. 8, and in particular Clause 18 either.

We’ve got a huge country. Huge infrastructure, and lots of programs that serve valid purposes - even in Paul’s district (the lesser- Rand and the former - Ron).

They’ll bitch and moan when they don’t get theirs for their districts, but demand no one else get any either, even when it’s for the same exact purpose (like disaster relief).

Theirs is a libertarian nightmare worldview, and one that doesn’t pass the smell test. After all, the Founders including Washington and Hamilton had no problems putting down the Whiskey Rebellion and asserting the power of the central government to lay excise taxes and enforce the law.

There’s a reason they always use colonial costumes in their memes but not that failed rebellion of 1861.

220 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:20:16am

Hell, the Founding Fathers never intended women to vote, blacks to vote, blacks to be free. interracial marriage,…..

221 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:20:43am

re: #218 Dark_Falcon

I need to step back for a bit. I’m in grips of a rage against liberalism and I need a little while to calm down.

What an asshole

222 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:22:16am

re: #215 erik_t

The Founding Fathers also envisioned that every citizen should shit in a dirt hole out in the back yard. I tend to take their visions with a respectful grain of salt.

A lot of them also envisioned that certain residents would be held as property and count as 3/5 of a person for census purposes.

223 Iwouldprefernotto  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:29:19am

re: #221 SteveMcGazi

re: #218 Dark_Falcon

I need to step back for a bit. I’m in grips of a rage against liberalism and I need a little while to calm down.

rage against liberalism is the name of my new band

224 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:32:34am

re: #218 Dark_Falcon

I need to step back for a bit. I’m in grips of a rage against liberalism and I need a little while to calm down.

225 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:34:36am

rage against liberals that want education to be a priority? And I fail to see how it economically illiterate to spend more on education in this country.

226 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:36:04am

I’d tend to rage against the people who are actually fucking up everything (y’know, Christie or something), but whatever floats one’s boat.

227 Skip Intro  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:41:32am

Meanwhile, the Party that controls the most worthless House in US history starts the new year with a bold plan:

House Republicans Targeting Obamacare Again

President Barack Obama’s health care law is back in Republicans’ legislative crosshairs as the GOP-led House weighs a bill that would impose new requirements on the administration.

Despite White House opposition, the House was expected to approve the measure on Friday as emboldened Republicans kick off an election-year challenge to the troubled 4-year-old law. The GOP’s laser-like focus on “Obamacare” reflects the party’s certainty that the law’s well-known problems will pay political dividends in November’s midterm contests.

huffingtonpost.com

Now this is something worth getting enraged about.

228 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:43:41am

re: #200 Dr. Matt

Maddow’s theory is interesting and possible. Under the other theory, I never understood how creating a traffic jam is an act of revenge against a mayor? Am I missing the obvious?

She says the mayor, Sokolich, was not the intended target. The top Democrat in the state assembly, Weinberg (?), represents that area. It was payback for the Dems obstructing the judicial nominations.

229 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:44:11am

re: #227 Skip Intro

Meanwhile, the Party that controls the most worthless House in US history starts the new year with a bold plan:

>House Republicans Targeting Obamacare Again

huffingtonpost.com

Now this is something worth getting enraged about.

230 piratedan  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:44:53am

re: #225 Jim D

rage against liberals that want education to be a priority? And I fail to see how it economically illiterate to spend more on education in this country.

but you see, it’s all part of CC’s continuing campaign against “traditional” education in the state of New Jersey (witness his diatribes against teachers unions and education), and it looked easier to stack the court than to get the state constitution changed and having his plan scuppered… well I think it pissed him off, after all, he’s the Governor isn’t he? Never mind that the multiple decades of political niceties weren’t being observed or the fact that the judge that he denied tenure to had zippity doo dah on his record to indicate why he shouldn’t be renominated.

higher taxes are a non-starter they claim, even in AZ, which was in the throes of the real estate meltdown, voted for a surcharge tax designed to go for education (which the lege then claimjumped and spent elsewhere the fuckers) and you can hardly claim AZ is a bastion of liberalism. People may be opposed to taxation in general, but when they know what it’s for, then the issue gets a chance to stand on its own merits.

231 makeitstop  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:45:42am

re: #214 Dark_Falcon

Thus the need for action. The court is economically illiterate, and Christie was trying to restore sanity.

No. The court mandated more revenue for education (which can be done by raising taxes), and Christie would rather chew off his own foot than raise taxes on anything.

I submit that the court had it right, and Christie wanted to put a finger on the scale by installing a judge who would back him on not raising taxes - which I personally find to be ‘economically illiterate.’

232 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:47:44am

re: #218 Dark_Falcon

I need to step back for a bit. I’m in grips of a rage against liberalism and I need a little while to calm down.

Yeah, because running the country conservatively has been such a smashing success.

233 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:48:00am

re: #231 makeitstop

No. The court mandated more revenue for education (which can be done by raising taxes), and Christie would rather chew off his own foot than raise taxes on anything.

I submit that the court had it right, and Christie wanted to put a finger on the scale by installing a judge who would back him on not raising taxes - which I personally find to be ‘economically illiterate.’

RAEGGGGGG!

234 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:50:45am

re: #227 Skip Intro

It’s enraging and baffling. I can’t understand why providing more and better health insurance bothers republicans so much. I can understand liberals being unsatisfied with the ACA, but at least it progress.

The GOP is against helping the poor, the unemployed and the sick. It’s anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-science…
Can someone tell me why I should overlook all of that and vote Republican?

235 Stanley Sea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:50:58am

re: #229 Targetpractice

[Embedded image]

That graphic forgets vaginas.

236 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:52:14am

re: #234 Jim D

It’s enraging and baffling. I can’t understand why providing more and better health insurance bothers republicans so much. I can understand liberals being unsatisfied with the ACA, but at least it progress.

The GOP is against helping the poor, the unemployed and the sick. It’s anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-science…
Can someone tell me why I should overlook all of that and vote Republican?

Because they represent the manly (white) men that made this country great and are the only defenders that will keep it that way.
////

237 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:53:16am

re: #231 makeitstop

No. The court mandated more revenue for education (which can be done by raising taxes), and Christie would rather chew off his own foot than raise taxes on anything.

I submit that the court had it right, and Christie wanted to put a finger on the scale by installing a judge who would back him on not raising taxes - which I personally find to be ‘economically illiterate.’

The court has constantly wanted more money spent on education and that money hasn’t made much of difference in that education’s quality. Gov. Christie is quite right to oppose the imposition of additional taxes that will improve little and cost much.

238 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:53:44am

re: #212 Pie-onist Overlord

Mike fails to recognize that few people, especially rich guys like Ron Paul, pay anywhere close to half their annual income in taxes.

Of course, it may feel that way when you compare your gross pay to your net pay.

239 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 8:57:28am

re: #237 Dark_Falcon

The court has constant wanted more money spent on education and that money hasn’t made much of difference in that education’s quality. Gov. Christie is quite right to oppose the imposition of additional taxes that will improve little and cost much.

Sure, but that does not give him the authority to pull a judge off the court just because he doesn’t like the court’s decisions. The court, if I understand things correctly, was ruling on funding as it is required in the NJ constitution. The court was not making decisions regarding how that funding is to be made.

240 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:00:04am

Canada welcome your new Overlord.

241 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:00:21am

...

242 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:02:28am

*BLINKS*
*LOOKS AROUND DEARBORN*
What am I missing here Pamela?

243 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:02:45am

re: #236 Feline Fearless Leader

It drives me nuts that (according to the GOP) as a reasonably well off, straight, white man I’m apparently supposed to be more concerned about my finances than the rights of women, gays, and persons of color.

244 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:05:29am

re: #243 Jim D

Though I guess since I drive a small car, own no guns, etc. I’m not a manly man and therefore not part of the republican demographic

245 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:05:36am

re: #243 Jim D

It drives me nuts that (according to the GOP) as a reasonably well off, straight, white man I’m apparently supposed to be more concerned about my finances than the rights of women, gays, and persons of color.

Of course. What are you, some sort of pinko liberal communist?
////

246 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:05:59am

A wingnut looks around and sees Gays, Muslims, Mexicans, just all like walking around doing normal stuff n shit and they all like ZOMG IT TEH GAYING/ISLAMIZATION/MEXICANIZATION OF TEH MERCIA!!!!!1!!!!!!!

247 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:07:15am

re: #245 Feline Fearless Leader

apparently. I thought I was supposed to become more conservative as I got older.

248 makeitstop  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:07:49am

re: #237 Dark_Falcon

The court has constantly wanted more money spent on education and that money hasn’t made much of difference in that education’s quality. Gov. Christie is quite right to oppose the imposition of additional taxes that will improve little and cost much.

He can oppose it all he wants.

He wanted to stack the court, which would impact a hell of a lot more than education funding.

Christie said it himself yesterday - he has a thing for ‘running up the score,’ and I’m pretty sure that attitude goes further in his mind than electoral mandates. The guy would probably toss every Democrat off the court if he could, so as to ‘run up the score’ in terms of legislative victories.

Tell me with a straight face that Chris Christie isn’t all about sticking it to his opposition at any chance he gets. I’ll laugh out loud at you, though, because the guy’s track record in dealing with the Democrats in his state says the exact opposite and you know it.

249 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:08:14am

re: #239 wheat-dogghazi

I don’t agree. i think that the NJ supreme court is acting based on its own liberalism, not based on the actual requirements of the text. As such, I do not think Gov. Christie owes it any respect.

And now I need to clear off. Sorry, but this issue ticks me off seven ways past Sunday, and I should not have come back here this morning. i realize I’m not being wholly rational, but sometimes I’m just not wholly rational.

BBL

250 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:09:14am

re: #247 Jim D

apparently. I thought I was supposed to become more conservative as I got older.

Hasn’t worked for me, either. I must be a died-in-the-wool liberal, or something. Or maybe teaching for the last 30 years has arrested my development, as it were.

251 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:10:17am

re: #243 Jim D

It drives me nuts that (according to the GOP) as a reasonably well off, straight, white man I’m apparently supposed to be more concerned about my finances than the rights of women, gays, and persons of color.

At some point in life experience makes it clear that all the fearful predictions from RWNJs are not happening. People aren’t coming for your guns, gays aren’t destroying your marriage, and the poor aren’t taking all your money.

252 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:10:38am

I remember believing when I was younger that liberalism was all irrational and wrapped up in emotion and conservatism was logical and rational. Christ, I was a dumbshit.

253 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:11:17am

re: #251 jaunte

Those damn poor. Why do they get all the money?

254 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:11:59am

HURR HURR WALTONS TOTALLY EARNED ALL TEH MONEYS!!!!1!!!!1111

255 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:12:14am

re: #249 Dark_Falcon

I don’t agree. i think that the NJ supreme court is acting based on its own liberalism, not based on the actual requirements of the text. As such, I do not think Gov. Christie owes it any respect.

And now I need to clear off. Sorry, but this issue ticks me off seven ways past Sunday, and I should not have come back here this morning. i realize I’m not being wholly rational, but sometimes I’m just not wholly rational.

BBL

The Court was evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, with one independent, according to Wikipedia. How is that a liberal composition? Or were they RINOs?

256 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:12:52am

re: #247 Jim D

apparently. I thought I was supposed to become more conservative as I got older.

Supposedly one is I guess since the expectation is that one will ossify in a comfort zone and not want it changed. However, if one is aware of continued injustice and knows that change is still going to happen you can stay “loose” enough to want further change and have things addressed.

It might also be experiences and history implying that it is not the revolutionaries that are going to massively rip you off and leave you lying in a ditch (figuratively) but cronies of the powers that be.

257 makeitstop  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:13:27am

re: #249 Dark_Falcon

I don’t agree. i think that the NJ supreme court is acting based on its own liberalism

So the entire court is liberal? There’s not a single conservative voice on the New Jersey State Supreme Court?

i realize I’m not being wholly rational.

Understatement of the week.

258 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:14:04am

re: #247 Jim D

apparently. I thought I was supposed to become more conservative as I got older.

The older I get, the more I can’t stand conservatives.

259 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:14:06am

re: #252 Jim D

I remember believing when I was younger that liberalism was all irrational and wrapped up in emotion and conservatism was logical and rational. Christ, I was a dumbshit.

These are not your father’s conservatives. These were the wacky fanatics on the far-right that everyone tried to ignore. Now they’re the mainstream.

260 Decatur Deb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:15:09am

re: #212 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURR DERP DERP TAXES IS WORSER THEN TEH SLAVERYS!!!!11!!!!!

“Founding Fathers never intended citizens pay half of everything to Government.” Ron Paul

No, they set up a system in which millions of workers paid 100% of what they earned to Massa.

261 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:15:28am

re: #234 Jim D

The GOP is against helping the poor, the unemployed and the sick. It’s anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-science…
Can someone tell me why I should overlook all of that and vote Republican?

Because taxes. Duh.

//////////////////

262 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:15:39am

re: #249 Dark_Falcon

I don’t agree. i think that the NJ supreme court is acting based on its own liberalism, not based on the actual requirements of the text. As such, I do not think Gov. Christie owes it any respect.

And now I need to clear off. Sorry, but this issue ticks me off seven ways past Sunday, and I should not have come back here this morning. i realize I’m not being wholly rational, but sometimes I’m just not wholly rational.

BBL

Still trying to parse how educating kids is a destructive liberal agenda.

Le sigh….

263 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:16:49am

HURR HURR IT TEH ISLAMOPOCALYPSE!!!!11!!!!!!

264 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:16:51am

re: #262 Mattand

Me too. I guess Thomas Jefferson was a liberal.

265 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:18:19am

re: #252 Jim D

I remember believing when I was younger that liberalism was all irrational and wrapped up in emotion and conservatism was logical and rational. Christ, I was a dumbshit.

Ditto. When I was younger, naive, and less knowledged about politics, to me conservatives came off as “more American”. They dressed better, had better talking points, and looked like “real” business men. For those reasons, that’s why conservative politicians appeal to the knuckle-dragging cavemen that make up their base….use simple bumper sticker phrases, and the ignorant masses love ‘em.

266 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:18:25am

re: #262 Mattand

Still trying to parse how educating kids is a destructive liberal agenda.

Le sigh….

Something something test scores something teacher’s unions something inefficiency something free market.

Don’t waste too many brain cells on this one.

267 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:18:48am
268 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:18:52am

re: #239 wheat-dogghazi

Sure, but that does not give him the authority to pull a judge off the court just because he doesn’t like the court’s decisions. The court, if I understand things correctly, was ruling on funding as it is required in the NJ constitution. The court was not making decisions regarding how that funding is to be made.

He wasn’t pulled from the bench. His term was up, and tradition had it that justices were renominated as a matter of right until their retirement. Christie decided to change that policy and chose not to renominate.

The state constitution requires a thorough and efficient education. The state spends more per capita on education than nearly every other state. It’s a good question as to whether the state’s getting what it should out of that spending before you start demanding more money to get a thorough and efficient education.

269 Jim D  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:19:08am

re: #250 wheat-dogghazi

I guess it also depends on how one defines conservatism. A reasonable definition could certainly involve concern for the welfare and rights of others. It’s weird that the idea of a nation caring for its citizens is somehow some crazy progressive idea.

270 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:19:23am

re: #263 Pie-onist Overlord

Nearly as many parents listed their children under five as having no religion — the answer given for nearly 1.2 million (34.1 percent).

He’s completely missing the bigger ‘threat’, but he’s probably saving it for a future tweet.

271 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:20:20am

re: #234 Jim D

It’s enraging and baffling. I can’t understand why providing more and better health insurance bothers republicans so much. I can understand liberals being unsatisfied with the ACA, but at least it progress.

The GOP is against helping the poor, the unemployed and the sick. It’s anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-science…
Can someone tell me why I should overlook all of that and vote Republican?

That’s what’s killing me. I cannot, in good conscience, vote for this party as it stands now. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t vote for Christie, both times: he’s aligned with a party that promotes that shit. And if he recovers from this week, he will embrace that gestalt at sound barrier shattering speeds.

And he’s supposed to be the sane one.

272 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:20:39am

re: #263 Pie-onist Overlord

That number screams “fake.” There cannot be that many Muslims in England producing that many kids. There are 53 million people in England — 5% are Muslim. en.wikipedia.org Those Muslims must be working overtime between the sheets, I’ll tell ya!

273 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:23:03am

God bless you, The Onion wait fox news what shit

Christie crackdown ups scrutiny over Obama’s scandal response
While New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is getting hammered over a close aide’s involvement in snarling traffic as an apparent act of political retribution, he’s nevertheless set himself apart from the Obama administration in his response to scandal.

The punishment in Trenton was swift. The governor said at a press conference Thursday that, within minutes of seeing incriminating emails, he fired his deputy chief of staff. He also sidelined his former campaign manager, nixing a lucrative contract and shutting him out of a plum job at the helm of the state GOP. Two Port Authority officials previously had resigned.

By contrast, the Obama administration’s meandering response to three major controversies — the Benghazi attack, the IRS targeting scandal, and the botched ObamaCare rollout — often has seemed less decisive.

Lock fucking step. This is what Republicans vote for. If they’d like to keep lying to themselves, I guess that’s their right but I find it pretty fucking pitiful.

274 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:23:37am

re: #262 Mattand

Still trying to parse how educating kids is a destructive liberal agenda.

Le sigh….

I think he was not saying that as much as saying that requiring constantly increased funding was not working since it was being spent without there being any apparent improvement in comparison to other states. He didn’t go past that in possible reasons *why* an improvement was being seen. So it just ended up with an implication that the additional funding was being wasted for no gain and therefore was not worth pursuing further.

I don’t think he’s anti-education as compared to anti-wasteful spending. But the argument came out sort of half-baked since this is just comments and not something nuanced and complex since you’d need knowledge of the starting conditions, current conditions, and on-going programs of the NJ educational system. Plus I’m sure that the results would be a mixed bag and not uniform anyways. And beyond that there are lots of effects on education outside the schools in the local communities as well which this funding is probably not touching. (takes a breath)

275 Joanne  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:25:09am

re: #218 Dark_Falcon

I need to step back for a bit. I’m in grips of a rage against liberalism and I need a little while to calm down.

Yeah, affordable housing and education…fuck that shit, right?

276 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:27:24am

re: #268 lawhawk

He wasn’t pulled from the bench. His term was up, and tradition had it that justices were renominated as a matter of right until their retirement. Christie decided to change that policy and chose not to renominate.

The state constitution requires a thorough and efficient education. The state spends more per capita on education than nearly every other state. It’s a good question as to whether the state’s getting what it should out of that spending before you start demanding more money to get a thorough and efficient education.

I understand the deal about the judge. But failing to renominate him is the same as pulling him off the bench, given the precedent that renomination was a given.

As for the financial aspect, is it the Supreme Court’s responsibility to decide how the money is raised and used? Changing the composition of the court does not change the constitution, nor address the root problem. It’s an attempt to silence the messengers.

277 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:29:25am

Just days after the polar vortex swept into the NYC metro area and the dim bulbs like Rush, Trump, and Fischer claimed that there was nothing to this global warming and it was nothing but a liberal media made up term, we’re supposed to hit 60 degrees tomorrow in NYC.

That’s right kids. 60+ degrees in the middle of January.

Oh, and it might be record breaking highs.

No single weather event proves or disproves global warming or climate change, but the trends are showing warmer temps, more extreme temps, and more volatility in the atmosphere, which are all harbingers of global warming.

278 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:30:47am

re: #274 Feline Fearless Leader

I think he was not saying that as much as saying that requiring constantly increased funding was not working since it was being spent without there being any apparent improvement in comparison to other states. He didn’t go past that in possible reasons *why* an improvement was being seen. So it just ended up with an implication that the additional funding was being wasted for no gain and therefore was not worth pursuing further.

I don’t think he’s anti-education as compared to anti-wasteful spending. But the argument came out sort of half-baked since this is just comments and not something nuanced and complex since you’d need knowledge of the starting conditions, current conditions, and on-going programs of the NJ educational system. Plus I’m sure that the results would be a mixed bag and not uniform anyways. And beyond that there are lots of effects on education outside the schools in the local communities as well which this funding is probably not touching. (takes a breath)

I know. I’m related to a teacher and have lived here since the dawn of time. Believe me, any commenter here who lives in this state is painfully aware of the situation.

Look, I’m all for spending the money better. So’s my sister and most other teachers you talk to. I absolutely agree with that. Throwing money at this (or any) problem is not the same as using it wisely.

But this is the kind of conservative talking point, however unintentional it may have been, that drives me fucking nuts. I’m quite frankly sick of hearing about how “liberalism” destroys America.

Particularly when the alternative is the laundry list of repugnant bigoted behavior Jim D listed that the GOP considers their campaign platform.

279 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:31:46am

Good night from the Middle Kingdom, everyone. It’s 1:30 am, and I gotta get some sleep. I’m sure Bridge-gate and Judge-gate will still be around when I return.

280 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:32:03am
281 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:34:49am

re: #272 wheat-dogghazi

That number screams “fake.” There cannot be that many Muslims in England producing that many kids. There are 53 million people in England — 5% are Muslim. en.wikipedia.org Those Muslims must be working overtime between the sheets, I’ll tell ya!

Yeah well, they’re trying to keep up with TEH JUICE.

My son-in-law is a Brit so my granddaughter could apply for UK citizenship if she wanted.

282 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:35:17am

re: #280 Lidane

Preston: What is his end game then here with the United States? To destroy it as much as possible in his time? To totally destroy it? To bring in a police state? We’re seeing the militarization of our regular police all over the place, is that his end game? To literally take over the United States almost Nazi style?

Garrow: It’s all of the above, I’ve got to agree with everything you have said right there.

So, Obama wants to totally destroy the US which will allow him to create a police state…..of a totally destroyed nation. Brilliant “logic”. But, yes, let’s rage over liberalism and its hellbent attempts to educate our children,

283 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:35:52am

re: #276 wheat-dogghazi

I understand the deal about the judge. But failing to renominate him is the same as pulling him off the bench, given the precedent that renomination was a given.

As for the financial aspect, is it the Supreme Court’s responsibility to decide how the money is raised and used? Changing the composition of the court does not change the constitution, nor address the root problem. It’s an attempt to silence the messengers.

Well, stacking the court with conservatives would probably strangle the flow of money to the public ed system, which is pretty much at the top of the conservative wish list.

It also sets up the stage for banning gay marriage or restricting abortion. Christie shamefully was down with the former; and while he’s shown little interest in the latter, his Presidential ambitions would probably get the better of him.

284 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:36:16am

re: #280 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Yesterday he was back on his “Obama nuking the country” riff. how the dolphins dying along the east coast related to the incredible un-reported nuclear explosion at sea.

RBS

285 calochortus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:37:09am

re: #277 lawhawk

Besides, we’re apparently getting fewer cold snaps. I suspect the media’s love affair with wind chill temps is making people think things have rarely been this cold ever. They would be wrong.

286 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:37:21am

re: #282 Dr. Matt

So, Obama wants to totally destroy the US which will allow him to create a police state…..of a totally destroyed nation. Brilliant “logic”. But, yes, let’s rage over liberalism and its hellbent attempts to educate our children,

Jim Garrow is projecting his own desire to establish a police state and purge Teh Gheys, Teh Muslims, Teh Mexicanos & Teh Librulz!!!!

287 wrenchwench  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:37:44am
288 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:38:02am

re: #272 wheat-dogghazi

That number screams “fake.” There cannot be that many Muslims in England producing that many kids. There are 53 million people in England — 5% are Muslim. en.wikipedia.org Those Muslims must be working overtime between the sheets, I’ll tell ya!

A crack team of sexual muhajadeen, sipping ginger ale in the pub and throwing winks at all the fertile women that come through the door….

289 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:38:58am

re: #278 Mattand

I know. I’m related to a teacher and have lived here since the dawn of time. Believe me, any commenter here who lives in this state is painfully aware of the situation.

Look, I’m all for spending the money better. So’s my sister and most other teachers you talk to. I absolutely agree with that. Throwing money at this (or any) problem is not the same as using it wisely.

But this is the kind of conservative talking point, however unintentional it may have been, that drives me fucking nuts. I’m quite frankly sick of hearing about how “liberalism” destroys America.

Particularly when the alternative is the laundry list of repugnant bigoted behavior Jim D listed that the GOP considers their campaign platform.

And I concur. I stopped voting GOP (including local) once they started destroying education and the “war on science”. Topped off by the screaming about “liberal propaganda brainwashing children” while they worked to implement their “we reject reality and substitute our own” education standards.

I value education very highly since I think that is the true route to achieving a better society and helping people out of poverty. Help people being able to make better decisions, and also the skills to be able to get the information in order to make those decisions in an informed manner.

Ooo… new personal record for semi-scare quotes in a single paragraph.

290 The War TARDIS  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:41:55am

re: #288 The Ghost of a Flea

You might be saying that sarcastically, but there has been hysteria in the Indian States of Kerala and Karnataka.

It was alleged by people to be called “Love Jihad.”

This is why I prefer Bangladesh to the other two governmentally. But the Pakistani people I have met have been the best in the world.

291 calochortus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:42:23am

re: #272 wheat-dogghazi

That number screams “fake.” There cannot be that many Muslims in England producing that many kids. There are 53 million people in England — 5% are Muslim. en.wikipedia.org Those Muslims must be working overtime between the sheets, I’ll tell ya!

Not necessarily-the number is actually a lot closer to 9%. I’m guessing the Muslim population has a much higher number of immigrants than the general population. If their birthrate is twice that of the non-Muslims then it’ a reasonable number. Aside from the obvious “so what?” response it deserves, this overlooks the fact that in a generation or two they’ll be reproducing at about the same rate as everyone else.
This is just another “we’re being out-bred by those tacky immigrants” thing.

292 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:47:36am

Putin is making money hand over fist these days….
Iran, Russia negotiating big oil-for-goods deal

It is not clear whether the deal would be implemented before a nuclear agreement, outlined in Geneva in November between Iran and six world powers, is finalised.

Nor is it clear how Moscow will justify to other powers a barter deal that could jeopardise the nuclear negotiations by easing the economic pressure on Tehran.

“It depends on whether the Russians agree to implement this deal before there is a final resolution of the nuclear issues. That would obviously be a very negative signal,” said Gary Samore, former nuclear non-proliferation czar for President Barack Obama and now an academic and president of pro-sanctions group United Against Nuclear Iran.

“It could very well be they just want to have this ready to go the day after a nuclear deal is completed and they would then be prepared to execute a barter arrangement.”

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. My guess is they are positioning themselves to keep buying centrifuges and nuclear plants regardless of how the negotiations with the West turn out.

293 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:49:19am

MY RAGE IS SO GREAT I HAVE TIME TO EXPOSIT UPON ITS GREATNESS. iT’S, LIKE, THE SIZE OF GREAT PYRENEES, OR ONE THOSE TINY PONIES. A BIG TINY PONY, THOUGH.

I KNOW THERE’S VAST EXPANSES OF HUMAN DEGRADATION AND SUFFERING THAT ARE ADDRESSED ON THIS WEBSITE, BUT APPROPRIATIONS MATTER IN A STATE OTHER THAN MY OWN JUST MAKES BLOOD SPURT FROM MY EYES.

294 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:53:53am

re: #234 Jim D

It’s enraging and baffling. I can’t understand why providing more and better health insurance bothers republicans so much. I can understand liberals being unsatisfied with the ACA, but at least it progress.

The GOP is against helping the poor, the unemployed and the sick. It’s anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-science…
Can someone tell me why I should overlook all of that and vote Republican?

Party over reality! Every time. No questions asked…and no way I’m giving anyone $200 dollars when they pass go. So GFY! I gots mine…

295 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:54:02am

re: #277 lawhawk

70 degrees in Houston today; a few days ago it was 30.

296 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:54:22am

Ah, Freepers…

297 Iwouldprefernotto  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:55:45am

re: #296 Kragar

Ah, Freepers…

[Embedded content]

Could someone explain the point this idiot was trying to make.

298 Dr Lizardo  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:56:10am

re: #296 Kragar

Ah, Freepers…

[Embedded content]

Because nothing says “reasonable and rational discourse on the matters of the day” like Free Republic.

///

299 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:57:05am

re: #285 calochortus

Besides, we’re apparently getting fewer cold snaps. I suspect the media’s love affair with wind chill temps is making people think things have rarely been this cold ever. They would be wrong.

I mentioned in another thread that Philadlephia has establish only 4 record low temps since 2000, but 66 record highs.

300 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:57:23am

re: #297 Iwouldprefernotto

Could someone explain the point this idiot was trying to make.

The Nazis were all homosexuals.

They actually believe this.

301 Decatur Deb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:58:00am

re: #296 Kragar

Ah, Freepers…

NAZI Germany’s government, especially its enforcement arms was full of homosexuals. The bull fags despised and killed off a lot of the fems.

Origin of the plaintive tune “The Lonely Bull”.

302 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:58:02am

re: #300 Kragar

The Nazis were all homosexuals.

They actually believe this.

Well, they were awfully snappy dressers.

///////////////////////////////

303 piratedan  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:58:16am

re: #296 Kragar

Ah, Freepers…

[Embedded content]

amazing how devoid of reality that tweet was…. it must be great to simply proscribe your enemies of every trait and belief that you despise in order to make them the embodiment of evil personified.

I know that Dem are far from perfect, but the way that these folks over on the right project everything onto their enemies shows me that they’re a long way from doing any kind of self-examination soul searching of their own biases and motivations.

304 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:58:39am

re: #300 Kragar

The Nazis were all homosexuals.

They actually believe this.

And therefore, all homosexuals will always be Nazis.

305 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:59:03am

re: #298 Dr Lizardo

Because nothing says “reasonable and rational discourse on the matters of the day” like Free Republic.

///

There is an actual FreeRepublic Twitter account:

306 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 9:59:18am


So they argue everyone needs as many guns as possible for safety, but pot will lead to people dying in the streets.

I have to laugh or I’d cry.

307 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:00:29am

re: #306 Kragar

[Embedded content]


So they argue everyone needs as many guns as possible for safety, but pot will lead to people dying in the streets.

I have to laugh or I’d cry.

Well maybe some pot users got the munchies and ate a bunch of snacks and then developed diabetes.

308 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:01:06am

re: #249 Dark_Falcon

I don’t agree. i think that the NJ supreme court is acting based on its own liberalism, not based on the actual requirements of the text. As such, I do not think Gov. Christie owes it any respect.

And now I need to clear off. Sorry, but this issue ticks me off seven ways past Sunday, and I should not have come back here this morning. i realize I’m not being wholly rational, but sometimes I’m just not wholly rational.

BBL

So, when you realize it why do you post? Sheesh Dark, you need a long pit stop, tighten up them new tires, clean that windshield, gas up and get back to some bit of reality. Even if you are finding yourself laps down.

Ideology over realism and practicality fucked up many a fine human, house, village, town, city, metro area, state, country…hopefully not the whole world!

309 Dr Lizardo  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:02:32am

re: #305 Pie-onist Overlord

There is an actual FreeRepublic Twitter account:

[Embedded content]

I always get a hearty chuckle out of the Freepers, but at the same time I keep an eye on them. Almost all of them are just talking out of their asses, but there might be one or two who would be willing and able to pull off some act of violence.

That being said, folks on Stormfront or Sovereign Citizens bear far closer scrutiny.

310 wrenchwench  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:02:48am

re: #307 Pie-onist Overlord

Well maybe some pot users got the munchies and ate a bunch of snacks and then developed diabetes.

Last week I saw a study that concluded pot smokers have more stable blood sugar than non-pot smokers.

311 FemNaziBitch  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:02:50am

How is life today?

312 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:03:27am

re: #240 Pie-onist Overlord

Canada welcome your new Overlord.
[Embedded image]

What a cutie!

Even if maybe a little bit of upchuck might be in the works. /

313 wrenchwench  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:04:22am
314 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:04:34am

Fox contributor ‘confirms’ Islamists in White House: ‘I haven’t got their names exactly’

A Fox News contributor who questions the president’s birth certificate and believes Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction were removed just prior to the U.S. invasion claims there are Islamic extremists working in the Obama administration.

World Net Daily trumped up comments that retired Air Force Gen. Tom McInerney made Thursday during an appearance on WMAL-AM to discuss a new book written by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The report also claims Mohamed Elibiary, a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Advisory Council, has ties to the Islamist organization but offers no citations or other proof.

“We’ve got Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S. government today,” McInerney said on the radio program.

The radio hosts asked McInerney to reveal their names, but he hesitated.

“I haven’t got their names exactly but there’s a list of them, at least 10 or 15 of them in the U.S. government,” McInerney said.

I have it on good authority that a certain retired AF general has likely been huffing glue from a dead badger’s ass, but I don’t have his name exactly.

315 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:04:35am

re: #308 ObserverArt

Simple question to ask yourself is “what would I think if the other side did this?” DF wants to justify what Christie did, but if Corzine had done the same, Dark would be apoplectic. Therefore, he’s full of crap.

316 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:04:36am

re: #310 wrenchwench

Last week I saw a study that concluded pot smokers have more stable blood sugar than non-pot smokers.

Well, a bag of chips every forty five minutes puts it at the very top of the chart, and constant-100% is a very stable number.

///

317 Dr Lizardo  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:05:15am

Looks like Iran and Russia are negotiating an oil-for-goods agreement.

Iran and Russia are negotiating an oil-for-goods swap worth $1.5 billion a month that would let Iran lift oil exports substantially, undermining Western sanctions that helped persuade Tehran in November to agree a preliminary deal to curb its nuclear programme.

Russian and Iranian sources close to the barter negotiations said final details were in discussion for a deal that would see Moscow buy up to 500,000 barrels a day of Iranian oil in exchange for Russian equipment and goods.

uk.reuters.com

318 Decatur Deb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:05:24am

re: #306 Kragar

Kentucky Republican offers to ‘fill this committee room’ with people killed by pot


So they argue everyone needs as many guns as possible for safety, but pot will lead to people dying in the streets.

I have to laugh or I’d cry.

Wouldn’t that start to, you know, like smell?

319 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:07:06am

re: #318 Decatur Deb

Wouldn’t that start to, you know, like smell?

I’m thinking there needs to be a video game like GRAND THEFT AUTO: COLORADO EDITION

320 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:07:07am

How does pot kill a person?

321 calochortus  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:07:16am

re: #318 Decatur Deb

Perhaps they would be…..the Living Dead….?

322 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:08:06am

re: #321 calochortus

Perhaps they would be…..the Living Dead….?

Stoned to death…

323 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:08:49am

re: #320 SteveMcGazi

re: #322 Pie-onist Overlord

Stoned to death…

Oh

324 Decatur Deb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:08:50am

re: #320 SteveMcGazi

How does pot kill a person?

When an outraged duckfucker confronts them, they start to giggle.

325 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:09:43am

re: #295 jaunte

70 degrees in Houston today; a few days ago it was 30.

Haha, tomorrow we’re supposed to have 63. It was 6 deg Wed morning. It’s been raining, but finally, on Sun, the rain will stop, it’ll be sunny and 57. BTW, we did not have one snow flake, sleet, or one icicle around here during the Deep Freeze. With the exception of out of the roof electric bills, we pretty well escaped the worst. : )

326 wrenchwench  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:09:45am

re: #318 Decatur Deb

Wouldn’t that start to, you know, like smell?

Only if they could actually find somebody killed by pot.

327 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:11:14am

OH HAI RON PAUL.

328 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:11:46am

If smoking pot killed people, there’d be a lot fewer stoners in the world.

329 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:11:46am

re: #326 wrenchwench

As a protest rose from the assembled crowd that marijuana is not a lethal substance, Benvenuti continued, “In driving intoxicated, in child abuse, we’ve already heard today from folks who talk about intoxicants and its role in child fatality and child abuse.”

Benvenuti is making a huge leap between stats likely created by alcohol or meth and the supposed dangers of pot.

330 FemNaziBitch  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:12:03am

IN times before the internet, how long would it have taken for all this info Maddow presented to come to light?

331 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:12:06am
332 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:12:12am

re: #297 Iwouldprefernotto

Could someone explain the point this idiot was trying to make.

Forget it Iwouldprefernotto, it’s freepertown.

RBS

333 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:12:40am

Hell, if pot kills, then Tommy Chong should have been dead ages ago.

334 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:12:49am

If Christie blew up about those judges, then why in hell didn’t he blow up about happened with the traffic jams on the GWB, even if, as he claims, he didn’t know about what caused them? Why didn’t heads roll over at the Port Authority at the time?

Does he really care about all his constituents as much as he claims?

I don’t think so. He’s more concerned about his “career” which will never get out of NJ now.

Serves him right.

335 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:12:56am

1. The Nazis were all gay.

2. The Nazis did terrbile things.

3. Therefore all gays are capable of Nazi-like atrocities

4. Therefore it’s okay to criminalize homosexuality

5. The Nazis criminalized homosexuality.

6. Therefore those that criminalize homosexuality are gay Nazis.

…which explains why all the meeting of Scott Lively fans devolve into all-guy leather orgies while wearing jackboots.

336 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:13:02am

Things which kill people: Pot, Same Sex marriage, Atheism

Things which have never hurt anyone ever: Guns, Cigarettes, Alcohol, Transfats, CO2

337 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:13:15am

Just thought of something…in part on the way this thread began.

To Kilgore,

Doesn’t this whole Rachel Maddow article fly in the face of you putting her into the (paraphrasing) all cable TV news is the same, a few script writers and a talking head reading it, all based on one-sided politics…snore… thinking?

She seems to have broken a whole different plot to the Christie thing.

Decent reporting, eh? Even if you don’t buy in, it’s fresh.

Just asking qwestions.

338 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:13:16am

In Philadelphia it was 61 degrees on Monday and 14 on Tuesday, and supposed to be 60 again tomorrow.

339 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:14:24am

re: #336 Kragar

Things which kill people: Pot, Same Sex marriage, Atheism

Things which have never hurt anyone ever: Guns, Cigarettes, Alcohol, Transfats, CO2

Why do you hate Texas?

340 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:15:14am

re: #306 Kragar

[Embedded content]


So they argue everyone needs as many guns as possible for safety, but pot will lead to people dying in the streets.

I have to laugh or I’d cry.

If you read that literally, he’s going to put all the dead people in a hearing room? I’m not overly judgmental, but that’s just sick.

RBS

341 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:18:15am

re: #336 Kragar

Things which kill people: Pot, Same Sex marriage, Atheism

Things which have never hurt anyone ever: Guns, Cigarettes, Alcohol, Transfats, CO2

Coal!

342 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:18:43am

re: #277 lawhawk

Just days after the polar vortex swept into the NYC metro area and the dim bulbs like Rush, Trump, and Fischer claimed that there was nothing to this global warming and it was nothing but a liberal media made up term, we’re supposed to hit 60 degrees tomorrow in NYC.

That’s right kids. 60+ degrees in the middle of January.

Oh, and it might be record breaking highs.

No single weather event proves or disproves global warming or climate change, but the trends are showing warmer temps, more extreme temps, and more volatility in the atmosphere, which are all harbingers of global warming.

I wonder about the swings in temp that happen so quickly. Oh, and the constant 30+ mph winds that come with the changes. That is new to me…and with my time, and thinking back to what my parents talked about takes familiar history of Ohio weather patterns to a full century…and this stuff is unprecedented.

It was 50 here last Sunday…down to -8° on Tuesday…40° now and headed for 50° again this weekend. And these swift changes are becoming the new pattern.

343 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:19:31am

re: #317 Dr Lizardo

Looks like Iran and Russia are negotiating an oil-for-goods agreement.

uk.reuters.com

Yeah, it looks like it might be a way to circumvent sanctions. It’ll be interesting to see if they bother striking a deal with the west over the nuclear program or if they just get around sanctions with the Russian deal. I also strongly suspect the “goods” from the Russians involves the new reactors they’ve been trying to buy for the past couple years.

344 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:20:09am

re: #341 Pie-onist Overlord

The company that manufactures the spilled chemical:
“Freedom Industries”

345 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:21:14am

re: #311 FemNaziBitch

How is life today?

Day off. Sitting here with cats reading stuff after having slept in this morning. Cup of tea, small sandwich for lunch, and mulling whether to stay in this afternoon or go out and run errands that can be put off until tomorrow.

346 Pie-onist Overlord  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:21:41am

re: #344 jaunte

The company that manufactures the spilled chemical:
“Freedom Industries”

Why don’t they just call themselves HOWARD ROARK INDUSTRIES (or whoever was that Ayn Rand character who destroyed his own buildings rather than submit to GUBAMINT REGULASHUNZ!!!!111!!!!!

347 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:21:46am

re: #336 Kragar

You’re starting to catch on. //

348 Backwoods_Sleuth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:21:58am

Comments on Benevenuti’s “posts by others” FB page are just great.

facebook.com

349 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:23:29am

re: #314 Kragar

Fox contributor ‘confirms’ Islamists in White House: ‘I haven’t got their names exactly’

And I’ll bet that contributor thinks Joe McCarthy was an American hero, too.

350 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:24:26am

re: #337 ObserverArt

Just thought of something…in part on the way this thread began.

To Kilgore,

Doesn’t this whole Rachel Maddow article fly in the face of you putting her into the (paraphrasing) all cable TV news is the same, a few script writers and a talking head reading it, all based on one-sided politics…snore… thinking?

She seems to have broken a whole different plot to the Christie thing.

Decent reporting, eh? Even if you don’t buy in, it’s fresh.

Just asking qwestions.

Her theory may or may not be true. She’s speculating and hasn’t produced any hard evidence, it could go either way. But, as I pointed out earlier at #21 I don’t consider her to be an accurate source of information.

351 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:25:17am

re: #300 Kragar

The Nazis were all homosexuals.

They actually believe this.

No way. Gays make terrible soldiers, are bad for morale and it would never work to build a decent army with even one gay in it.

I guess they can have it both ways!

(And no, that doesn’t mean both ways like you may think!)

352 Backwoods_Sleuth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:25:25am

re: #344 jaunte

The company that manufactures the spilled chemical:
“Freedom Industries”

Yep. The link from WSAZ that I posted yesterday when WV declared the state of emergency noted that “Freedom Industries” is self-reporting when it comes to spills and other “incidents”, and didn’t actually report that spill itself…in other words FREEDUM!!11!!

353 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:25:46am

re: #345 Feline Fearless Leader

Well if the cats need anything then, of course, you must go and complete errands.

354 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:28:33am

re: #350 Killgore Trout

Her theory may or not be true. She’s speculating and hasn’t produced any hard evidence, it could go either way. But, as I pointed out earlier at #21 I don’t consider her to be an accurate source of information.

Well, you are consistent. But are you?

You were on about a whole lot more than her being a source for information.

Your slip is showing. And the axe may need sharpening. As you are soldier.

355 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:29:19am

re: #351 ObserverArt

No way. Gays make terrible soldiers, are bad for morale and it would never work to build a decent army with even one gay in it.

The constant house music would completely screw up the lines of battlefield communication

356 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:29:26am

re: #354 ObserverArt

I have no idea what that means.

357 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:29:50am

Well, crap. After AAA jump started the 98 Pontiac Montana van (for the second time in three days) that we were given by my father for Christmas, the tow driver said the battery was dead/dying. So off to the local repair shop I go…

$286 to replace the battery… O_o The battery itself wasn’t all that expensive but Pontiac built it practically into the wheel well and put the fuse box over it costing several hours of mechanics labor charges.

I am forcefully reminded why I prefer Toyota to Detroit these days.

358 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:30:18am

Where they get that BS from:

“The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party” by Scott Lively and Kevin Abrams

According to the authors, homosexuality found in the Nazi Party contributed to the extreme militarism of Nazi Germany. The title of the book, as well as the book itself, is a reference to a book by Richard Plant called The Pink Triangle: The Nazi War Against Homosexuals, a book detailing homophobia in the Nazi Party and the homosexual victims of Nazism. Lively and Abrams also take up the subject of Nazism in America and discuss the Boy Scouts. The book states that many leaders in the German Nazi regime, including Adolf Hitler himself, were homosexual and says that eight of the top ten serial killers in the US were homosexuals.[2][3] The authors claim that persecution of homosexuals was only directed towards feminine homosexuals.[verification needed] One significant source for The Pink Swastika was the book Germany’s National Vice written by Samuel Igra, which Lively refers to as “the 1945 version of The Pink Swastika.”[4]

359 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:34:26am

re: #351 ObserverArt

No way. Gays make terrible soldiers, are bad for morale and it would never work to build a decent army with even one gay in it.

I guess they can have it both ways!

(And no, that doesn’t mean both ways like you may think!)

And don’t even think about asking them about the Israeli Army, who, as they say, punch WAY over their weight class. They have the dreaded Gheys in their military. Don’t ask them about it, really, it would hurt their feelings.

RBS

360 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:36:28am

re: #358 Kragar

Where they get that BS from:

“The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party” by Scott Lively and Kevin Abrams

Lively doesn’t actually cite it, but “The Pink Swastika” borrows a lot of ideas from the NSDAP propaganda that was circulated after the Rohm purge. The idea of a “gay oligarchy,” the image of brutish male homosexuals for whom sex and violence and intertwined.

It’s suspicious similar, though Lively of course extrapolates to cover all the Nazis.

361 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:36:37am

re: #353 Bulworth

Well if the cats need anything then, of course, you must go and complete errands.

They’re good. I stocked up on cat food last week.

362 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:37:34am

re: #357 William Barnett-Lewis

Well, crap. After AAA jump started the 98 Pontiac Montana van (for the second time in three days) that we were given by my father for Christmas, the tow driver said the battery was dead/dying. So off to the local repair shop I go…

$286 to replace the battery… O_o The battery itself wasn’t all that expensive but Pontiac built it practically into the wheel well and put the fuse box over it costing several hours of mechanics labor charges.

I am forcefully reminded why I prefer Toyota to Detroit these days.

That is some major suckage. In my impala I have to pull a cross strut off to get the battery out, but that’s just a couple of minutes. Sounds like they put the battery down first and said “now build the minivan around this”.

RBS

363 sauceruney  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:38:39am

re: #101 A Mom Anon

I’m sure Christie smirked every time he heard the “Chicago style politics” dog whistle.

364 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:41:31am

re: #356 Killgore Trout

I have no idea what that means.

I think you do.

But I’m going to leave it there. Maybe others will help explain it.

365 Backwoods_Sleuth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:42:16am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) — West Virginia American Water held a press conference Friday morning saying a water use ban will remain in effect indefinitely in parts of 9 counties after a chemical leak in Charleston.

West Virginia American Water President Jeffrey McIntyre says at this point, they can’t say the water is unsafe to drink, but they also can’t say the water is safe.

WVAW says they were notified about 12 p.m. Thursday by the West Virginia DEP about a leak at Freedom Industries on Barlow Drive.

During a press conference Friday morning, McIntyre said they were originally given incorrect information about what the chemical was.

They did not find out the correct chemical until around 2 p.m. and did not have detection in the water until 4 p.m. when they got a notification from WVDEP.

More at:

WVAW: Water Use Ban In Effect Indefinitely

366 Iwouldprefernotto  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:42:21am

re: #338 SteveMcGazi

In Philadelphia it was 61 degrees on Monday and 14 on Tuesday, and supposed to be 60 again tomorrow.

Great weather for an Eagles game.

367 Backwoods_Sleuth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:44:43am

re: #365 Backwoods_Sleuth

More at:

WVAW: Water Use Ban In Effect Indefinitely

good grief…further into the article:

WVAW says Freedom Industries is a private property and they do not have access to the property.

368 leftynyc  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:45:43am

re: #167 lawhawk


I too enjoyed Grosingers and Kutchers (got felt up the first time when at Kutchers) when young in the summers. The decline has been very sad to watch.

369 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:47:18am

re: #366 Iwouldprefernotto

Great weather for an Eagles game.

They broke a lot of hearts, and hopefully yours next year!

370 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:48:32am
371 leftynyc  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:49:04am

re: #183 SteveMcGazi

Maddow does make that distinction that I did not. As far as I am concerned, it was a power grab. He may well have been within his rights not to renominate the judge, but it was certainly a breach of the goodwill that is necessary to maintain functioning government.

Especially when one of his selling points has been his “bi-partisanship”. This detail puts that nonsense to rest.

372 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:49:17am

re: #365 Backwoods_Sleuth

WVAW: Water Use Ban In Effect Indefinitely

You know what the solution is, of course. We need to immediately repeal the Clean Water Act, defund the EPA, and let the free market handle things.

/////////////////

373 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:49:29am
374 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:49:59am

re: #369 SteveMcGazi

They broke a lot of hearts, and hopefully yours next year!

Though they also out-performed the preseason expectations of most of the sports pundits, even the local ones that usually overestimate them. Helped that their division’s teams were also all sort of awful as well.

375 Targetpractice  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:52:37am

re: #373 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Only paranoia I’ve ever seen in a pot smoker is that the cops are gonna find his stash.

376 Dr. Matt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:52:38am

Near record lows to new record highs in less than 7 days….hmmmmm, it appears something is amiss in our climate patterns….something is changing

377 FemNaziBitch  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:52:43am
378 RealityBasedSteve  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:53:31am

re: #372 Lidane

You know what the solution is, of course. We need to immediately repeal the Clean Water Act, defund the EPA, and let the free market handle things.

/////////////////

After all, the Cuyahoga River Fire could be a great tourist draw, just like people go to Vegas and watch the Belliago fountians, or the show at TI.

RBS

379 FemNaziBitch  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:53:46am

re: #345 Feline Fearless Leader

Day off. Sitting here with cats reading stuff after having slept in this morning. Cup of tea, small sandwich for lunch, and mulling whether to stay in this afternoon or go out and run errands that can be put off until tomorrow.

Stay in.

Call it a mental health day.

380 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:56:06am

re: #263 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURR IT TEH ISLAMOPOCALYPSE!!!!11!!!!!!

England headed for demographic destruction: 1 in 10 babies now Muslim. Don’t reverse trend, finished. t.co
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) January 10, 2014

Yeah, my dad stopped having kids after my 2 sisters and I because he heard that 1 out of every 4 children born in the world is Chinese. Figured he would quit while he was ahead.

//

Theory of relativity:
If your parents didn’t have children then you won’t either.

381 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:57:44am

re: #373 Kragar

Her background pic is lovely…talk about paranoid.

Image: axEUBcXN.jpeg

382 Backwoods_Sleuth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 10:59:05am
383 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:01:51am
384 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:02:48am
385 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:04:16am

re: #383 Lidane

[Embedded content]

And then they argue that the reason LGBT are more prone to depression is because they’re deviants, and not because assholes like them equate LGBT with murderers and the insane and constantly repeat it.

386 FemNaziBitch  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:04:17am
MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY, 1/5/14, 12:58 PM ET
Impact of one party rule on reproductive rights

video at link (bottom of the article)

One of the consequences of single party dominance in state legislatures is a growing number of places in the country where women are denied access to…

387 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:04:58am
388 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:05:09am

re: #384 Kragar

Everyone in drug rehab began their addictions to hard drugs with marijuana. Only 39% of public knows this.

CONFIRMED. FACT.

(The rest of them went on to be NYT columnists, which is probably worse)

389 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:05:38am
390 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:07:01am

re: #387 jaunte

@fema
President Obama has made federal emergency aid available to 9 West Virginia counties impacted by chemical spill fema.gov

FEMA PITCHERSZZZZ!

391 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:08:26am

re: #388 erik_t

CONFIRMED. FACT.

(The rest of them went on to be NYT columnists, which is probably worse)

Absolutely 0 chance that they started with a legal addictive substance, like alcohol or tobacco.

FACT

392 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:09:18am

The RWNJs have finally settled on a Christie talking point. I’m seeing the wingnuts on my FB timeline derping in unison about ZOMG 17 TIMES MOAR COVERAGE of the Christie scandal over the Obama IRS scandal.

It would be exhausting if I bothered trying to correct people. Instead I just scroll on by.

393 Mattand  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:09:31am

re: #350 Killgore Trout

Her theory may or may not be true. She’s speculating and hasn’t produced any hard evidence, it could go either way. But, as I pointed out earlier at #21 I don’t consider her to be an accurate source of information.

Yeah, because it completely fucks up your Magic Balance Fairy worldview that Maddow is a more-than-capable journalist.

394 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:10:50am

re: #392 Lidane

The RWNJs have finally settled on a Christie talking point. I’m seeing the wingnuts on my FB timeline derping in unison about ZOMG 17 TIMES MOAR COVERAGE of the Christie scandal over the Obama IRS scandal.

It would be exhausting if I bothered trying to correct people. Instead I just scroll on by.

Case in point:


Its almost like none of those Obama scandals were real.

395 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:11:23am

re: #380 Eventual Carrion

So some babies automatically come out Muslim? You mean they’re born that way?

396 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:12:11am

re: #394 Kragar

17 Times XXXX Times Seventeen-eventy!!!111!!

397 Backwoods_Sleuth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:12:22am

re: #394 Kragar

Case in point:

[Embedded content]


Its almost like none of those Obama scandals were real.

wait just a minute…then who are all those high-ranking military peeps that the tinfoil crowd claim Obama fired???

398 erik_t  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:12:32am

re: #394 Kragar

Case in point:

Its almost like none of those Obama scandals were real.

Lack of repercussions is merely proof of the conspiracy.

399 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:14:29am

re: #398 erik_t

Lack of evidence PROVING wrongdoing also means wrongdoing and scandal CONFIRMED. FACT.

400 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:14:36am

And now Obama will be forcing FEMA fluids down the throats of West Virginians.

Probably created by the UN to make your unborn children inclined to ride bicycles and appreciate kale.

401 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:15:11am

re: #394 Kragar

Case in point:

[Embedded content]


Its almost like none of those Obama scandals were real.

Won’t someone rid me of this meddlesome idiot?

402 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:15:12am

re: #350 Killgore Trout

Her theory may or may not be true. She’s speculating and hasn’t produced any hard evidence, it could go either way. But, as I pointed out earlier at #21 I don’t consider her to be an accurate source of information.

Is she speculating that Christie withdrew the judge’s nomination? Was she speculating about the date and time of the email? Was she speculating about Christie getting rid of the judge early in his first term? I don’t see any speculation on her part.

403 Iwouldprefernotto  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:15:51am

re: #369 SteveMcGazi

They broke a lot of hearts, and hopefully yours next year!

I’m a Giants fan. My heart was broken the first game of the season.

Although I do remember a Super Bowl or two.

404 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:15:52am

Charles P. Pierce:
Let The Waters Of Freedom Flow

Earlier today, I made note of the attempts in the House of Representatives to gut the 30-year old environmental laws that provided for, among other things, the Superfund dedicated to cleaning up the worst physical damage done to the country by its corporate class. I mentioned that the notion that the companies would police themselves, or that state governments were up to the task, both of which assumptions are vital to the theory behind the House bill in question, were just about the funniest ideas to come out of Washington since old Wilbur Mills wound up backstage at the Pilgrim Theater down in Boston’s Combat Zone.
Visit us at Esquire.com

…..

“Freedom Industries. That’s what makes it art, and what gives us all further proof that we’re all living in Dickensland at the moment.”

405 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:16:18am

re: #400 The Ghost of a Flea

This water polluting spill thing is obviously a false flag to get FEMA into WV to do something.

406 Mike Lamb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:17:07am

re: #394 Kragar

Case in point:

[Embedded content]


Its almost like none of those Obama scandals were real.

They aren’t real until he gets impeached.

407 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:17:23am

House Republicans Just Quietly Passed A Bill Gutting Hazardous Waste Legislation

“…The bill, called the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act, amends both the Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (which is commonly known as Superfund). It would remove requirements that the EPA periodically update and review solid waste disposal regulations, and would make it harder for the government to require companies that deal with hazardous substances to carry enough insurance to cover cleanup. The bill would also require more consultation with states before the government imposes cleanup requirements for Superfund sites — places where hazardous waste is located and could be affecting local people or ecosystems.”

408 b.d.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:17:36am

Who got fired when Cheney shot that guy in the face?

409 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:18:15am

re: #404 jaunte

Beck: Today, we are all water polluters Freedom Industries. /

410 wrenchwench  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:18:20am

re: #408 b.d.

Who got fired when Cheney shot that guy in the face?

The gun?

411 piratedan  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:18:33am

re: #384 Kragar

[Embedded content]

all alcoholics started drinking water…. is H2O a gateway beverage, we report, you decide…..

412 Kragar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:19:13am

re: #406 Mike Lamb

They aren’t real until he gets impeached.

Should be happening any day now.

Yup, right around the corner to the impeachment.

Soon.

Very soon.

413 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:19:14am

re: #408 b.d.

Who got fired when Cheney shot that guy in the face?

The same number of people that got fired when Cheney and the rest lied us into war in Iraq.

414 jaunte  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:19:16am

Pierce:

“With the stock market going through the roof, and CEO pay going into orbit, American business is simply too embattled and burdened to be bothered to carry enough insurance to clean up the toxins that the free market must unleash upon the land in order to maintain our liberty.”

415 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:19:30am

re: #404 jaunte

“just about the funniest ideas to come out of Washington since old Wilbur Mills wound up backstage at the Pilgrim Theater down in Boston’s Combat Zone.”

If he wants to make a historical or literary reference, he probably should avoid something so esoteric. I’m fairly well read, and I have no idea what he’s talking about.

416 b.d.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:19:52am

re: #410 wrenchwench

The gun?

Technically, the gun got fired before that guy got shot in the face.

There people go again, blaming the innocent poor gun.

//

417 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:20:03am

re: #407 jaunte

House Republicans Just Quietly Passed A Bill Gutting Hazardous Waste Legislation

Of course they did. Ask West Virginia how well that’s working out,.

418 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:20:06am

Wow, more than a third of the US population? Holy shit. That figure has to include every country in which Target operates.

Target Breach Affected Up to 110 Million Customers

nytimes.com

419 FemNaziBitch  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:21:14am
420 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:21:49am

re: #407 jaunte

House Republicans Just Quietly Passed A Bill Gutting Hazardous Waste Legislation

They must be thinking about Freedom Industries.

Well, at least McDonald’s closed all their facilities down in that area, so as not to poison the food even more.

421 darthstar  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:22:05am
422 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:22:07am
423 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:24:13am

re: #415 SteveMcGazi

“just about the funniest ideas to come out of Washington since old Wilbur Mills wound up backstage at the Pilgrim Theater down in Boston’s Combat Zone.”

If he wants to make a historical or literary reference, he probably should avoid something so esoteric. I’m fairly well read, and I have no idea what he’s talking about.

You’re just not old enough. But for the whippersnappers we have Wikipedia.

424 Lidane  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:24:33am

re: #418 Justanotherhuman

Wow, more than a third of the US population? Holy shit. That figure has to include every country in which Target operates.

Target Breach Affected Up to 110 Million Customers

nytimes.com

Up next: Target’s CEO offers a 20% discount to make up for the larger security breach,

425 sagehen  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:24:52am

re: #402 SteveMcGazi

Is she speculating that Christie withdrew the judge’s nomination? Was she speculating about the date and time of the email? Was she speculating about Christie getting rid of the judge early in his first term? I don’t see any speculation on her part.

post hoc, ergo propter hoc.

She’s given a true and accurate timeline, but it’s pure speculation that what happened second was specifically in reaction to what happened first. Plausible, but far from proven.

426 Justanotherhuman  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:25:34am

re: #415 SteveMcGazi

“just about the funniest ideas to come out of Washington since old Wilbur Mills wound up backstage at the Pilgrim Theater down in Boston’s Combat Zone.”

If he wants to make a historical or literary reference, he probably should avoid something so esoteric. I’m fairly well read, and I have no idea what he’s talking about.

Let’s just say Wilbur Mills loved exotic dancers named Fanne Foxe.

Image: WIlburMills2.jpg

427 Eclectic Cyborg  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:25:45am
428 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:27:59am

re: #427 Eclectic Cyborg

What is this f0ckery?

429 Ian G.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:28:51am

So I finally decided to hide the wingnut loon in my Facebook feed after last night, rather than defriending him outright. His contribution last night was 3 more GUNZ GUNZ GUNZ posts, a photoshop thing comparing Obama unfavorably with the Emperor from “Star Wars” (yes, both were senators, but uh, there’s a difference between winning two free and fair elections and seizing power in a crisis), and a BENGHAZI!!!!1 thing where he’s OUTRAGED that Hillary Clinton got away with murdering 4 Americans, but Christie will fall for causing a traffic jam. That was the end.

I have other conservative friends in my Facebook feed, but the difference is this:

1, They don’t post Alex Jones lunacy, and nothing but Alex Jones lunacy. One would rather talk University of Miami football. Another is a comic book geek and beer snob. A third is into Civil War re-enactments and American history. Fine. I like seeing that stuff in my feed.

2, Political stuff they post is more or less reasonable. Thinking that ACA will make healthcare less effective in this country is reasonable. Thinking it’s the first step towards FEMA death camps is not.

430 piratedan  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:29:06am

re: #425 sagehen

post hoc, ergo propter hoc.

She’s given a true and accurate timeline, but it’s pure speculation that what happened second was specifically in reaction to what happened first. Plausible, but far from proven.

aye she’s looking for motive, and until there’s some smoking gun e-mail, it’s all conjecture, plausible but not proven. Made more believable when you take into account past actions and statements from the Governor himself regarding the players and his causes. Since the entire affair is one of idiocy (yeah, let’s punish her district to prove how ineffective she is against this newly constructed death star etc etc etc) and we know that CC is more than willing to be petty it adds to that plausibility. Be nice if the other e-mails provide more substance but just like Rep. Issa, we’re just asking questions and it would be irresponsible not to speculate….

432 SteveMcGazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:30:10am

re: #423 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

You’re just not old enough. But for the whippersnappers we have Wikipedia.

You shouldn’t force your readers to stop what they’re doing and look up something that you screwed up. I can Google too, but I get annoyed by writers that are too lazy to either pick a different reference or add a few sentences to say why the reader should click on a link. Personally, I tend to avoid Wikipedia.

433 Charles Johnson  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:32:39am
434 makeitstop  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:33:00am

re: #412 Kragar

Should be happening any day now.

Yup, right around the corner to the impeachment.

Soon.

Very soon.

This imminent Obama scandal could mean the end of his presidency!

I’ve been seeing that for nigh on to two years now.

435 Ian G.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:33:52am

re: #433 Charles Johnson

Don’t forget BENGHAZI!!!!11111

(I wish I were kidding)

436 piratedan  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:33:56am

re: #433 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

well when all you got are turds, one tends to polish them often……

437 sagehen  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:34:19am

I hadn’t realized until TPM pointed it out, but…

Apparently crossing state lines is a specific Constitutional Right, extra-protected by multiple Civil Rights laws dating back to Reconstruction. Conspiring to prevent people from crossing state lines is a super-duper federal crime to the umpteenth degree.

This wasn’t just any old traffic jam — this was people in New Jersey not being able to get to New York.

438 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:34:53am

re: #429 Ian G.

I have created several lists on FB, two of which are my main ones, people from work and church, respectively. I have “favorited” the church list (comprised of a bunch of hippy Episcopalian libruls such as myself), so when I go on FB, I end up there. That way I don’t see the rest of my timeline unless I go out of my way to.

Sure, it’s a kind of epistomologicallythingy closure, but the kind of stuff that gets posted on FB is generally not of the intelligent sort with which it makes any sense to engage.

439 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:35:41am

re: #436 piratedan

well when all you got are turds, one tends to polish them often……

Ever tried to Bedazzle a turd?

There’s a reason to stick to polishing.

440 makeitstop  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:35:53am

re: #415 SteveMcGazi

“just about the funniest ideas to come out of Washington since old Wilbur Mills wound up backstage at the Pilgrim Theater down in Boston’s Combat Zone.”

If he wants to make a historical or literary reference, he probably should avoid something so esoteric. I’m fairly well read, and I have no idea what he’s talking about.

I seriously thought it was a Dennis Miller ‘joke.’ He always goes for the shit nobody gets.

441 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:36:04am

re: #432 SteveMcGazi

You shouldn’t force your readers to stop what they’re doing and look up something that you screwed up. I can Google too, but I get annoyed by writers that are too lazy to either pick a different reference or add a few sentences to say why the reader should click on a link. Personally, I tend to avoid Wikipedia.

So making a reference that you personally don’t get and can’t be bothered to look up is “screwing up.”

Your concern is noted.

442 Charles Johnson  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:36:23am
443 Ian G.  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:36:50am

re: #434 makeitstop

This imminent Obama scandal could mean the end of his presidency!

I’ve been seeing that for nigh on to two years now.

BUY GOLD!!!

bloomberg.com

Note points 9 and 10. The reason I gloat about this is that it’s the one wingnut conspiracy in which reality fucks with them. All the Benghazi and IRS and birth certificate shit doesn’t have negative consequences that come with believing them (unless your friends and family distance themselves from you). Putting all your money in GOLD! because the Kenyan Marxist was going to inflict ZIMBABWEIMAR!!!! on us in a deliberate act to destroy the economy? Yeah, you know what they say about a fool and his money.

444 Bulworth  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:37:36am

re: #437 sagehen

This is over nothing to see here not like real scandals where HRC had our heroes killed in BEnghazi!!! this is over get over it move on stop beating this into the ground!!1!1

445 dog philosopher  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:38:31am

dept of This Can Only Be Good For Republicans

As long as nothing else comes out to indicate that Chris Christie had any prior information about the lane-closings in Fort Lee or that other petty attacks by his aides on political opponents, his amazing press conference may very well have not only cauterized the political wound. He may well benefit from people’s perceptions that he is willing to meet the press and answer questions until they run out of them.

446 aagcobb  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:43:19am

re: #395 Bulworth

So some babies automatically come out Muslim? You mean they’re born that way?

Yes, you don’t have a choice in the matter. Wingnuts have informed me that, regardless of what the President actually believes, he is a muslim by birth.

447 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:44:30am

re: #442 Charles Johnson

More than that:

[O]n Dec. 17, he posted [unredacted] excerpts from them online in a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in which he raised concerns with the website’s security.

In the course of being “concerned” about security, he created a bigger security issue.

And I frankly can’t look at this act as just being stupid. It’s malice.

448 Joanne  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:44:41am

re: #431 FemNaziBitch

15 Chris Christie Controversies You Missed
The GWB scandal wasn’t the governor’s first dip in hot water.

Uhm…wow.

9. Shoddy oversight of halfway houses where prisoners escaped, murdered

Crowded prisons strain state budgets, so some states, like New Jersey, try to cut costs by handing over inmates to privately run halfway houses. A great idea! … Unless prisoners begin to escape in droves, which they did. More than 1,000 prisoners escaped in Christie’s first 29 months in office. One of those escapees murdered a young woman. Also, the company that received the bulk of the halfway house money? Its senior vice president is Christie’s close friend and political adviser, William Palatucci.

449 geoffm33  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:49:57am

For Hockey fans, and fans of karma in general:

Youtube Video

450 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:52:21am

re: #402 SteveMcGazi

Is she speculating that Christie withdrew the judge’s nomination? Was she speculating about the date and time of the email? Was she speculating about Christie getting rid of the judge early in his first term? I don’t see any speculation on her part.

But you just may be missing Kilgore’s speculating that she isn’t a real journalist.

You have to keep the speculating straight. Facts, not so much if you dismiss the delivery method before reading.

451 lawhawk  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:56:19am

re: #394 Kragar

Case in point:

[Embedded content]


Its almost like none of those Obama scandals were real.

Christie did indeed fire Kelly, but let Baroni and Wildstein resign/retire.

That’s compared with what at the IRS? A non-scandal about how the IRS was trying to administer the law enacted by Congress that prohibits certain entities from having nonprofit status and which repeatedly found entities trying to get that status despite not being eligible on their applications? Yeah, some scandal.

452 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 11:56:45am

re: #403 Iwouldprefernotto

I’m a Giants fan. My heart was broken the first game of the season.

Although I do remember a Super Bowl or two.

Hi. My name is ObserverArt. I am a browns fan.

My heart was broken in 1996.

I have to go all the way back to 1989 for a sniff at championships…back to 1964 for a real championship.

I do not feel sorry for you even a little bit.

And no one else either. Unless you too are a Browns fan.

//// : )

453 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:00:16pm

re: #411 piratedan

all alcoholics started drinking water…. is H2O a gateway beverage, we report, you decide…..

The true gateway drug is the day a young child gets their first buzz by spinning around, making themselves dizzy and liking the alternate reality.

I dunno…it may be some thing about humans.

Or, dolphins…cats…and probably most animals and mammals.

454 ObserverArt  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:06:30pm

re: #425 sagehen

post hoc, ergo propter hoc.

She’s given a true and accurate timeline, but it’s pure speculation that what happened second was specifically in reaction to what happened first. Plausible, but far from proven.

Is it media’s responsibility to prove it or to report the facts of an big story as they know them up to a time? Leave it for people to think about it, put pressure on those that are responsible for proving and continue to prod and poke around until the truth and proof does come out.

455 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:16:29pm

re: #437 sagehen

I hadn’t realized until TPM pointed it out, but…

Apparently crossing state lines is a specific Constitutional Right, extra-protected by multiple Civil Rights laws dating back to Reconstruction. Conspiring to prevent people from crossing state lines is a super-duper federal crime to the umpteenth degree.

This wasn’t just any old traffic jam — this was people in New Jersey not being able to get to New York out of New Jersey.

FTFY. ;)

456 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Jan 10, 2014 12:21:35pm

re: #435 Ian G.

Don’t forget BENGHAZI!!!!11111

(I wish I were kidding)

I’ll remember Beirut longer.


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