1
Myron Falwell  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:01:04pm

From the other thread:
re: #104 jaunte

What sort of insane level of greed are we expected to normalize?

Remember “The Oblongs?” Pretty much that.

2
Joe Bacon  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:02:00pm

Keith understates. It’s not a Trump centipede. It’s a Trump millipede!

3
freetoken  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:10:39pm

Let us propose the Bannon Brains Paradox:

In a universe as large as ours, where random fluctuations can form intelligent self-aware entities, in parallel there exists an even more rapidly increasing non-intelligence that intend to move from complexity to simplicity (i.e., to a lower entropy state.)

4
teleskiguy  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:18:15pm
5
freetoken  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:34:07pm
6
Anymouse  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:43:38pm

The shortcut YouTube link here (youtu.be) doesn’t work on LGF for me - I had to go over to YouTube itself to watch the video.

7
Anymouse  Mar 14, 2017 • 10:55:22pm

thehill.com

Monica Crowley — who bowed out of a Trump administration post after a plagiarism scandal — is now working as a foreign agent for Ukrainian oligarch Victor Pinchuk.

New forms filed with the Justice Department this month show Crowley is teaming up with Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, who has been registered to work for Pinchuk, a former member of Ukrainian parliament, since 2011.

Crowley “will be providing outreach services on behalf of Mr. Victor Pinchuk,” according to disclosure documents signed on March 10.

“Outreach services will include inviting government officials and other policy makers to attend conferences and meetings, such as the annual Munich Security Conference, to engage in learning and dialogue regarding issues of concern to Mr. Pinchuk,” the forms say.

Crowley was previously set to be spokesperson for the National Security Council, but backed out in January after reports revealed multiple instances of plagiarism in her Ph.D. dissertation, her new book and newspaper columns.

(more at The Hill)

8
teleskiguy  Mar 14, 2017 • 11:03:17pm

Don Jr. also thinks Rachel Maddow should get a Pulitzer.

9
teleskiguy  Mar 14, 2017 • 11:07:02pm

re: #8 teleskiguy

10
teleskiguy  Mar 14, 2017 • 11:34:34pm
11
Kragar  Mar 14, 2017 • 11:43:02pm
12
Shiplord Kirel  Mar 14, 2017 • 11:54:46pm

Hillary Police? An evil prophecy thwarted!

This is from Modern Mechanix, November 1958

13
Moebym  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:22:53am

re: #9 teleskiguy

Or November 9th.

14
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:28:54am
15
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:41:12am

re: #11 Kragar

President Trump’s First 50 Days Approval Survey

Is my memory deceiving me or was there not a time when it was traditional for the press and other politicians to wait 100 days before assessing a President’s performance in office?

16
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:45:56am

re: #15 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Is my memory deceiving me or was there not a time when it was traditional for the press and other politicians to wait 100 days before assessing a President’s performance in office?

I suspect Trump & Co. are hoping for a bigly positive survey result to assuage Trump’s ego.

17
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 1:16:52am

re: #16 wheat-dogg

I suspect Trump & Co. are hoping for a bigly positive survey result to assuage Trump’s ego.

And I believe they also started trashing Obama from day 1 as well, blaming him for the economic collapse of 2008 (and 9/11).

18
teleskiguy  Mar 15, 2017 • 1:21:36am

re: #17 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

And I believe they also started trashing Obama from day 1 as well, blaming him for the economic collapse of 2008 (and 9/11).

…and the Vietnam War, and the JFK assassination, and the Rwanda genocide, and the late 70s oil crisis, and the Challenger disaster.

19
goddamnedfrank  Mar 15, 2017 • 1:35:35am
20
Anymouse  Mar 15, 2017 • 1:42:08am

re: #19 goddamnedfrank

You don’t see tombstones in the press much any more, but that’s a pretty good one.

21
Anymouse  Mar 15, 2017 • 2:13:28am

Wait, what? Conservative Website Newsmax calls for single payer health care.
wonkette.com

Christopher Ruddy (pal of Donald Trump) argues that since insurance markets are really regulated by states, they are not in fact a “free market.” As such, he argues for Medicaid for all until such a time that a truly free market can solve the problem of providing health insurance for everyone.

Wonkette links to the article at Newsmax. The Newsmax article hits all the wingnut talking points about why Obamacare is a failure, but argues that both Obama and Trump argued that health care should be available for every American.

Thus, until such a time that the free market can resolve this problem, the government should step in and provide Medicaid for everyone.

Newsmax even argues that voucher programmes as proposed by Paul Ryan are a dead letter (hence President Obama’s reëlection).

Wonkette pokes some fun at Mr. Ruddy (a Trump supporter) for proposing single-payer health care (regardless of whether it is Medicaid or Medicare that provides it), but the Newsmax article linked there actually makes the pitch that single-payer is the best method currently available. (Presumably in some nebulous future the free market will come in and provide that healthcare for all, but the article admits that is not possible today.)

From the Newsmax article:

According to the AARP, Ryan Plan II also cuts Medicare, a program Trump voters clearly want protected.

The CBO is estimating 14 million Americans will lose coverage compared to Obamacare.

This number may be inflated, but limiting Medicaid coverage for the poorest will most certainly leave millions without coverage.

The most significant problem is that Ryan Plan II doesn’t fulfill Trump’s own vision of universal healthcare while removing the onerous requirements of Obamacare.

Clearly, Trump has been acting in good faith, but he shouldn’t trust House Republicans.

The president should be sticking to his guns on healthcare reform. He did so in the campaign, helping him win Democratic states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

(more at Newsmax via Wonkette)

Okay, presuming this guy isn’t trolling his own readers, I think I’ve seen everything. On the other hand, conservatives will try everything else first before saying “okay, maybe we should try the government.” Perhaps Newsmax is of the opinion here that right now the government is the best we’re going to get.

(I didn’t read the comments at the Newsmax article because I didn’t want my computer monitor to burst into flame. Similarly, I did not link Newsmax to LGF, but their article is linked at the Wonkette piece if you want to read Newsmax’s pitch for Medicaid for all.)

22
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 2:26:04am
23
Alyosha  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:07:56am

I know that the 2005 tax returns were a bit underwhelming…
But imagine if 2006’s are released on Friday. And 2007’s next Tuesday.
Just to make the fucker sweat.
A guy can dream.

24
Anymouse  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:19:07am

re: #23 Alyosha

I know that the 2005 tax returns were a bit underwhelming…
But imagine if 2006’s are released on Friday. And 2007’s next Tuesday.
Just to make the fucker sweat.
A guy can dream.

Well, Rachel Maddow is known for building a case for her position on her show over a number of days (her assumption is that a viewer knows nothing initially about the subject, so the viewer needs to be brought up to speed. It can be tedious for those who already know about the subject, but invaluable for people new to a subject.)

As for the fellow she got the information from, David Cay Johnston? He says that people are calling his house and threatening him, his children, &c.

The White House is claiming that the release is illegal. Apparently they are unfamiliar with the “transom window” idea of a journalism outlet: The outlet is not responsible for someone stuffing a brown envelope through a press outlet’s transom window. It is why the New York Times was not convicted for publishing the Pentagon Papers. (The person releasing the info might have committed a crime, but Dr. Maddow did not.)

Voice of America has an article on the White House claiming the report by Dr. Maddow was illegal:
voanews.com

The White House has issued a statement saying President Donald Trump had more than $150 million in income in 2005, on which he paid $38 million in income taxes, and blasted a television report disclosing his official tax returns as an illegal act.

The statement late Tuesday was issued before a report broadcast by MSNBC-TV. Network host Rachel Maddow revealed what she said were two pages of Trump’s 2005 tax forms, and credited David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and tax analyst, as the source of the information.

Johnston told Maddow he found the two pages in his mailbox. He said he did not know who sent them, or why.

Maddow said she sent copies of the forms to the White House for comment. The administration issued its public statement before her program went on the air Tuesday night.

(more at VOA)

25
Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:22:52am

re: #24 Anymouse

Johnston told Maddow he found the two pages in his mailbox. He said he did not know who sent them, or why.

Maddow said she sent copies of the forms to the White House for comment. The administration issued its public statement before her program went on the air Tuesday night.

Okay…I got to ask: You get two sheets of a tax return, completely anonymously, and you’re prepared to run that information without any ability to verify the source or information? Would she have run the story if the White House hadn’t verified that they were real?

26
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:30:24am

re: #25 Timothy Watson

Okay…I got to ask: You get two sheets of a tax return, completely anonymously, and you’re prepared to run that information without any ability to verify the source or information? Would she have run the story if the White House hadn’t verified that they were real?

DCJ did not say whether something accompanied the forms, but I assume he being an expert in such matters could tell whether they were legit or not. Also, SOP for journalists is to call the party of interest for a comment before the story runs, so Maddow (or her staff) would have called Trump for a comment/verification. Plus, there would be a signature at the bottom of page 2 by Trump and his accountant. The accountant was probably also called ahead of time.

If Trump and the accountant had refused comment, but DCJ and other experts judged the forms were legit, then MSNBC’s editors and lawyers would have given a go ahead.

There may have been other information included with the forms, such as the source’s identity or qualifications, that neither Maddow nor DCJ revealed.

27
Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:42:48am

re: #26 wheat-dogg

I didn’t watch the show, but from the media reports neither Johnson nor Maddow knew who sent the information, it was a completely blind source.

And putting Trump’s signature on a form isn’t that difficult and the accountant would probably flatly refuse to comment absent Trump’s permission (not to mention Trump’s habit of NDAs).

28
Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:48:21am

re: #27 Timothy Watson

And I’m not trying to be contrary about the story, but I would prefer that the media not having a complete sourcing fuckup when it comes to Trump a la 60 Minutes and the Killian documents.

29
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 3:55:37am

If I were out to defuse a potentially volatile leak, I would take a leaf from the Bush/Rove playbook in 1984 and release some documents that initially appear to be authentic and revealing but later turn out to be forgeries, thus derailing the entire discussion.

30
Joe Bacon  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:13:52am

re: #29 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

If I were out to defuse a potentially volatile leak, I would take a leaf from the Bush/Rove playbook in 1984 and release some documents that initially appear to be authentic and revealing but later turn out to be forgeries, thus derailing the entire discussion.

Oh, I believe it’s 2004, but it is straight outta 1984…

Meanwhile, 19th Century Fox cheers when they tell us President Pee Pee increased the chocolate ration from 10 to 5 grams…

31
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:30:26am

THE RAGETWEETS CONTINUE

32
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:31:46am
33
Joe Bacon  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:33:41am
34
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:34:41am

re: #31 The Vicious Babushka

You’ll be happy to know Il Trumpino will be bringing back car making to Detroit. “Already happening”

Bonehead

35
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:36:32am

re: #34 wheat-dogg

You’ll be happy to know Il Trumpino will be bringing back car making to Detroit. “Already happening”

Bonehead

I hope he avoids Dearborn because, as Fox News says, it’s a “No Go” Zone.

36
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:37:48am

re: #35 The Vicious Babushka

I hope he avoids Dearborn because, as Fox News says, it’s a “No Go” Zone.

Does he own any real estate in Michigan he can visit and seal off from protesters?

37
Anymouse  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:38:00am

re: #25 Timothy Watson

Okay…I got to ask: You get two sheets of a tax return, completely anonymously, and you’re prepared to run that information without any ability to verify the source or information? Would she have run the story if the White House hadn’t verified that they were real?

Dr. Maddow said that MSNBC sent copies of the forms to the White House to verify that they were real or not. The White House did not respond.

There is some question as to whether Mr. Trump actually released them himself, as a diversion to the Dumpster fire that is going on in the White House. The 2005 tax forms are twelve years old and don’t really reveal much about what is going on since then.

That said, as I mentioned before, Dr. Maddow is very good at building the background of a story, so I am guessing this isn’t the last of it. She is also not known for putting BS on her programme (she does not follow the FOX model of journalism).

We’ll have to see what she comes up with on this issue: A few journalists have already suggested she should get a Pulitzer over her connecting the dots on the Russia allegations.

38
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:38:23am

re: #36 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Does he own any real estate in Michigan he can visit and seal off from protesters?

He can be a guest at the De Vos family compound.

39
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:41:03am

This will make you smile all day==>

40
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:42:19am

My general feeling, sort of nebulous for sure, is that Trump is successfully pushing through while the rest of us who want Trump to be held accountable for what he says and does are being led hither and yond.

Entropy is at play here.

(Along that line, I think my earlier tweet may have been too insider-physics.)

Anyway, substantially, on Facebook (which I’m using as my thermometer to measure the Trumpiness of the Trumpers and anti-Trumpiness of the rest of us) this tax return thing isn’t really that big of a push-back against Trump.

The Trumpers lover their man because he is “successful”. I fear all Maddow has done is reify this belief.

41
Joe Bacon  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:43:23am

re: #36 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Does he own any real estate in Michigan he can visit and seal off from protesters?

I actually had a relative send me a link to this asking why I live in the “Muslim No-Go Zone” of Hollywood.

benningtonvalepress.com
I asked him if he was dumb enough to believe that Disneyland is also on that “No Go List”.

You can guess the response…

42
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:43:30am

re: #40 freetoken

Anyway, substantially, on Facebook (which I’m using as my thermometer to measure the Trumpiness of the Trumpers and anti-Trumpiness of the rest of us) this tax return thing isn’t really that big of a push-back against Trump.

The Trumpers lover their man because he is “successful”. I fear all Maddow has done is reify this belief.

That is the spin: “This fellow paid more in taxes in one year than most of us earn in a lifetime. He is truly a Great Man!”

43
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:44:28am

re: #42 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

That is the spin: “This fellow paid more in taxes in one year than most of us earn in a lifetime. He is truly a Great Man!”

And it will probably work.

The reason “spin” is done at all is because such efforts work.

44
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:47:05am

re: #43 freetoken

And it will probably work.

The reason “spin” is done at all is because such efforts work.

Remember the spin when an earlier tax return leak showed he paid no taxes at all “He is truly brilliant for being able to use the tax laws. Only a fool pays more than he has to!”

45
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:53:45am

re: #44 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

I believe that trying to come up with an ever more hot-button “gotcha” moment is not really what we need to be doing in repairing our society and getting our communities to be better in the future.

Trump is already a demonstrated bigot … but his fans still love him. If you try to point out how immoral Trump is, his fans just go all DARVO on you.

I keep returning to the theme of creationism because it is such a good model for what is going on here. When the truth isn’t what a person wants, they will create a reality that suits them, and deny everything else.

This is so fundamental to humans. Examples can be drawn from all aspects of life.

46
Joe Bacon  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:54:05am

re: #44 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Remember the spin when a tax release leak showed he paid no taxes at all “He is trulz brilliant for being able to use the tax laws. Only a fool pays more than he has to!”

There were 62+ million dumb enough to fall for that con and there will probably be more than that when 2020 rolls around.

47
Dave In Austin  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:57:42am

I think this “leak” smells of Cheeto dust and KFC. Pure deflection. MSNBC took the bait and thei bullshit will overwhelm the questions put to the FBI.

48
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 4:59:36am

The Trumporrhoids have their talking points

49
Bubblehead II  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:02:27am

re: #47 Dave In Austin

I think this “leak” smells of Cheeto dust and KFC. Pure deflection. MSNBC took the bait and thei bullshit will overwhelm the questions put to the FBI.

50
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:05:36am

re: #46 Joe Bacon

There were 62+ million dumb enough to fall for that con and there will probably be more than that when 2020 rolls around.

We call them “Republicans.” The whole party is beyond corrupt and it’s entire voter base needs to undergo denazification.

51
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:07:50am

re: #49 Bubblehead II

It still makes zero sense. The only way it’s a distraction is if Bannon and Trump were to throw a life preserver at Ryan while TrumpCare continues to implode.

And there is no way Bannon is helping Ryan.

52
Bubblehead II  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:12:44am

re: #51 Myron Falwell

It still makes zero sense. The only way it’s a distraction is if Bannon and Trump were to throw a life preserver at Ryan while TrumpCare continues to implode.

And there is no way Bannon is helping Ryan.

Comey is supposed to either confirm or deny today any investigation into ties between tRump campaign and Russia.

Senator: Comey to say whether FBI probing Russia, Trump campaign by Wednesday

53
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:16:07am

Greets and saluts from the frozen tundra of the NYC metro area. We did get about a foot of snow/ice/sleet yesterday - which the NWS said was closer to the minimum my part of the area should expect to get. So, they weren’t wrong.

In fact, they weren’t wrong for much of the inland area N/W of New York city. They got walloped. But the forecast for NYC proper and Long Island overestimated the snowfall - mostly because the storm wobbled about 25-50 miles west. The models only have granularity for 18 miles, so of course the right wingers think the solution is to cut NOAA budget even more (when it costs a lot to improve models and get the data needed to make those models even more accurate).

Of course, the right wingers/Trump types/Matt Drudge think that the forecasters got it all wrong and their budgets slashed. That’s not how science is done, and it certainly doesn’t improve forecasts by taking away tools needed to do the job. Of course, these nitwits also confuse/conflate climate and weather, so as to claim global warming doesnt’ exist (all while using a snowstorm to prove it doesn’t exist).

That, of course, is BS, because anyone with basic knowledge of science knows that there’s more energy in a warm system than a cold one (basic physics). Warmer air also carries more moisture than a cold one. So, as the entire planet warms, there’s more energy being distributed and redistributed worldwide. You get more storms. More severe storms (or droughts), and wider swings.

So, while no one particular storm is proof of global warming, the fact that global temps keep breaking record highs for months and years on end - a trend that shows no sign of stopping, is evidence that global warming is occurring and continuing. Indeed, ocean temps are also rising as they soak up heat from the atmosphere - which also means that cyclonic storms are likely to be stronger because they generate their power from warm waters. Woo.

54
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:23:15am

The “Overton Window” gets some attention now and again, but as I’m waxing all statistical-mechanically this morning, I think we need to keep in mind the more general idea expressed in the English verb “to equilibrate.”

Applying such idea to society, the idea is that people influence each other, the result of which moves the dynamic, the connection of the two (i.e., “society”) towards some sort of ground between the two (whatever “between” means - that is left for later discussion.)

That happens, I propose, when I look at headline writers, as they try to get people to read their news outlets. Words, phrases, memes are all repeated but with slightly different meaning or intent, in a general direction towards a group of people now in ascendance.

Consider this RSS feed line from Reuters: Arctic ice loss driven by natural swings, not just mankind: study

Look at how it is constructed, what is being implied.

The way it is constructed, it is easy for the climate-change-denier to go “aha!”, as if climatologists are not already aware of non-anthropogenically caused fluctuations in the Earth-surface state.

To understand, at least to an extent to get an idea of how much one does not understand, some concept takes time, and often a lot of work.

Getting this around to Trump… and taxes… the reality is that most Americans have no training or skill in being able to decipher a complicated business tax return. Many people are down right math-phobic and a page of numbers send them into panic. Numbers like “138 million” or “20%” just confuses them.

This will make me sound like an urban elitist I’m sure (and it’s a label which probably fits me well), but some large section of American society just are not going to have the interests, or skills, or background to truly take on a propaganda machine like Trump.

Trump now is the new Barnum, an idea that has been used quite a bit lately and was the headline of a WaPo article not long ago: Why people keep comparing Donald Trump to P.T. Barnum, of circus fame

Against this the best strategy forward is one of real grit, a determined stance to influence society locally and at a distance.

In this regard, it’s not the tax returns that will carry weight, but the disaster of the health-care deconstruction that the GOP is now attempting.

Until Americans see with their own eyes the disaster that cutting Medicare, for example, will bring we’ll probably not make much progress against the Trump monster.

55
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:29:27am
56
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:31:18am

re: #54 freetoken

What those people need is a quick summary, something that Rachel Maddow just does not do very well. IOW the voters need bullet points, just like their Fearless Leader does, to grasp the import (if any) of the 2005 tax return.

Several people on Twitter have brought up the salient points:
- as a self-described billionaire, Trump did not make much income off his billions in 2005; this suggests he’s not as rich (or as clever) as he says;
- he was still writing off the $916 million he incurred in 1995;
- he really did not pay a comparable portion of his income wrt a person of more modest income, despite the AMT penalties;
- if the 2005 tax return is a snoozer, then why not release all his returns since then? What is he hiding? Why does he resist releasing them?

57
Dr. Matt  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:32:06am
58
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:32:10am

re: #55 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

GOP sure appreciates their base. Seriously that’s the messed up thing. A lot of the people who will be most negatively impacted by this are key members of the GOP base but years of right wing propaganda will prevent many from them noticing or caring that the GOP is screwing them.

59
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:33:48am

re: #57 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

It’s a progressive income system. If you want Trump’s military build up, you should have to expect to pay more taxes. Sigh conservatives and libertarians think money just grows on trees.

60
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:35:26am

I have to wonder at the double standard Trump’s supporters have. They probably have to pay a larger percentage of their own income to the IRS than he does, but it’s OK for rich people not to pay their fair share, because they’re rich.

I suppose the big numbers scare them. A side-by-side comparison using pie charts might be more helpful.

61
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:36:02am

Oy.

62
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:36:07am

re: #59 HappyWarrior

It’s a progressive income system. If you want Trump’s military build up, you should have to expect to pay more taxes. Sigh conservatives and libertarians think money just grows on poor people’s trees.

FTFY

63
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:37:46am

re: #60 wheat-dogg

I have to wonder at the double standard Trump’s supporters have. They probably have to pay a larger percentage of their own income to the IRS than he does, but it’s OK for rich people not to pay their fair share, because they’re rich.

I suppose the big numbers scare them. A side-by-side comparison using pie charts might be more helpful.

So much of the right wing base sees income as someone’s self worth. It wouldn’t surprise me if these same people who complain about their own taxes will go out of their way to praise Trump even if he paid a lower percentage on his taxes than they did.

64
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:39:04am

re: #61 The Vicious Babushka

Oy.

[Embedded content]

Infuriating.

65
Teukka  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:45:06am

re: #61 The Vicious Babushka

Oy.

[Embedded content]

Is it that this juncture us Lizardim should get verklempt? I know I am…

66
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:46:07am

There’s a bizarre double standard. The boss gives himself a raise more than you make in your lifetime and it’s “He earned it. Why do you hate success?” Union members collectivize not only for better pay but safer conditions and they’re greedy. Seems to me that wealth accumulation has become the ultimate self worth rather than things like doing what you love, raising a family, or simply enjoying life.

67
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:47:01am

re: #61 The Vicious Babushka

Oy.

On a worldwide scope, conservatism is the true mental disorder.

68
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:47:46am

THANK YOU MR. BWS!!!

69
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:50:59am
70
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:54:41am

re: #67 Myron Falwell

On a worldwide scope, conservatism is the true mental disorder.

I really don’t like calling ideologies mental disorders but there’s something deeply wrong with right wing ideology.

71
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:56:42am

No doubt you have read about Texas’s stupid new bathroom bill. Sigh. These people.

72
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:56:50am

re: #70 HappyWarrior

I really don’t like calling ideologies mental disorders but there’s something deeply wrong with right wing ideology.

RIGHT WING IDEOLOGY = RACISM

That is all you need to know.

73
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:57:54am

re: #52 Bubblehead II

Comey is supposed to either confirm or deny today any investigation into ties between tRump campaign and Russia.

Senator: Comey to say whether FBI probing Russia, Trump campaign by Wednesday

Comey has so politized his position, it wouldn’t matter what decision he makes on it. His decision — either way — only serves as an accelerant.

A true distraction from Bannon and Trump would aim to turn attention AWAY from anything absolutely negative against Trump with something that isn’t negative. And the failure to disclose his taxes is not just an unforced error, it drives attention BACK to said probable cause that they are aiming to distract from.

It just… doesn’t add up to me.

74
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:58:07am

re: #72 The Vicious Babushka

RIGHT WING IDEOLOGY = RACISM

That is all you need to know.

Racism. Classism, sexism, etc. it’s like that way out of choice.

75
Decatur Deb  Mar 15, 2017 • 5:59:06am

There will not be a silver bullet, because Trump is not the problem.
Trump voters and Democrat non-voters are the problem.

76
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:00:35am

re: #70 HappyWarrior

I really don’t like calling ideologies mental disorders but there’s something deeply wrong with right wing ideology.

I was only taking one of their worst catcalls and inverting it. (That said, I agree with you.)

77
Henny Penny  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:01:09am

Did Rachel Maddow have a Geraldo moment?

The longer Maddow went on, ever deeper into a conspiratorial thicket, the clearer it became that whatever tax returns Maddow had, they weren’t as juicy as the ones she was talking about. If she had anything that damning, she would have shared them from the start. TV is a ratings game, but an entire episode about highly damaging tax returns is just as likely to get you great ratings as milking the possibility that you have highly damaging tax returns, and less likely to get you compared to Geraldo. Maddow even went so far as to hold the tax returns back until after the first commercial break, as if we were watching an episode of The Bachelor and not a matter of national importance—because we weren’t, in fact, watching a matter of national importance, just a cable news show trying to set a ratings record.

78
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:02:50am
79
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:03:03am
80
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:05:56am

re: #75 Decatur Deb

There will not be a silver bullet, because Trump is not the problem.
Trump voters and Democrat non-voters are the problem.

Needs to be repeated.

I continue to be convinced that our deep social dynamics - the loss-of-God problem, for example - get almost no notice, because the shiney objects are easier to sell to get clicks/eyes.

81
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:06:47am

Today, Trump goes to Nashville to visit the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. He’ll put a wreath on his grave.

No doubt that Trump considers him a hero. After all, Jackson was an unrepentant racist and bigot. He was a slaveholder and his exploits included the Trail of Tears.

Trump doesn’t seem to mind or care at the optics of the visit.

It’s also clear that Trump wont go to the interpretive center to learn a damned thing about Jackson either.

I was there just last year. It’s quite an interesting place, and they do try to provide an objective account of Jackson’s racist beliefs and his policies that led up to the Trail of Tears (the path of which runs through Tennessee).

Rather, he’s using Jackson as a template for his own beliefs and policies that are divisive and undermine the rights of minorities across the nation.

82
Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:07:17am

re: #81 lawhawk

He put a picture of Jackson up in the Oval Office.

83
b.d.  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:09:13am

re: #81 lawhawk

re: #82 Timothy Watson

He put a picture of Jackson up in the Oval Office.

I will not be shocked if he demands that Jackson stay on the $20

84
Decatur Deb  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:10:10am

re: #81 lawhawk

Today, Trump goes to Nashville to visit the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. He’ll put a wreath on his grave.

No doubt that Trump considers him a hero. After all, Jackson was an unrepentant racist and bigot. He was a slaveholder and his exploits included the Trail of Tears.

Trump doesn’t seem to mind or care at the optics of the visit.

It’s also clear that Trump wont go to the interpretive center to learn a damned thing about Jackson either.

I was there just last year. It’s quite an interesting place, and they do try to provide an objective account of Jackson’s racist beliefs and his policies that led up to the Trail of Tears (the path of which runs through Tennessee).

Rather, he’s using Jackson as a template for his own beliefs and policies that are divisive and undermine the rights of minorities across the nation.

Trump is just like Jackson, except that no one in his lineage has ever fought or died for this country.

“He demonstrates every vice except those that require courage.”
—some Prime Minister

85
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:12:45am

re: #81 lawhawk

Today, Trump goes to Nashville to visit the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. He’ll put a wreath on his grave.

re: #82 Timothy Watson

He put a picture of Jackson up in the Oval Office.

re: #83 b.d.

I will not be shocked if he demands that Jackson stay on the $20

THIS. Wingnuts are FURIOUS that an uppity Black Woman will replace their hero.

86
darthstar  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:13:14am

Rachel Maddow totes destroyed Trump last night with that 1040 bombshell…

87
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:14:43am

re: #86 darthstar

Rachel Maddow totes destroyed Trump last night with that 1040 bombshell…

[Embedded content]

Where do those numbers come from?

88
darthstar  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:17:15am

re: #87 The Vicious Babushka

Where do those numbers come from?

The Internet.

89
darthstar  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:19:39am

re: #87 The Vicious Babushka

Where do those numbers come from?

150/38 ~4ish, so 25%. Remember how a day ago people believed he never paid taxes? Now he has proof that he paid MORE THAN Obama. Narrative seized.

90
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:23:17am

re: #89 darthstar

Agree.

But I suspect that the essence of television is simply at work here - a show needs to have audiences.

I don’t blame Maddow for doing this. Yet I don’t see how any of it really pushes forward the case(s) for all that needs to be done to counter Trump’s hateful ignorance and various destructive plans.

The Trumpers already have been convinced that the progressive income tax is from Satan.

91
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:24:26am

re: #87 The Vicious Babushka

Where do those numbers come from?

Fox “News” allegedly has a research department. (It’s got a verified Twitter account!)

92
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:26:41am

re: #91 Myron Falwell

They’re not very good at it.

93
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:27:32am

re: #81 lawhawk

One genocidal manic being honored by a wannabe genocidal manic. Sadly what else is new.

94
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:28:24am

re: #78 lawhawk

King has been a verifiable racist for years. He did not need the Duke cosign on this latest hate-spittle to prove it.

rightwingwatch.org

95
Skip Intro  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:32:53am

re: #43 freetoken

And it will probably work.

The reason “spin” is done at all is because such efforts work.

That’s the spin in my paper today, as I predicted last night.

“Golly gee Martha, look at how much money that poor Trump fella had stolen from him by the government. He really does deserve a tax cut.”

I also predicted Trump’s “outrage” at the “dishonest” press that began this morning. This was an obvious set up, and if Rachael Maddow had a dick she just stepped on it.

Why is this so hard for people to figure out? Trump may be a high functioning moron, but nobody plays the media and the public better than he does.

96
BlueSpotinAL  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:34:09am

re: #81 lawhawk

Today, Trump goes to Nashville to visit the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. He’ll put a wreath on his grave.

No doubt that Trump considers him a hero. After all, Jackson was an unrepentant racist and bigot. He was a slaveholder and his exploits included the Trail of Tears.

Trump doesn’t seem to mind or care at the optics of the visit.

It’s also clear that Trump wont go to the interpretive center to learn a damned thing about Jackson either.

I was there just last year. It’s quite an interesting place, and they do try to provide an objective account of Jackson’s racist beliefs and his policies that led up to the Trail of Tears (the path of which runs through Tennessee).

Rather, he’s using Jackson as a template for his own beliefs and policies that are divisive and undermine the rights of minorities across the nation.

I recommend a trip to the Hermitage to anybody who wants to learn the economic value of the labor stolen by slavery, by comparing the wealth of the family before and after the civil war.

97
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:34:11am

re: #94 JordanRules

King has been a verifiable racist for years. He did not need the Duke cosign on this latest hate-spittle to prove it.

rightwingwatch.org

He’s made a career out of it. Fucking racist scumbag.

98
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:34:16am

re: #95 Skip Intro

Why is this so hard for people to figure out? Trump may be a high functioning moron, but nobody plays the media and the public better than he does.

When it comes to manipulating public opinion and the media, he is a true evil genius.

99
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:34:32am

re: #95 Skip Intro

Trump isn’t a moron.

He’s just evil.

His marks are morons.

100
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:36:53am

He won’t say a word about Jackson’s terrible legacy when it comes to Native Americans. I do see Jackson as a complex figure but at the same time, his treatment of Native Americans is a big part and arguably defining part of his legacy that cannot be ignored when discussing him.

101
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:38:24am

Re: King though, I take his remarks very personally. I’m Anglo. My niece is Hispanic. My niece’s godfather, my brother’s best friend is African-American. King can go back to his lily white district and shove it with his Charles Manson race war fantasies.

102
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:38:48am

re: #98 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

When it comes to manipulating public opinion and the media, he is a true evil genius.

Kellyanne and Bannon are the true spinsters and manipulators, and we mustn’t lose sight of that.

103
Henny Penny  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:38:51am
104
Belafon  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:39:56am

The people who like Trump weren’t going to care if that tax return said he received $35M in tax breaks. But, for those people who were actually going to turn into Maddow to hear what she had to say, they learned about his Russia connections, and about his taxes. We should all be asking for his other returns.

Too many people here seem to be looking for a silver bullet.

105
jeffreyw  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:40:08am

Imgur
Good morning!

106
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:40:54am

re: #102 Myron Falwell

Yeah, he’s been a buffoon to me forever but I guess not to a lot of my fellow Americans.

107
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:42:09am

re: #102 Myron Falwell

Kellyanne and Bannon are the true spinsters and manipulators, and we mustn’t lose sight of that.

Yep.

108
Skip Intro  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:43:23am

re: #99 freetoken

Trump isn’t a moron.

He’s just evil.

His marks are morons.

I go by his written words, his pathetic attempts at spelling, and his firm grounding in a fact free universe.

109
Major Tom  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:44:19am

nevermind

110
Skip Intro  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:47:06am

re: #104 Belafon

I read the WaPo, SF Chronicle, and my local paper today. I didn’t see any mention of the Russians in any of them. Maddow may be smart but she’s a horrible presenter.

It’s TV dammit. You really have to KISS or lose 90% of your audience by the second commercial.

111
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:48:19am

The WaPo Style section is pushing the “new Glenn Beck” nonsense just a day after we saw him pushing the Nazis were environmentalists crap.

112
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:48:53am

re: #106 JordanRules

Yeah, he’s been a buffoon to me forever but I guess not to a lot of my fellow Americans.

Trump’s always had the Barnum aspect to him.

However, he needed Kellyanne and Bannon to instill a bare minimum of discipline into what legitimately was an imploding campaign in early August (esp. the dumbfounding attacks on Kazir Khan).

113
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:50:46am

re: #112 Myron Falwell

Trump’s always had the Barnum aspect to him.

However, he needed Kellyanne and Bannon to instill a bare minimum of discipline into what legitimately was an imploding campaign in early August (esp. the dumbfounding attacks on Kazir Khan).

Right Conway is pretty much a professional turd polisher. Sigh, I still cannot believe he got away with the attacks on the Khans. Fucking asshole should have been landslided for that alone.

114
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:52:09am

re: #113 HappyWarrior

Right Conway is pretty much a professional turd polisher. Sigh, I still cannot believe he got away with the attacks on the Khans. Fucking asshole should have been landslided for that alone.

He correctly gauged the degree of toxic xenophobic bigotry in our country and appealed to it.

115
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:52:40am

re: #113 HappyWarrior

GOP treats service members as disposable heroes, and far too many veterans have no problem with this treatment.

116
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:52:50am

re: #114 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

He correctly gauged the degree of toxic xenophobic bigotry in our country and appealed to it.

I know and it makes me sick to think about.

117
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:53:29am

re: #112 Myron Falwell

Yep, his Russian pals thought it might be over then.

118
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:53:29am

re: #115 lawhawk

GOP treats service members as disposable heroes, and far too many veterans have no problem with this treatment.

Yeah, sad to say but some of the worst Islamaphobes I’ve encountered are veterans themselves or close family members of.

119
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:54:28am

re: #117 JordanRules

Yep, his Russian pals thought it might be over then.

It should have been but Clinton hate ran strong left and right. I have to confess. I wasn’t a big Clinton fan for a long time but as I learned more about her and her accomplishments, I became an admirer of hers and infuriated at the false narrative presented by the far left of her.

120
Myron Falwell  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:55:43am

re: #110 Skip Intro

Rachel would have fit in with Edward R. Murrow, Fred Friendly and the CBS News team of the early 1950s.

And that’s the problem. Very few in our timeline would be willing to sit through See It Now and it’s systematic takedown of McCarthy without yelling, “GODDAM IT MURROW GET TO THE FUCKING POINT!!!!”

121
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 6:58:40am

We’re looking for something that will destroy Trump immediately that not even his closest allies will stick with him and that’s just not going to happen. Watergate did not immediately destroy Nixon.

122
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:00:10am

re: #110 Skip Intro

I read the WaPo, SF Chronicle, and my local paper today. I didn’t see any mention of the Russians in any of them. Maddow may be smart but she’s a horrible presenter.

It’s TV dammit. You really have to KISS or lose 90% of your audience by the second commercial.

Maddow has her own fan base who are accustomed to her roundabout way of getting to the point. She doesn’t need to change her delivery to suit the occasional visitors looking for Headlline News or a video version of USA Today.

Can she tighten up her scripts? Yes. Can she be more dramatic? Sure, but it’s not her style or personality. And sadly, this particular “scoop” was something of a nothingburger, just one tiny piece of the 100,000-piece 3-D jigsaw puzzle that is the Trump Administration. Its main importance is how it helps fit the other pieces together.

123
makeitstop  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:00:50am

Why in the world was Trump tweeting about Snoop Dogg this morning?

124
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:01:08am

re: #119 HappyWarrior

Sometimes I’m still baffled that he made it out of the primary.

125
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:01:38am

re: #123 makeitstop

Why in the world was Trump tweeting about Snoop Dogg this morning?

[Embedded content]

Dude you literally appeared with Ted Nugent who told Obama and Clinton to “suck his gun.”.

126
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:02:02am

re: #121 HappyWarrior

Nixon went from a landslide win in 1972 to being forced from office in under 2 years. There were months of investigative journalism, Congressional actions, and new developments.

Trump’s starting off with a far lower margin for error, and his scandals were already surfacing during the campaign - all the Russia contacts between him, his cabal of cronies, and people who would come to be part of his admin.

Despite all that, his support among the GOP voters has never been higher. Until that changes, don’t expect the GOP to do anything about him.

127
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:02:24am

re: #124 JordanRules

Sometimes I’m still baffled that he made it out of the primary.

I know, me too. That this guy was a presidential nominee astounds me. I mean it’s not like Kasich, Cruz, Rubio, and the others were anyone’s prize but they at least had governing experience and some idea how government works.

128
wheat-dogg  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:02:31am

re: #118 HappyWarrior

Yeah, sad to say but some of the worst Islamaphobes I’ve encountered are veterans themselves or close family members of.

Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan? I’ve not found that to be universally true. My stepson served in Iraq, and he grew to respect the Iraqis working alongside them. Not sure what he felt about the Iraqis he was guarding in the brig, though.

129
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:02:51am

re: #126 lawhawk

Nixon went from a landslide win in 1972 to being forced from office in under 2 years. There were months of investigative journalism, Congressional actions, and new developments.

Trump’s starting off with a far lower margin for error, and his scandals were already surfacing during the campaign - all the Russia contacts between him, his cabal of cronies, and people who would come to be part of his admin.

Despite all that, his support among the GOP voters has never been higher. Until that changes, don’t expect the GOP to do anything about him.

Exactly.

130
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:04:29am

re: #128 wheat-dogg

Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan? I’ve not found that to be universally true. My stepson served in Iraq, and he grew to respect the Iraqis working alongside them. Not sure what he felt about the Iraqis he was guarding in the brig, though.

Yeah most veterans I know are veterans of that war because of my age. Didn’t mean to imply that it was universal among all veterans of those conflicts either because I know plenty of people like your stepson too.

131
Decatur Deb  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:07:51am

re: #126 lawhawk

Nixon went from a landslide win in 1972 to being forced from office in under 2 years. There were months of investigative journalism, Congressional actions, and new developments.

Trump’s starting off with a far lower margin for error, and his scandals were already surfacing during the campaign - all the Russia contacts between him, his cabal of cronies, and people who would come to be part of his admin.

Despite all that, his support among the GOP voters has never been higher. Until that changes, don’t expect the GOP to do anything about him.

Trump will finish his first term. If we dick around like we did in 2015-2016, he’ll finish his second.

132
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:08:21am

Oh goodie, a history lesson from Heritage.

Let’s just ignore the racism, the bigotry, the slavery, and the Trail of Tears.

Gotcha.

133
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:08:28am

Trump is the GOP base’s point of no return. Maybe they had a chance of normalizing a little had Trump lost but with Trump’s win and the fact he beat someone so despised by them as a Clinton, who had so often been on the other side of political defeats as them, they’re going to emboldened. I shiver to think who will succeed Trump as the GOP standard bearer. The GOP has never resembled a Eurofascist party more than it does now. And they have plenty of fairly young people who are fine with that. That’s the thing. We had hoped that the GOP base would grow old but as a millenial, I have to say, while we probably do lean a little more left than the Gen Xers, Boomers, and other generations, our right wing is just as if not more nasty than the other ones. So much of the so called alt-right are fairly young.

134
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:10:41am

re: #132 lawhawk

Oh goodie, a history lesson from Heritage.

[Embedded content]

Let’s just ignore the racism, the bigotry, the slavery, and the Trail of Tears.

Gotcha.

I’m old to remember when Jackson being a slave owner who committed the Trail of Tears and a founding father of the Democratic Party would have been means for Heritage to equate him with all modern liberals. I will say one thing about Jackson, he never would have taken the CSA’s side had he been alive in 1861 but as I said, you can’t discuss Jackson without discussing his treatment of the Native Americans and given Justice Marshall’s opinion and Davy Crockett’s opposition, you can’t just call him a product of his era too.

135
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:15:07am

I actually have a nuanced perspective on Jackson. I appreciate that he was the first self-made President, appreciate his prowess as a General during the War of 1812 but I also see him as being responsible for a lot of the pre-Civil War division (Even though as I said, he was a staunch Union man, something as I said I do give him credit for) and also the treatment of Native Americans. You can’t ignore history. Just as it’d be unreasonable for liberals to dismiss FDR’s internment of the Japanese as “made up” as Heritage is probably no doubt doing with the Trail of Tears.

136
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:16:32am

re: #134 HappyWarrior

…you can’t discuss Jackson without discussing his treatment of the Native Americans and given Justice Marshall’s opinion and Davy Crockett’s opposition, you can’t just call him a product of his era too.

Yes, he was a product of his era: a bigoted era in which a large share of our population were treated as property to be owned and traded or as vermin to be eradicated…

137
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:19:44am

re: #136 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Yes, he was a product of his era: a bigoted era in which a large share of our population were treated as property to be owned and traded or as vermin to be eradicated…

No, I’m saying he was bad even for his era since the Chief Justice of the SCOTUS saw what he was doing was unlawful and wrong as did an eventual hero of the Alamo who was a Congressman from the same state as he was. It was a terrible era no doubt but he doesn’t get a pass for that from me. It’s funny. Heritage is all too happy to equate modern liberals with what their and our party was 150 years ago when it suits their twisted narrative.

138
GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:22:07am

Let’s see those other pages!

139
sagehen  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:26:55am

re: #84 Decatur Deb

Trump is just like Jackson, except that no one in his lineage has ever fought or died for this country. he didn’t love his wives or defend their reputations.

“He demonstrates every vice except those that require courage.”
—some Prime Minister

140
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:44:01am

A single year return (or just the form 1040 without the schedules needed to identify sources of income, losses, gains, and offsets) doesn’t tell all that much. But what we do learn is why Trump hates the AMT so.

That’s something that bears watching - and any plan to get rid of the AMT needs to be scrutinized carefully so that it doesn’t become yet another huge giveaway for the rich.

Paying 4% of his $150M in income is far less burdensome than someone who pays 10% or 20% or 25% at $100k (or $25k). As Trump’s original tax plan would have dropped the top tax rate to 25% from 39.6%, we know what Trump wants - massive tax breaks for the rich that burden shift to everyone else. The GOP plan is slightly different - 33% instead of 25%, but it still gives the biggest cuts to the richest people, while everyone else suffers from cuts to services as a result of trying to balance the budget on the backs of everyone but the richest Americans.

141
TedStriker  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:51:18am

re: #81 lawhawk

Today, Trump goes to Nashville to visit the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. He’ll put a wreath on his grave.

No doubt that Trump considers him a hero. After all, Jackson was an unrepentant racist and bigot. He was a slaveholder and his exploits included the Trail of Tears.

Trump doesn’t seem to mind or care at the optics of the visit.

It’s also clear that Trump wont go to the interpretive center to learn a damned thing about Jackson either.

I was there just last year. It’s quite an interesting place, and they do try to provide an objective account of Jackson’s racist beliefs and his policies that led up to the Trail of Tears (the path of which runs through Tennessee).

Rather, he’s using Jackson as a template for his own beliefs and policies that are divisive and undermine the rights of minorities across the nation.

Geez, don’t remind me he’s here in town today…

He even gets a bonus slight on the poor and minorities today; his Nuremberg Rally grand tour today is going to be at our Municipal Auditorium (which is quite a bit smaller than the Bridgestone Arena about a mile or so away, which is probably why he went for the Municipal, because he and President Bannon knew that he couldn’t fill the Bridgestone), which is attached/next door to the city’s main bus hub (Music City Central), Because of this, MTA and the city (under advice from the SS, I’m sure) are shutting Music City Central down completely while Hair Furor is there and moving all bus traffic to a temporary site, causing a complete clusterfuck for bus riders transferring between buses to different parts of town or those starting/ending their trips downtown today.

142
bratwurst  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:53:50am

Yes, moderate reasonable Lindsey Graham is ok with a chaotic situation in which many millions of people have no access to insurance at all in the name of political expediency.

143
Targetpractice  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:56:55am

re: #142 bratwurst

[Embedded content]

Yes, moderate reasonable Lindsey Graham is ok with a chaotic situation in which many millions of people have no access to insurance at all in the name of political expediency.

How many years now has the GOP run by this mantra? They were sure in 2012 that the election was going to be a “referendum” on the ACA and it would sweep them into the White House. Meanwhile, the ACA hasn’t collapsed yet, despite their best efforts.

144
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:57:13am

AG Sessions doesn’t seem to know or care that medical marijuana may provide benefits to patients in reducing pain and other symptoms for which they’re suffering (lost appetite from cancer treatments for instance).

The pain GOP seek to inflict on people runs deep. They simply don’t care.

Medical marijuana might help reduce pain and suffering, and with fewer side effects than some opioids (for which there’s a national crisis with opioid addiction causing ODs at a frightening rate).

145
TedStriker  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:57:49am

re: #142 bratwurst

[Embedded content]

Yes, moderate reasonable Lindsey Graham is ok with a chaotic situation in which many millions of people having no access to insurance at all in the name of political expediency.

I can just visualize Graham rubbing his hands and twirling his (imaginary) mustache in glee, like Snidley Whiplash.

Fuck him and fuck the GOP.

146
makeitstop  Mar 15, 2017 • 7:58:40am

Despite all the focus on the tax return this morning, it doesn’t change the fact that Republicare is in big trouble this morning. Here are headlines from Josh Marshall’s site:

Graham: House Health Care Bill is ‘Mortally Wounded’
More Than 12M Enroll In Obamacare Plans As GOP Debates Its Replacement
Cruz Throws Cold Water On GOP’s Three Part Obamacare Repeal Plan

And Marshall’s post explains why:

For those interested both in protecting people’s health insurance and bruising the GOP in the 2018 midterm elections, this is important. For the vast majority of players - elected officials - legislative politics is about avoiding exposure. Like in the wild, there’s safety in the pack, safety in the school. This is in part what Sen. Cotton of Arkansas was getting at as he’s been warning his former House colleagues not to vote on a politically perilous bill that’s going to die in the Senate anyway. (Cotton has his own self-interest at work here too. But we’ll get to that later.) We’re already seeing the first examples of fairly conservative Republicans distancing themselves from this bill.

Here’s the key. No one wants to be the last one holding on for an unpopular or dead bill. The more electeds pull their support, the more perilous the situation gets for those holding on.

There are any number of reasons why this is true. If the bill goes down, you want to say you were always against it. If an unpopular bill goes through and everybody in the party supported it, at least then you have all the party machinery and all the forces of partisanship making the case for the vote. If you supported the legislation but the party abandons it, you’re really on your own in your next reelection fight.

What this all amounts to is that the political pressure against repealing Obamacare is working. Senators see the consequences in their states and are either moving into opposition to Trump care or getting skittish. The more those people (and the same applies to those getting cold feet in the House) are confirmed in their opposition, the better. Just as important, the more move into that camp the more intense the pressure gets on those that remain. More pressure to cave and more bad electoral consequences down the road.

The bottom line is that Trump and the GOP are taking a beating on this bill. Breitbart is blaming Ryan, Ryan says they wrote the bill with Trump’s help. The Nutjob contingent wants an even more punitive plan, while the lesser nutjobs are looking for ways to make the bill less so. And nobody wants to take credit for it at this point. Nobody.

The tax return is a sideshow. Republicans are now running away from their own health care bill and falling into the blame game. And none of it looks promising for Trump - if he can’t get a bill through a Congress that he has total control of, there goes a huge chunk of his mystique as a master dealmaker.

Despite the bravado, these are perilous times for Man-Baby, and he fucking well knows it.

147
I cannot.  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:01:01am

re: #145 TedStriker

Hell, I wouldn’t it past these guys to have gone to a costume shop and bought glue-on mustaches JUST for that occasion…obviously John Bolton is exempt from that, because nobody could do ANYTHING with the hot mess he’s got going on his face.

148
A wild WITHAK appeared!  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:01:52am

re: #144 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

AG Sessions doesn’t seem to know or care that medical marijuana may provide benefits to patients in reducing pain and other symptoms for which they’re suffering (lost appetite from cancer treatments for instance).

The pain GOP seek to inflict on people runs deep. They simply don’t care.

Medical marijuana might help reduce pain and suffering, and with fewer side effects than some opioids (for which there’s a national crisis with opioid addiction causing ODs at a frightening rate).

Sessions’ objection to marijuana legalization (medical or otherwise) is probably rooted in racism, which arguably makes this even worse.

149
A wild WITHAK appeared!  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:02:27am
150
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:03:46am

re: #146 makeitstop

Trump doesn’t know or care about policy, or how consensus makes government work. That was never what he cared about. But GOPers who were elected to Congress do, and they’re the ones who will be on the chopping block.*

They face the same problems Democrats did after the ACA was enacted. Far too many Democrats ran away from the ACA instead of standing their ground and defending a law that was a huge improvement over the situation then in existence. It’s still better today than it was in 2009. The uninsured rate is down significantly. The cost for coverage (premiums) has risen, but slower than if the law had not been enacted. All the doom and gloom predictions about job losses by the GOP were lies and smears.

But the failure to defend the ACA meant that the Democrats lost seats in 2010, 2012, 2014, so that the GOP maintains control over the House and Senate.

The GOP now faces a situation where they want to repeal something that has made coverage possible for millions - and would create such a mess and disruption for the insurance industry, that they’re trying to delay the worst of the effects until after they’re out of office.

And they don’t want to be caught holding that bag.

* Those elected want to remain in office, so they adopt policies that help them get reelected. A few might also understand that policies may harm their constituents and act to protect them. A handful might actually get that government works only through compromise even if the TP/GOP has adopted scorched earth tactics.

151
Targetpractice  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:09:32am

re: #144 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

AG Sessions doesn’t seem to know or care that medical marijuana may provide benefits to patients in reducing pain and other symptoms for which they’re suffering (lost appetite from cancer treatments for instance).

The pain GOP seek to inflict on people runs deep. They simply don’t care.

Medical marijuana might help reduce pain and suffering, and with fewer side effects than some opioids (for which there’s a national crisis with opioid addiction causing ODs at a frightening rate).

We have to remember the GOP mantra: “A little suffering is good for the soul…well, your soul, not ours. Suckers.”

152
Dave In Austin  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:09:36am

Oh!!! this might be fun!

153
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:10:28am

re: #144 lawhawk

We should probably follow the big pharma money on this. It paves the way for their sadistic instincts.

154
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:10:34am

Canadians with Cystic Fibrosis live 10 years longer than Americans with Cystic Fibrosis. Why do you suppose that is?

155
electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:17:34am

Anyone nervous about the prospect of Geert Wilders winning today?

156
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:18:20am

re: #152 Dave In Austin

Trump loves having an aggressive lawyer - it’s how rich people bully other people. Threaten lawsuits at the drop of a hat. But the bark is worse than the bite. He threatened suing women who came forward to confirm Trump’s statements that he admitted he was a sex predator/engaged in sexual assaults.

He also uses lawsuits to wring more concessions out of vendors/contractors - and everyone in NYC real estate/construction knows this. It’s a stalling tactic and a negotiating tactic, but it is more properly classified as lawfare instead of negotiation.

In negotiation, the parties work towards an outcome the sides find acceptable. Trump uses the courts to exact vengeance and to avoid paying per contract terms.

157
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:19:04am

re: #155 electrotek

Anyone nervous about the prospect of Geert Wilders winning today?

He is going to do well thanks to Erdogan giving him a bump…

158
makeitstop  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:19:36am

re: #152 Dave In Austin

Oh!!! this might be fun!

Cohen wants to be Roy Cohn so badly. It’s funny how everyone just pushes him off like a misbehaving puppy.

159
electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:19:39am

re: #157 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

He is going to do well thanks to Erdogan giving him a bump…

And his dipshit supporters who think he’s some kind of fucking Messiah for the Muslim world.

160
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:20:18am

re: #155 electrotek

Yes and I’m mad that I will side-eye the results now if he does, thanks to Pootie.

161
electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:20:49am

What is it with Republicans and young boys?

162
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:21:29am

Believe it or not I have a update on the wayward snow ponies of Staten Island

It seems that damn near everyone on Staten Island has some connection with the Gambino mob family these days…

163
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:22:08am

re: #156 lawhawk

I loved when they threatened the NYT. Cause you just know they were like, bring it! Discovery party on deck!

164
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:23:14am

re: #161 electrotek

What is it with Republicans and young boys?

[Embedded content]

Don Jr. is underage? Well I guess he is mentally.

165
darthstar  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:23:19am

re: #123 makeitstop

Why in the world was Trump tweeting about Snoop Dogg this morning?

[Embedded content]

166
electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:24:50am

re: #164 The Vicious Babushka

Don Jr. is underage? Well I guess he is mentally.

And intellectually.

167
Dave In Austin  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:26:11am
168
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:26:58am

Always worth posting

169
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:28:12am

re: #144 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

AG Sessions doesn’t seem to know or care that medical marijuana may provide benefits to patients in reducing pain and other symptoms for which they’re suffering (lost appetite from cancer treatments for instance).

The pain GOP seek to inflict on people runs deep. They simply don’t care.

Medical marijuana might help reduce pain and suffering, and with fewer side effects than some opioids (for which there’s a national crisis with opioid addiction causing ODs at a frightening rate).

What the fuck would he know? He hasn’t researched it.

170
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:29:39am
171
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:29:48am

re: #169 HappyWarrior

What the fuck would he know? He hasn’t researched it.

He knows that marijuana makes otherwise promising white kids grow up to be hoodlums and therefore must be banned.

172
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:30:07am

re: #168 JordanRules

Always worth posting

[Embedded content]

No kidding.

173
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:30:48am

re: #170 The Vicious Babushka

“In terms of whether or not there was a warrant, that’s an easy question to be answered … If it’s not true, just tell me it’s not true.”

The spin: “Obama wiretapped Trump Towers without warrant.”

174
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:30:55am

re: #171 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

He knows that marijuana makes otherwise promising white kids grow up to be hoodlums and therefore must be banned.

He knwos he was okay with the KKK until he found out some of them smoked pot.

175
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:32:24am

re: #165 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Did Marco say a damn word when right wing sensation Nugent literally told Obama and Clinton to suck his gun? Or the many Obama effiges that were hung in the year he got elected to the Senate. Rubio can take his concern troll bullshit and shove it up his ass.

176
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:34:14am
177
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:35:51am
178
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:36:07am

re: #176 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

He’s golfing when he should be running the DEEP STAET!

179
Flying Squirrel Girl  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:36:33am

re: #123 makeitstop

May have already been mentioned, but I’m old enough to remember gun stores selling paper targets featuring pictures of Obama, Hillary and Bernie…

huffingtonpost.com

180
electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:37:39am

re: #179 Flying Squirrel Girl

May have already been mentioned, but I’m old enough to remember gun stores selling paper targets featuring pictures of Obama, Hillary and Bernie…

huffingtonpost.com

And now they are struggling to make ends meet as there’s no fear-mongering to exploit sales from.

Hope they all go bankrupt now that Pumpkin Pinochet is fucking shit up.

181
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:38:23am

re: #179 Flying Squirrel Girl

May have already been mentioned, but I’m old enough to remember gun stores selling paper targets featuring pictures of Obama, Hillary and Bernie…

huffingtonpost.com

It’s fucking common place. Rubio’s a fucking cowardly wanker. He should have done his state a favor and just quit. The guy is one of the most useless members of the Senate GOP and that’s saying something.

182
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:39:29am

re: #180 electrotek

And now they are struggling to make ends meet as there’s no fear-mongering to exploit sales from.

Hope they all go bankrupt now that Pumpkin Pinochet is fucking shit up.

They’ll make a comeback though as soon as it looks like the Dems may take Congress and or the WH. But yeah, I love seeing the firearms and gun stores struggle to sell fear since gun nuts are a bunch of hypocritical fuckstickles who only “worry” about their second amendment rights when Democrats are in power.

183
Dr Lizardo  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:39:56am

re: #171 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

He knows that marijuana makes otherwise promising white kids grow up to be hoodlums and therefore must be banned.

IT MIGHT MAKE WHITE KIDS LISTEN TO JAZZ!! AND THEN OUR FINE LADYFOLK WILL START SMOKING CIGARETTES AND WEARING FLAPPER DRESSES AND DANCING THE CHARLESTON!!

- Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, probably.

184
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:40:45am

re: #183 Dr Lizardo

IT MIGHT MAKE WHITE KIDS LISTEN TO JAZZ!! AND THEN OUR FINE LADYFOLK WILL START SMOKING CIGARETTES AND WEARING FLAPPER DRESSES AND DANCING THE CHARLESTON!!

- Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, probably.

Sessions probably finds the Waltz scandalous.

185
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:42:17am

re: #184 HappyWarrior

He’s probably find violins scandalous…

2CELLOS - Thunderstruck [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

186
Eclectic Cyborg  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:42:37am

re: #184 HappyWarrior

He does remind me a bit of the John Lithgow character from Footloose.

187
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:42:56am

re: #183 Dr Lizardo

IT MIGHT MAKE WHITE KIDS LISTEN TO JAZZ!! AND THEN OUR FINE LADYFOLK WILL START SMOKING CIGARETTES AND WEARING FLAPPER DRESSES AND DANCING THE CHARLESTON!!

- Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, probably.

Remember American Bandstand? A lot of the (all white) kids who danced on that show were gay.

188
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:44:08am

re: #178 HappyWarrior

He’s golfing when he should be running the DEEP STATE!

FTFY

189
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:45:58am
190
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:46:33am

re: #187 The Vicious Babushka

Remember American Bandstand? A lot of the (all white) kids who danced on that show were gay.

That’s another reason not to fetishisize “the good old days.” The way those kids especially in those macho neighborhoods had to worry about being seen as gay. I mean I get why people do it, your childhood years are easy to romanticize but as much as I did enjoy growing up in the 1990’s, I do appreciate that the kids of today are more progressive minded on a lot of issues.

191
Amory Blaine  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:47:22am

re: #54 freetoken

I noticed a chyron on one of the evening news last night (NBC?). It said “Biden pushes agenda at SXSW”. Not ” offers a vision” or “makes presentation”, ” pushes agenda”. Our “leftist” media in action.

192
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:47:56am

re: #186 Eclectic Cyborg

He does remind me a bit of the John Lithgow character from Footloose.

He just seems to have a permanent stick up his ass. I have an uncle a few years older than him who couldn’t be anymore different. My uncle is basically Joe Biden, if Joe Biden wasn’t a teetotaler.

193
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:48:33am

Zing!

194
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:49:22am

re: #191 Amory Blaine

I noticed a chyron on one of the evening news last night (NBC?). It said “Biden pushes agenda at SXSW”. Not ” offers a vision” or “makes presentation”, ” pushes agenda”. Our “leftist” media in action.

I miss Biden as much as Obama. I saw on Buzzfeed the other day that his favorite Obama-Biden meme was one where Biden thinks that Obama would love Michele for him. I just loved Biden’ and Obama ability to laugh at himself. Pence doesn’t have that and Trump sure as hell doesn’t. I mean these were powerful guys but it didn’t stop them from having a humanity to them.

195
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:49:42am

Some interesting updates here on the Michael Brown case. @nyet

theroot.com

196
Targetpractice  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:52:01am

re: #173 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The spin: “Obama wiretapped Trump Towers without warrant.”

You’re not thinking big enough. It won’t simply be spun as a warrantless wiretap, it’ll be spun as obstruction of justice and destruction of evidence in a criminal investigation. The Obama sent out the order after the election to destroy all evidence of his grand scheme against the Trump campaign and swore all members of the IC to a vow of silence on the matter lest they wind up dead. So we must immediately fire every single member of the IC who was in office during the Obama administration, then hire those who will swear loyalty to Trump and make it their mission to find evidence of Obama’s crimes.

197
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:52:14am

Three airmen were killed when their plane crashed while on a training mission in New Mexico. The U-28 that crashed is part of the Special Forces intel, surveillance, and recon assets.

198
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:52:48am

re: #195 JordanRules

Some interesting updates here on the Michael Brown case. @nyet

theroot.com

My heart aches all over again reading that. Wilson got away with it. It was a travesty that he wasn’t even indicated.

199
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:53:01am

re: #193 lawhawk

I consider that this may all be theatre. That in the end Comey will exonerate Trump. Then Trump can go on bleating how the deep state Democrats were just trying to smear him.

200
Skip Intro  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:54:29am

re: #170 The Vicious Babushka

And I don’t think that microwave ovens have cameras in them, yet Kellyanne keeps getting invited back to cable news as though she has any credibility while I’m ignored.

201
JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:54:59am

re: #198 HappyWarrior

Not even indicted! SMFH

202
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:55:04am

re: #190 HappyWarrior

That’s another reason not to fetishisize “the good old days.” The way those kids especially in those macho neighborhoods had to worry about being seen as gay. I mean I get why people do it, your childhood years are easy to romanticize but as much as I did enjoy growing up in the 1990’s, I do appreciate that the kids of today are more progressive minded on a lot of issues.

They did not allow people of color on that show. Then, when they couldn’t ignore the Civil Rights movement any more, they allowed some tokens but NO INTERRACIAL DANCE COUPLES. Blacks could only dance with other Blacks.

203
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:57:10am

re: #201 JordanRules

Not even indicted! SMFH

I know. McCulloch clearly saw himself as the proprietorial arm of the St. Louis County police rather than the People’s DA.

204
Dr Lizardo  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:57:28am

re: #202 The Vicious Babushka

They did not allow people of color on that show. Then, when they couldn’t ignore the Civil Rights movement any more, they allowed some tokens but NO INTERRACIAL DANCE COUPLES. Blacks could only dance with other Blacks.

I’m trying to recall, because it’s been over two decades since I saw it, but one of the plot points of Hairspray (the film) was something to do with interracial dance couples on a local TV program and how scandalous white folks in Baltimore found it.

205
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:58:09am

Coming soon to NO MOAR REGULASHUNZ!!!!1!! near you!

206
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:58:14am

re: #202 The Vicious Babushka

They did not allow people of color on that show. Then, when they couldn’t ignore the Civil Rights movement any more, they allowed some tokens but NO INTERRACIAL DANCE COUPLES. Blacks could only dance with other Blacks.

And people want people to just “get over” those days. Easy to say if you weren’t the one impacted,

207
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:59:32am

re: #204 Dr Lizardo

I’m trying to recall, because it’s been over two decades since I saw it, but one of the plot points of Hairspray (the film) was something to do with interracial dance couples on a local TV program and how scandalous white folks in Baltimore found it.

Yes. Hairspray was recently performed live on NBC last December.

208
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 8:59:34am

re: #204 Dr Lizardo

I’m trying to recall, because it’s been over two decades since I saw it, but one of the plot points of Hairspray (the film) was something to do with interracial dance couples on a local TV program and how scandalous white folks in Baltimore found it.

I never saw it but I think you’re right about that. I’m actually remembering my Dad telling me about one of his first jobs. He worked with African-Americans as a janitor. I wonder how common that was for a white guy from fairly well to do NOVA family.

209
Dr Lizardo  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:02:06am

re: #207 The Vicious Babushka

Yes. Hairspray was recently performed live on NBC last December.

I’ve never seen any other treatment but the original 1988 film. I laughed all the way through it, particularly at this cameo from Waters himself, playing some demented psychiatrist. LOLOL.

John Waters’ cameo role in “Hairspray”
210
Barefoot Grin  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:02:46am

re: #162 FormerDirtDart

Believe it or not I have a update on the wayward snow ponies of Staten Island

[Embedded content]

Have there been any cases of men waking up with tiny pony heads in their beds?

211
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:04:43am

re: #209 Dr Lizardo

I’ve never seen any other treatment but the original 1988 film. I laughed all the way through it, particularly at this cameo from Waters himself, playing some demented psychiatrist. LOLOL.

[Embedded content]

I must confess that I ve never seen any of Waters’ movies but being a frequent visitor to his hometown of Baltimore, I love his love for his hometown. And his guest appearance as John on the Simpsons was great. Very forward thinking for its time on its portrayal of gay people. Not to mention I laughed my ass off at the gay steel mill part having great uncles who worked in the mills.

212
Jay C  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:05:27am

re: #146 makeitstop

And none of it looks promising for Trump - if he can’t get a bill through a Congress that he has total control of, there goes a huge chunk of his mystique as a master dealmaker.

Well, even leaving aside the part about that Trump “mystique” (which has always been a smokescreen of bullshit fumes, but never mind for now), I’d take issue with that “total control of Congress” thesis. The political situation with the current Congress and the current Administration is, IMO, uniquely complicated: my feeling is that President Trump’s “control” over Congress is shaky at best, and mainly limited to the potential to tweet nasty crap at 3:00am at them. The GOP-controlled House and Senate need Trump to sign off on their retrograde agenda: which he will, of course do (he could veto stuff, but how likely is that?) His only real leverage are the possibilities of using his office to rile up the Deplorable fanbase to pressure (i.e. threaten) recalcitrant Reps/Senators to line up behind Dear Leader. However, if that doesn’t work, and GOP Congresscritters realize - or even just come to believe - that they don’t have to fear for their jobs by opposing Trump’s policy, then things are going to change* fairly quickly.

*not necessarily for the better

213
Targetpractice  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:05:28am

re: #195 JordanRules

Some interesting updates here on the Michael Brown case. @nyet

theroot.com

As noted in the story, these are the admissions of a man who knows he won’t ever have to face criminal justice. The item that stands out to me is his admission that he grabbed Brown and pulled him in through the window. That’s totally at odds with the “official” story, based upon his own testimony, that Brown reached into the car and tried to grab at his gun while punching him repeatedly in the head.

But, then again, I think most of us smelled something foul when his “official” report came out concurrently with his testimony to the grand jury. Where he no doubt appeared in uniform, so that he could gain sympathy points for being an officer rather than an accused murderer.

214
Dr Lizardo  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:07:47am

re: #211 HappyWarrior

I must confess that I ve never seen any of Waters’ movies but being a frequent visitor to his hometown of Baltimore, I love his love for his hometown. And his guest appearance as John on the Simpsons was great. Very forward thinking for its time on its portrayal of gay people. Not to mention I laughed my ass off at the gay steel mill part having great uncles who worked in the mills.

John Waters’ guest appearance on The Simpsons was way ahead of its time and that ranks as one of my all-time favorite episodes. Back then, I doubt many Americans at that point even knew who he is, unless they were really into cult films.

215
electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:09:08am
216
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:11:02am

re: #214 Dr Lizardo

John Waters’ guest appearance on The Simpsons was way ahead of its time and that ranks as one of my all-time favorite episodes. Back then, I doubt many Americans at that point even knew who he is, unless they were really into cult films.

I was 8 heh so of course I had no idea who he was. I do remember my Dad watching Pecker once when it was on though a few years later.

217
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:11:30am

re: #215 electrotek

[Embedded content]

Knowing your favorite band hates you. That’s gotta sting. He ain’t the first though.

218
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:12:52am

re: #213 Targetpractice

As noted in the story, these are the admissions of a man who knows he won’t ever have to face criminal justice. The item that stands out to me is his admission that he grabbed Brown and pulled him in through the window. That’s totally at odds with the “official” story, based upon his own testimony, that Brown reached into the car and tried to grab at his gun while punching him repeatedly in the head.

But, then again, I think most of us smelled something foul when his “official” report came out concurrently with his testimony to the grand jury. Where he no doubt appeared in uniform, so that he could gain sympathy points for being an officer rather than an accused murderer.

I still remember Wilson and Zimmerman’s apologists saying they could never walk safely again without fear of black people killing them. Hmm that.

219
makeitstop  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:17:39am

re: #212 Jay C

Well, even leaving aside the part about that Trump “mystique” (which has always been a smokescreen of bullshit fumes, but never mind for now), I’d take issue with that “total control of Congress” thesis. The political situation with the current Congress and the current Administration is, IMO, uniquely complicated: my feeling is that President Trump’s “control” over Congress is shaky at best, and mainly limited to the potential to tweet nasty crap at 3:00am at them. The GOP-controlled House and Senate need Trump to sign off on their retrograde agenda: which he will, of course do (he could veto stuff, but how likely is that?) His only real leverage are the possibilities of using his office to rile up the Deplorable fanbase to pressure (i.e. threaten) recalcitrant Reps/Senators to line up behind Dear Leader. However, if that doesn’t work, and GOP Congresscritters realize - or even just come to believe - that they don’t have to fear for their jobs by opposing Trump’s policy, then things are going to change* fairly quickly.

*not necessarily for the better

Points taken.

But much is made by Trump’s people and Ryan that we’re under a ‘unified Republican government’ now - and palace intrigue and factional infighting aside, the bottom line is that the GOP controls all branches of government, and it should follow that their legislative agenda should sail through with very little if any resistance.

Add to that the (mostly false, I know) perception of Trump as the consummate deal-maker, and even a small rebuke becomes a question of ‘Why couldn’t Trump get X done?’ And with a signature bill like health care, that Trump campaigned on repealing just about every day of his campaign, failing to get that done will make him look less god-like and more like just another politician.

220
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:18:17am
221
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:19:01am
222
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:19:25am

re: #220 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

Now that’s a birthday worth celebrating today. I read up on her career as a private attorney before she became a judge. And wow. I think she’s one of Bill Clinton’s best legacies.

223
Jay C  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:19:36am

re: #148 A wild WITHAK appeared!

Sessions’ objection to marijuana legalization (medical or otherwise) is probably rooted in racism, which arguably makes this even worse.

Also, remember that Jeff Sessions was born in 1946, so it’s likely that his opinions about marijuana were formed early on, in a era when Reefer Madness was still considered a quasi-documentary, and marijuana users were typed as dirty un-American longhair hippies (if white), otherwise the usual riffraff of blacks and Hispanics (” Negroes and wetbacks” back then…)

224
Barefoot Grin  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:20:57am

re: #223 Jay C

Also, remember that Jeff Sessions was born in 1946, so it’s likely that his opinions about marijuana were formed early on, in a era when Reefer Madness was still considered a quasi-documentary, and marijuana users were typed as dirty un-American longhair hippies (if white), otherwise the usual riffraff of blacks and Hispanics (” Negroes and wetbacks” back then…)

And how disappointed he was when he found out some of the Alabama KKK were pot-smokers.

225
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:20:58am

re: #223 Jay C

Also, remember that Jeff Sessions was born in 1946, so it’s likely that his opinions about marijuana were formed early on, in a era when Reefer Madness was still considered a quasi-documentary, and marijuana users were typed as dirty un-American longhair hippies (if white), otherwise the usual riffraff of blacks and Hispanics (” Negroes and wetbacks” back then…)

I imagine Sessions back then used much different language than ‘negros and wetbacks.’

226
HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:21:38am

re: #224 Barefoot Grin

And how disappointed he was when he found out some of the Alabama KKK were pot-smokers.

I’d be disappointed if my name was Jeff and I had to share that with him.

227
A wild WITHAK appeared!  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:23:44am

re: #223 Jay C

Shit, he’s the same age as Trump? No wonder they get on so well.

228
Stanley Sea  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:24:35am
229
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:29:53am
230
ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:30:44am

re: #40 freetoken

My general feeling, sort of nebulous for sure, is that Trump is successfully pushing through while the rest of us who want Trump to be held accountable for what he says and does are being led hither and yond.

Entropy is at play here.

(Along that line, I think my earlier tweet may have been too insider-physics.)

Anyway, substantially, on Facebook (which I’m using as my thermometer to measure the Trumpiness of the Trumpers and anti-Trumpiness of the rest of us) this tax return thing isn’t really that big of a push-back against Trump.

The Trumpers lover their man because he is “successful”. I fear all Maddow has done is reify this belief.

I’ve seen you say this amounts to nothing a couple times now. So, I have to ask this.

Are you not the one that has been making a point of how Trump got into the Presidency by saying something over and over and staying to those talking points until they become facts? I think you said it is about a simple statement or point and keep hammering it.

Why would you have an issue with what Maddow is doing?

She is making a point about his Russian connections, tied the tax form info into how a simple tax form doesn’t show what we need to know and that to get to the bottom of all this funny business we need an independent investigation, etc.

And she has been on this Russian connection thing now for weeks. And she keeps sticking to it and hammering.

Why would you not see that as beneficial and in line with what may be needed to begin to penetrate those thick heads of the Facebook crowd you are following as a measure?

I hope it is not because Democrats/Liberals/Progressives do not do that kind of stuff. That would get into the another classic political problem.

231
Targetpractice  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:30:55am

re: #229 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

The White House is against Ryan, the House is against the Senate, is anybody actually for this bill?

232
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:32:55am

re: #231 Targetpractice

The White House is against Ryan, the House is against the Senate, is anybody actually for this bill?

No, they are all just unanimously against ACA. You can tell that by the fact that the “replacement” they offered for it is more useless than a piece of used toilet paper.

233
freetoken  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:37:52am

re: #230 ObserverArt

Why would you have an issue with what Maddow is doing?

I don’t have an “issue” with what Maddow is doing, if by that you mean I’m against her effort.

I am saying that in the big picture of how Trump was elected, this 2005 tax return thing is not an effective push back against the wave that brought Trump to the forefront of American politics.

234
b.d.  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:37:56am

re: #231 Targetpractice

The White House is against Ryan, the House is against the Senate, is anybody actually for this bill?

Some unnamed bilionaires who are laying low and would get all of the tax cuts

235
b.d.  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:38:55am

re: #231 Targetpractice

The White House is against Ryan, the House is against the Senate, is anybody actually for this bill?

Cat food companies and funeral homes….

(that should be the dem. response imho)

236
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:41:16am

re: #229 FormerDirtDart

Yup. It’s a clear reminder that the GOP doesn’t care about their constituents who are most likely to be harmed by Obamacare repeal. They were the ones who’d have benefited most from the Medicaid expansion. They would have benefited most from state run exchanges.

That’s why GOP controlled states are the ones lagging in insurance coverage. The notable exception is Kentucky, which branded Obamacare Kynect, and they’ve seen some of the biggest reductions in uninsureds in the nation.

237
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:41:30am

re: #235 b.d.

Cat food companies and funeral homes….

(that should be the dem. response imho)

People who cannot afford health insurance cannot afford a funeral, either…

238
Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:43:56am

re: #237 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

People who cannot afford health insurance cannot afford a funeral, either…

Milk the life insurance and relatives.

239
The Ghost of Senator Incitatus  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:46:01am

re: #237 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Funeral homes love to “help” with payment plans.

240
wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:46:31am

In case you missed the mooses in the last thread…

“It sort of ended up resembling the running of the bulls in Pamplona,” Marsh said.

241
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:47:46am

re: #239 The Ghost of Senator Incitatus

Funeral homes love to “help” with payment plans.

What do they do in case of non-payment?

242
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:49:04am

re: #240 wrenchwench

A Møøse once bit my sister… No realli! She was Karving her initials on the møøse with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist and star of many Norwegian møvies: “The Høt Hands of an Oslo Dentist”, “Fillings of Passion”, “The Huge Mølars of Horst Nordfink”…

—-Monty Python and the Holy Grail

243
Barefoot Grin  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:50:59am

[DJT] “and as punishment for directing its hackers to break into Yahoo and other US companies and institutions, I hearby, herebye, er, hereby lift any and all sanctions….”[/DJT]

244
Dr. Matt  Mar 15, 2017 • 9:56:33am

245
Dr. Matt  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:00:57am
246
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:03:42am
247
Eventual Carrion  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:08:56am

re: #161 electrotek

What is it with Republicans and young boys?

[Embedded content]

And this guy will be in his birth gender bathroom with your little boy at the movie theater.

248
MsJ  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:11:59am

re: #11 Kragar

And trump’s survey (which I just completed) ends with an ask for a donation.

I really hate this guy.

249
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:14:08am
250
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:15:01am

re: #1 Myron Falwell

From the other thread:

Remember “The Oblongs?” Pretty much that.

Greed is good

/

251
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:16:37am

I really do not give a rat’s ass about how optimistic CEOs are.

252
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:16:53am

Has there been in history—a time when American’s choose to emmigrate?

I’ve been taught it is always the other way around.

253
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:17:04am

OH LOOK A IDIOT==>

254
EPR-radar  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:18:02am

re: #233 freetoken

I don’t have an “issue” with what Maddow is doing, if by that you mean I’m against her effort.

I am saying that in the big picture of how Trump was elected, this 2005 tax return thing is not an effective push back against the wave that brought Trump to the forefront of American politics.

I think everything needs to be tried vs. Trump and the Republicans. It’s not as if these 2005 taxes being a nothing-burger materially changes things in Trump’s favor — GOPDonTCare is still in trouble, and the talking points of both parties regarding the progressive income tax remain completely unchanged.

Realistically, the only thing that seems like it might be effective pushback is for various disasters to happen under Trump and the Republicans where the Democrats run vigorously on ‘these disasters are the Republicans’ fault, here’s how they did it, they did it to benefit the ultra-rich, we opposed it as much as possible, and here’s how we will do better.’

255
bratwurst  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:19:29am
256
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:19:33am

My Mom put $10K in a life insurance policy —literally a burial policy. Normally the funeral home will sell it and list themselves as the beneficiary. The IRS allows this tax-free investment. Our attorney listed me as the beneficiary.

They basically hold your money until the insured dies and then return it.

257
mmmirele  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:20:05am

re: #154 The Vicious Babushka

Canadians with Cystic Fibrosis live 10 years longer than Americans with Cystic Fibrosis. Why do you suppose that is?

[Embedded content]

Because they don’t have to scramble around looking for insurance and healthcare covered by their insurance. A Vice journalist wrote an article about her friend who died from CF and her patchy support system due to insurance issues.

motherboard.vice.com

Here’s an older story by the same guy which talks about “the cure culture” and in particular how the Cystic Fibrosis advocacy group spends its money on scientific research and not on services to help CF people with their lives.

motherboard.vice.com

Both are good stories; I learned a lot about CF from them.

258
EPR-radar  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:20:08am

re: #251 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

I really do not give a rat’s ass about how optimistic CEOs are.

CEOs are optimistic because they think Trump will magically deliver the entire wealth of the nation to them without triggering the torches and pitchforks reaction.

259
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:20:35am

I think the tax return of someone of Trumps financial stature would be totally unintelligible to the average citizen. The spin doctors could say anything and it would be believed.

260
ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:21:27am

re: #69 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

All those stats will prove it is because of Trump the jobs are up and unemployment down.

Hey, if wingnutters can say 9/11 was Obama’s fault and Obama got us into the Iraq war, then what stops them from saying these upswings are Trump’s?

After all, the awesome greatness of Trump is so strong that for the last 8 years things were so bad people knew it had to change and Trump was coming so everything started to trend up even before he was elected.

(How’s that for some wingnut bullshit!)

261
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:21:57am

heh

262
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:22:08am

We haven’t heard much about this.

(I googled something and got a few hits)

263
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:23:13am

These are not protestors==>

264
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:23:31am

re: #259 Birth Control Works

But not to any tax professional.

And the bottom line is without the AMT, Trump’s effective tax rate was 4% of income.

265
Decatur Deb  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:23:59am

re: #241 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

What do they do in case of non-payment?

Nichols May 65 Funeral classic skit YouTube

266
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:25:14am

re: #264 lawhawk

But not to any tax professional.

And the bottom line is without the AMT, Trump’s effective tax rate was 4% of income.

Yeah, I’d say that is low —even with “volume pricing”

Didn’t Warren Buffet talk about this some year ago.

Still the spin doctors would work to confuse people.

Those that worship his Lord and Master would buy it.

267
7-y (Expectation of Great Things in Due Course)  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:25:22am

re: #263 The Vicious Babushka

These are not protestors==>

[Embedded content]

My son is outside, protesting.

268
Bubblehead II  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:25:40am

re: #251 Backwoods_Sleuth

I really do not give a rat’s ass about how optimistic CEOs are.

269
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:26:15am

re: #267 7-y (Expectation of Great Things in Due Course)

My son is outside, protesting.

DON’T HE HAV A JERB INSTEAD OF BEING ON TEH WELFARES!!!!!!

270
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:26:35am

re: #268 Bubblehead II

CEO’s —I know a couple of those.

They haven’t been hurting at all.

271
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:26:36am
272
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:27:48am

Who is the Trickster god?

I think maybe he is in charge.

:0

273
EPR-radar  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:28:23am

re: #264 lawhawk

But not to any tax professional.

And the bottom line is without the AMT, Trump’s effective tax rate was 4% of income.

The AMT was put in place precisely because the normal US tax system can easily give negligible or zero tax rates for very wealthy people.

Naturally the repeal of the AMT is very high on plutocrats’ wish list.

274
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:28:39am

re: #266 Birth Control Works

Yup. Buffet didn’t think it right that he pays lower percentage of tax than his secretary.

275
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:31:13am

Please, nobody give dogs to the Trumps

SEOUL, South Korea — It was hard to imagine that ousted President Park Geun-hye could get any more unpopular in South Korea — until she moved out of the presidential palace and left her nine dogs behind.

Just days after being removed from office by the Constitutional Court over a massive corruption scandal, an animal rights group accused Park of animal abandonment for not bringing the dogs with her.

Park’s neighbors had given her a pair of Jindo dogs, a Korean breed of hunting dogs, when she left for the presidential Blue House in 2013. The dogs recently gave birth to seven puppies, which are now considered too young to be separated from their mother, Kim Dong-jo, a Blue House spokesman, said Wednesday.

Kim said the dogs would continue to stay at the presidential palace until they’re ready to be sent to new owners. Park told staff members to take good care of the dogs before vacating the Blue House on Sunday, he said.

276
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:32:17am

re: #271 Backwoods_Sleuth

The more these horror stories come to light, the less people will want to vacation here - or travel via airlines altogether. The Trump/GOP is busy assaulting civil rights of people, and abusing power/discretion to appear that they’re being tough on terror.

It’s security theater, but it has dire civil rights effects, to say nothing of undermining the US economy (and airline or travel related stocks, plus mom and pop businesses that benefit from travel).

People may decide to stay home rather than go visit Disney if they read/hear that people are being stopped on domestic flights because they might not have the right skin tone or that they may have blogged/tweeted something.

277
EPR-radar  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:33:13am

re: #274 lawhawk

Yup. Buffet didn’t think it right that he pays lower percentage of tax than his secretary.

Remember that idiot on twitter saying how horrible it was that any American could have to pay $38 million in taxes?

That’s effectively advocating for no income tax at all, since even a flat rate tax system will lead to large taxes paid if the income is enormous.

278
sagehen  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:34:34am

re: #217 HappyWarrior

Knowing your favorite band hates you. That’s gotta sting. He ain’t the first though.

Chris Christie. Bruce Springsteen.

279
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:34:42am

re: #277 EPR-radar

Remember that idiot on twitter saying how horrible it was that any American could have to pay $38 million in taxes?

That’s effectively advocating for no income tax at all, since even a flat rate tax system will lead to large taxes paid if the income is enormous.

The “Fair Tax”ers want to replace all income taxes with sales tax, shifting the tax burden to the poor and middle class.

280
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:35:16am

re: #278 sagehen

Paul Ryan and Rage Against the Machine?

281
The Ghost of Senator Incitatus  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:36:10am

re: #268 Bubblehead II

CEOs will be excited by things that increase overall value.

Which doesn’t have a whole lot to do with jobs, or even expansion, these days. It has to do with (1) finding ways to avoid taxation and otherwise be subsidized, (2) increases in stock value, (3) acquisition, exploitation, and liquidation of smaller concerns, (4) decreasing costs by offshoring labor, automating, and eliminating safety rules, (5) otherwise devaluing human effort.

Short version—part of this exuberance is that human life just got cheaper.

282
jaunte  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:36:15am

re: #279 The Vicious Babushka

The “Fair Tax”ers want to replace all income taxes with sales tax, shifting the tax burden to the poor and middle class.

Do they ever try to explain why that would be “fair” or do they just go with the lie?

283
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:36:46am

re: #279 The Vicious Babushka

The “Fair Tax”ers want to replace all income taxes with sales tax, shifting the tax burden to the poor and middle class.

And there’s nothing fair about that Fair Tax BS. It would require sales tax of 30% or more, impose new burdens on businesses for collection, and still wouldn’t do away with the IRS - because someone would have to administer the tax.

284
Franklin  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:37:00am

re: #217 HappyWarrior

Dropkick Murphys and Scott Walker

285
The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:38:12am

re: #282 jaunte

Do they ever try to explain why that would be “fair” or do they just go with the lie?

They present it as a “choice” YOU GET TO CHOOSE HOW YOU SPEND YOUR MONEYS YOU CAN KEEP IT ALLS IF YOU WANT!!!11!!!!! having apparently never had to pay for rent or food.

286
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:40:41am

Birth certificate bill clears committee

House Bill 1785, sponsored by Representative Greg Harris, this morning cleared the House Human Services Committee by a vote of 7 to 4. The bill would update and modernize a more than half-century old rule by eliminating an antiquated surgical requirement that prevents countless transgender and intersex Illinoisans from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate to match their gender and the gender marker on their other state and federal identification documents. The bill now goes to the full House for a vote.

The following can be attributed to John Knight, Director of the ACLU of Illinois’ LGBT and HIV Project:

The Committee today took an important step to protect people in Illinois who are transgender or intersex. No one should face the dilemma of being denied a birth certificate that conforms with their gender simply because they are unable - or cannot afford - to undergo surgery that the medical community agrees is not necessary for everyone who transitions.

Illinois should join the federal government, thirteen other states, and the District of Columbia in allowing people to change the gender marker on their birth certificate without surgery. People who are transgender and intersex should make their own medical decisions with the guidance of medical health professionals—not politicians. We thank Representative Greg Harris for his leadership, and we hope the House acts quickly to pass this bill and send it to the Senate.

287
FormerDirtDart  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:42:51am
288
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:43:24am
289
wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:43:30am

re: #286 Birth Control Works

Birth certificate bill clears committee

I think gender information should be left off of birth certificates.

290
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:44:46am
291
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:46:58am

re: #289 wrenchwench

I think gender information should be left off of birth certificates.

I don’t know. For statistical purposes, we probably need the basic body parts information.

I’m thinking in the abstract. I haven’t done any research.

Public Health officials do projections etc. Researchers do too. regarding body part specific illnesses (i.e. cancer).

292
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:47:26am

A Russian spy ship has reappeared off the U.S. eastern seaboard, sailing just 20 miles south of the U.S. Navy submarine base at King’s Bay, Georgia, and heading north.

CBS News correspondent David Martin reports the Viktor Leonov, known as an AGI (Auxiliary, General Intelligence) trawler, has a port call scheduled in Jamaica for mid-April, and the assumption among U.S. officials is that it will make one more run up and down the east coast before heading to Jamaica.

The Leonov made a similar journey along the East Coast in February, sailing close to a U.S. naval base in Virginia and Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut, which the Navy describes as the “Home of the Submarine Force.”

During its February patrol of the East Coast, the closest the ship came to land was 17 miles, which is still in international waters, Martin reported.

293
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:48:32am
294
jaunte  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:49:40am

SOROSSSSS!!!

295
sagehen  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:50:42am

re: #274 lawhawk

Yup. Buffet didn’t think it right that he pays lower percentage of tax than his secretary.

“There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”
—Warren Buffett

296
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:51:13am

A really long time ago, on this blog, before the split with PJ Media —there was a discussion about Russia. All I remember is the meme: “Russia is not our friend.”

Now, this was long after the wall came down and business was investing in Russia. It wasn’t a popular meme. Thought too conservative.

Now, the conservatives are not concerned about Russia.

Up is down and back again.

297
lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:52:30am

re: #294 jaunte

They should just skip past Soros and just say Jooos. That’s what they’re thinking anyways. /not sarc

298
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:52:37am
299
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:54:02am
300
Stanley Sea  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:54:05am

Prairie - your twitter has been hacked.

Unless you are selling ray-bans now.

301
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:54:08am

WOW

302
Citizen K  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:56:06am

re: #144 lawhawk
re: #148 A wild WITHAK appeared!

Sessions doesn’t just think medical marijuana is ‘overhyped’, he thinks weed in general is one of the most monstrously dangerous drugs ever, it seems like. Quoth:

And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana - so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful. Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.

He literally thinks it’s on the level of heroin far as danger, and seems to be signaling as much of an all-out crackdown on it as he possibly can from where he sits.

Between that and his absolute love affair for private prisons, you’re going to see a brand new War on Drugs, and it’s going to decimate us. All because of that ‘wacky tabacky’ that I’m sure he’s against mostly because of its use with the poor and minorities.

This is going to be such a monstrous disaster.

303
BeachDem  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:56:09am

re: #280 lawhawk

Paul Ryan and Rage Against the Machine?

Dropkick Murphys and Scott Walker—

304
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:56:35am
305
Franklin  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:56:49am

re: #298 Birth Control Works

Between @repjoekennedy and @sethmoulton I really love the “youth movement” of the MA Delegation.

306
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:56:58am
307
7-y (Expectation of Great Things in Due Course)  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:57:15am

re: #269 The Vicious Babushka

DON’T HE HAV A JERB INSTEAD OF BEING ON TEH WELFARES!!!!!!

Small business owner and job creator 😎 If it helps, he has a white baby 😡

308
BeachDem  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:57:40am

re: #284 Franklin

Dropkick Murphys and Scott Walker

[Embedded content]

I’m a bit slow on the draw…

309
Interesting Times  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:58:10am

re: #301 Birth Control Works

It appears to be an old story from 2013. Why are they posting about it now?

310
jaunte  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:58:52am

re: #302 Citizen K

“Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.”

311
jaunte  Mar 15, 2017 • 10:59:38am

You can clearly see how marijuana has aged Willie Nelson.

312
Flying Squirrel Girl  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:00:04am

re: #302 Citizen K

WRT states where recreational use has been legalized, I don’t see how they can put the genie back in the bottle. CO is experiencing a massive boom, largely due to recreational weed and the taxes collected as a result. Repealing the law would also make tens of thousands of jobs in those states disappear.

313
wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:00:40am

This seems to have a long life of relevance.

314
TedStriker  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:00:43am

re: #298 Birth Control Works

“Merica.

There’s a black man with a black cat
Living in a black neighborhood
He’s got an interstate running’ through his front yard
You know, he thinks, he’s got it so good
And there’s a woman in the kitchen cleaning’ up evening slop
And he looks at her and says:
“Hey darling, I can remember when you could stop a clock”

Oh but ain’t that America, for you and me
Ain’t that America, we’re something to see baby
Ain’t that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me, oh for you and me

Well there’s a young man in a T-shirt
Listenin’ to a rock ‘n’ roll station
He’s got a greasy hair, greasy smile
He says: “Lord, this must be my destination”
‘Cause they told me, when I was younger
Sayin’ “Boy, you’re gonna be president”
But just like everything else, those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went

Oh but ain’t that America, for you and me
Ain’t that America, we’re something to see baby
Ain’t that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses, for you and me, oh baby for you and me

Well there’s people and more people
What do they know, know, know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
Ooo yeah

And there’s winners, and there’s losers
But they ain’t no big deal
‘Cause the simple man baby pays the thrills,
The bills and the pills that kill

Oh but ain’t that America, for you and me
Ain’t that America, we’re something to see baby
Ain’t that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me, ooo, ooo yeah

Ain’t that America, for you and me
Ain’t that America, hey we’re something to see baby
Ain’t that America, oh the home of the free,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Little pink houses babe for you and me, ooo yeah ooo yeah

315
Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:00:48am
316
sagehen  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:00:50am

re: #301 Birth Control Works

[Embedded content]

WOW

Assuming he actually got the right guy, I’m okay with this particular vigilante.

317
Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:01:20am

The world is a small place.

aPTUr7YLpDmJnTLavY7cYCCuS4C2a8K6WUSN5RAiInHTyYjKND322R27ZkTCrQ9CNyNWMwnmuih7St82KVQyqevM5x9rvRvkS+Xpx4ZOoDXCIoLP9EeT3rDhn9jD5Apmchhu8GBJUVP9Zzx6GPf17UEsDlN3eaXXhf2Wl80LGqD4TSWkgPNwOjNM1AQbr+odrMLDH531fa4G71HHNBP2QVNF63d57diBWj259RW+LKZzrrvEgyelK5005OyeejQlMH71PJn1D4v+vtXbahFmjzMZY7XxScjtG2UitA/ZXMI2sQQXCWQLsoO6UjjGuUXtHgQcTTSTwG7C0cw3PXfkqqo74FAmyOjvBzIMZI/dvMY/1J+EDRh4fvMQtr8RKszrvslvgOSV3CpZanpXy+rWr6i5GfBgZOkUmOlKMosAWOD5A0lLqRGqeankdBLZOFbNmWGOH8ZEjRZ9sYaNRhGtVSfe45sgHUAjNZuT0dWD+OnyWVXV6YXcWIAWYzTzuk6TslN8F42kVGVA90s1ixz3401lCPKeeL99st3a0nOYvbhNkBgzZevxB5QQ0qbweO7yBLSUu4mY8d+eKN3Y4FQQHRbWRIpJZddJpHClQJywM7cp0LZwuYtD7euPea76i+LRnzi+KDNaiXMviS9phy7szj5yP9N7tjZllnVW0BNSoM76JVWdJqLwzYFS5JLcUmQQtYfYHMSxJAYhjKocckJLw3BdhEgv3oC3OJvryjGpSMGp4x7N/FD+wrMPxO7WlaQnZ3VpsW5I44WbHvG+VUzI0Su52RP8fEcG35aueq3XUp/aHxnrluml+QjSPKoMQmwfQr2NVsGQWz7P7puzqumjBOz1o6Lm20vsROBJRZQFhC983cNcxOMloF/2d5alqGJHqmLaHXIgInSSenftKaYu5XY9MtXnyTQaKQUgdx7uac3u8S/3WH1vlBGzpcXVxf/0Wnc60gmqdDcqSeymRhC8cw==

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Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:01:56am
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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:02:03am

re: #299 Backwoods_Sleuth

PIZZAGATE?!

Oh wait. This is an actual criminal case with an actual investigation versus the crank conspiracy crap from Infowars. Trump has every kind of scandal you can think of going on right now.

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Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:02:22am
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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:03:03am

re: #313 wrenchwench

Related, and similarly relevant:

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Citizen K  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:03:59am

re: #312 Flying Squirrel Girl

WRT states where recreational use has been legalized, I don’t see how they can put the genie back in the bottle. CO is experiencing a massive boom, largely due to recreational weed and the taxes collected as a result. Repealing the law would also make tens of thousands of jobs in those states disappear.

I’m sure they’ll find something. State’s Rights have its limit when it comes to weed apparently, and I’m sure the usual crusaders will see something about removing the tax revenue from it as a plus because, you know, less taxes is always a net good, right?

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Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:04:09am
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jaunte  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:06:05am

re: #320 Birth Control Works

Interesting that the racist fascists’ interests in expanding healthcare (for their favored group) are in direct opposition to the corporate fascists’ interest in limiting healthcare.

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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:06:29am

Re: Trump and the AMT.

The AMT repeal, which has been floating around would end up being quite costly.

So, if the GOP pushes this crap, you know that more social programs will be in the crosshairs.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:08:03am
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Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:08:04am

re: #325 lawhawk

Re: Trump and the AMT.

The AMT repeal, which has been floating around would end up being quite costly.

[Embedded content]

So, if the GOP pushes this crap, you know that more social programs will be in the crosshairs.

$462 Billion? Why, we can pay for a huge defense build up with a tax cut that big!!!

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:08:52am
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electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:09:22am
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ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:10:27am

re: #77 Henny Penny

Did Rachel Maddow have a Geraldo moment?

The longer Maddow went on, ever deeper into a conspiratorial thicket, the clearer it became that whatever tax returns Maddow had, they weren’t as juicy as the ones she was talking about. If she had anything that damning, she would have shared them from the start. TV is a ratings game, but an entire episode about highly damaging tax returns is just as likely to get you great ratings as milking the possibility that you have highly damaging tax returns, and less likely to get you compared to Geraldo. Maddow even went so far as to hold the tax returns back until after the first commercial break, as if we were watching an episode of The Bachelor and not a matter of national importance—because we weren’t, in fact, watching a matter of national importance, just a cable news show trying to set a ratings record.

Or is she just doing what has worked for FOX News all these years?

I admit it, I do not get some of the arguments around this whole Maddow show. Seems like we are all over the place.

As I said earlier. Is this another example of Democrats poo-pooing doing things like Rachel did and saying it won’t work and we aren’t like that?

Meanwhile over in Fox/Trump land they are doing all kinds of bad negative crap and getting away with it while no one our side does shit.

We have to face the facts of what happened in the last election. These facts:

#1 - Democratic arrogant thinking Trump couldn’t win…no one would vote for someone like him.

#2 - The TV media is in the entertainment business. FOX entertains by feeding specious info, covers over glaring issues and puts lipstick on complete pigs. No one on TV is helping Democrats for the liberal side of things…even Maddow.

#3 - Bullshit sells and Circus Barking works. (Right Freetoken?) - Don’t need to cite examples…we saw them big time all last year.

I’m not saying we need to do the same things. We need to do our things that hopefully bring the same types of results. We want to get people informed enough to start asking some serious questions to and doubting conservatism in America. We need to get a liberal army built that marches to the beat and hits the streets and election booth like Republicans. We have to get people pissed off enough to act.

I think Rachel is trying to do that. And her ratings are up, even before last night. She is on to something. I hope other media is watching and seeing there is an opening for entertaining the liberals too.

Just think out loud…

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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:10:54am

FFS

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:13:40am
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Stanley Sea  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:13:47am

Receipts!

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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:14:15am

CNN showing empty podium, eagerly awaiting Dear Leader

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electrotek  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:14:59am

Gotta hand it to them. Only the Dutch could have made the brutal remnants of Imperial Japan far more favorable in the eyes of Indonesians in the 1940s.

This despite the use of comfort women which was rampant in Japan-occupied Dutch East Indies.

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Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:15:03am

re: #326 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

I always find it humorous when I get into discussions with Conservatives about things like interest rates. They have their dogma, which is that deficit spending (under Democrats) and low interest rates cause hyperinflation under all circumstances. And they firmly believe that the Fed held interest rates ‘unnaturally low’ to make Obama’s economy look better than it actually was.

When you ask them, “If inflation is really low - AND IT IS - and the economy is growing slowly - AND IT IS - and unemployment is above the Full Employment rate - AND IT IS - why would interest rates ‘naturally’ be any higher than they are now?” They have no answer because the way the economy has worked since maybe 2003 is not possible according to their dogma.

This is the problem with dogma as opposed to empirical observation - you run into situations you can’t explain, and thus can’t respond to.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:15:14am
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Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:17:11am

re: #309 Interesting Times

It appears to be an old story from 2013. Why are they posting about it now?

There is a saying (I think) misattribute to Mark Twain:

“When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati. They won’t know about it for 10 years.”

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Birth Control Works  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:18:19am

bbl

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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:18:32am

Nobody holds a grudge like Donald holds a grudge. He holds the biggest grudges in his tiny hands!

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ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:18:45am

re: #86 darthstar

Rachel Maddow totes destroyed Trump last night with that 1040 bombshell…

[Embedded content]

Sure did…if you are willing to forget she mentioned the 100 million write-off that allowed him to get down to that rate.

And that would be the 100 mil that he claimed as a yearly deduction due to the massive 1 billion ‘loss’ he took back in the late 80’s.

And you also have to forget the rest of the points she was making like how this form only brings about questions for why we need the others he won’t show and why Russia figures in.

(I’m putting this into the don’t understand why we liberals are sometimes chicken to take make some points that are of course going to be attacked from the conservatives basket. It is what they do. And this is apparently what liberals do.)

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jeffreyw  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:19:33am

Imgur
This is no-way Cincinnati chili.

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wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:20:48am

re: #341 ObserverArt

(I’m putting this into the don’t understand why we liberals are sometimes chicken to take make some points that are of course going to be attacked from the conservatives basket. It is what they do. And this is apparently what liberals do.)

Basket needs a shorter name.

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Citizen K  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:23:11am

These people really are goddamn monsters. And they have all the fucking power and control.

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ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:24:14am

re: #113 HappyWarrior

Right Conway is pretty much a professional turd polisher. Sigh, I still cannot believe he got away with the attacks on the Khans. Fucking asshole should have been landslided for that alone.

Introducing Kellyanne Conway’s New Cleaner. It’s effectiveness was seen in the most recent U.S. Presidential Election as it made a Known Con Man acceptable to 47% of America’s Registered Voters.
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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:27:26am
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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:27:30am

re: #344 Citizen K

And that too is chock full of typos:

Enrolment (sic).

Oh, and again the GOP thinks HSAs will cover anything more than a simple doctor’s visit. The first time you need anything more than preventative care, you’ll run through your HSA - if you can even afford to save enough for an HSA in the first place.

GOP Don’t Care.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:29:20am
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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:30:33am

uh huh…

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wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:31:40am

re: #348 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

I believe that US flag with the gold trim is dragging on the ground.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:33:46am

happening in the Kentucky Senate right now:

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Citizen K  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:34:12am

re: #349 Backwoods_Sleuth

uh huh…

[Embedded content]

Has National Enquirer ever had other moments where they had an absolute love affair with a president, the way they have for Trump? I mean, they’ve always had goofy ass ‘scandals’ and ‘scoops’ over all sorts of politicians, but Trump seems like the only one they’ve actively shilled for and supported.

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ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:34:31am

re: #148 A wild WITHAK appeared!

Sessions’ objection to marijuana legalization (medical or otherwise) is probably rooted in racism, which arguably makes this even worse.

And to the fear of the counter culture. Pot has always been in the artists, philosophers and radicals world. They see it as a bunch of lazy people sitting around stoned out of their heads and talking about ways to bring down the government and The American Way of Life™.

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KGxvi  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:36:29am

re: #352 Citizen K

Has National Enquirer ever had other moments where they had an absolute love affair with a president, the way they have for Trump? I mean, they’ve always had goofy ass ‘scandals’ and ‘scoops’ over all sorts of politicians, but Trump seems like the only one they’ve actively shilled for and supported.

Other than JFK secretly living out his golden years in small town Canada? Or was that the World Weekly News?

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Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:36:48am

re: #350 wrenchwench

I believe that US flag with the gold trim is dragging on the ground.

It was, but it’s apparently from the event with state and local law enforcement here in Virginia (which he refused to invite the Attorney General of Virginia to), so possibly not his fault.

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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:39:09am

And more than a few pages of regulations went into making sure that a person in a motor vehicle crash of that nature would survive.

NHTSA looks at various kinds of crashes, and along with the IIHS, come up with tests and ways to improve and mandate vehicle safety.

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makeitstop  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:40:46am

re: #352 Citizen K

Has National Enquirer ever had other moments where they had an absolute love affair with a president, the way they have for Trump? I mean, they’ve always had goofy ass ‘scandals’ and ‘scoops’ over all sorts of politicians, but Trump seems like the only one they’ve actively shilled for and supported.

The guy who owns it is a big Trump cultist. I forget his name.

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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:41:50am

re: #357 makeitstop

The guy who owns it is a big Trump cultist. I forget his name.

John Barron?

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:42:03am

re: #356 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

And more than a few pages of regulations went into making sure that a person in a motor vehicle crash of that nature would survive.

NHTSA looks at various kinds of crashes, and along with the IIHS, come up with tests and ways to improve and mandate vehicle safety.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:43:36am

he just doesn’t stop:

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:44:24am
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KGxvi  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:44:50am

I listened to the new episode of Pod Save the World with Glenn Greenwald this morning. It was rather fascinating, and I highly recommend it. Has anyone read his book No Place to Hide?

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:44:54am

re: #354 KGxvi

Other than JFK secretly living out his golden years in small town Canada? Or was that the World Weekly News?

And Hillary’s adopted alien baby.

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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:45:18am

re: #360 Backwoods_Sleuth

Mescaline is one hell of a drug. /

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:45:31am
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stpaulbear  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:45:43am

re: #202 The Vicious Babushka

They did not allow people of color on that show. Then, when they couldn’t ignore the Civil Rights movement any more, they allowed some tokens but NO INTERRACIAL DANCE COUPLES. Blacks could only dance with other Blacks.

I just listened to an interview with Joe Boyd (he produced records for Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, etc.) where he talks about how Dick Clark took over the show which became American Bandstand and set out to sanitize rock and roll. It’s kind of a sad story about the guy who previously hosted the show. The story starts at 6:00 and ends at 14:00. Joe Boyd isn’t a high energy interview, but he’s been at some pretty pivotal moments in rock history and I find his stories fascinating.

Joe Boyd - Sacramento, CA - March 19, 2007 - Part 1 of 2

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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:46:59am

re: #362 KGxvi

I listened to the new episode of Pod Save the World with Glenn Greenwald this morning. It was rather fascinating, and I highly recommend it. Has anyone read his book No Place to Hide?

We are not big Greenwald fans here.

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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:47:48am

Let me be clear: Glenn Greenwald is a fucking douchenozzle.

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Jack Burton  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:49:09am

re: #362 KGxvi

I listened to the new episode of Pod Save the World with Glenn Greenwald this morning. It was rather fascinating, and I highly recommend it. Has anyone read his book No Place to Hide?

Ummm… is this a trick question?

Or have you really not been paying that much attention here?

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wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:49:12am

re: #355 Timothy Watson

It was, but it’s apparently from the event with state and local law enforcement here in Virginia (which he refused to invite the Attorney General of Virginia to), so possibly not his fault.

He’s standing the closest and not fixing it. I heap blame upon him.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:49:28am
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KGxvi  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:50:01am

re: #367 The Vicious Babushka

We are not big Greenwald fans here.

I get that, but the podcast is really worth a listen. But I’m also a big believer in hearing out people that I don’t necessarily agree with.

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lawhawk  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:50:58am

re: #368 The Vicious Babushka

Let me be clear: Glenn Greenwald is a fucking douchenozzle.

You mean Socky McSockpuppet. He needed to win arguments so badly online he created socks to portray more support than he actually had.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:52:03am
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KGxvi  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:52:23am

re: #371 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Um… even if we’re just going to limit this to cars… I’m going with the sight of European super cars over just about anything made anywhere else in the world. But that’s just me.

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JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:52:42am

re: #372 KGxvi

What was he talking about and what did you find fascinating?

Also too, fuck GG.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:54:02am
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The Vicious Babushka  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:54:08am

re: #372 KGxvi

I get that, but the podcast is really worth a listen. But I’m also a big believer in hearing out people that I don’t necessarily agree with.

We have heard him out a bunch. That’s how we know he’s a fucking douchenozzle.

How much bullshit do you have to listen to before it gets boring?

Do you listen to every speech Trump makes? We used to do that, too. But enough is enough.

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stpaulbear  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:54:08am

re: #345 ObserverArt

Apologies that I can’t remember which lizard made this for me.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:55:30am
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JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:55:50am

re: #377 Backwoods_Sleuth

Our fake President is an imbecile.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:56:08am
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KGxvi  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:58:49am

re: #376 JordanRules

What was he talking about and what did you find fascinating?

Also too, fuck GG.

So, a couple weeks ago PSW had Ben Rhodes on talking about Snowden and spying/leaks/etc. Greenwald asked to come on to address some of the issues raised. So there was a lot of talk about how the Snowden documents were released, and how Snowden ended up in Russia, why he went to Hong Kong then Moscow. There was also some talk about reporters going to the government with information before publishing, and the government’s tendency to overly classify documents (one example they gave was that lunch schedules of NSA employees was classified).

One of the things that the Crooked Media podcasts (Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, With Friends Like These) has been able to do is have actual interesting conversations that don’t turn into talking point bullshit screaming matches. There’s actual nuance and room for constructive disagreements. I honestly hadn’t paid too much attention to Greenwald to date, and know him mostly from the characterizations I’ve seen on some blogs, so it was interesting to hear directly from him.

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Jack Burton  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:59:27am

re: #382 Backwoods_Sleuth

“Believe me”

Expect the big three to file for bankruptcy again sometime before Clownstick is out of office assuming he’s not thrown out early.

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Dr. Matt  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:59:41am
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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 11:59:47am

boom!

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JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:00:24pm

re: #383 KGxvi

I’ve heard Pod Save America is really good. I will have to checking out.

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Jack Burton  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:02:12pm

re: #383 KGxvi

one example they gave was that lunch schedules of NSA employees was classified

There are often legitimate reasons things like this are classified. Just because King of the Dudebro Chaosmancers thinks it’s wrong, doesn’t make it so.

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KGxvi  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:03:03pm

re: #387 JordanRules

I’ve heard Pod Save America is really good. I will have to checking out.

They’re former Obama speechwriters and staffers. They used to do Keepin’ It 1600 on The Ringer (Bill Simmon’s website), but started their own media project. With Friends Like These is Ana Marie Cox having good faith conversations with people who have different world views/experiences. All three are worth a listen.

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stpaulbear  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:04:38pm

re: #374 Backwoods_Sleuth

Are they paying them to clap for Trump too? I hope he’s being met with stony silence, but I’m not interested enough to actually watch Trump spout his bullshit.

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Citizen K  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:05:03pm
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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:05:16pm
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Kragar  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:06:07pm
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A wild WITHAK appeared!  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:06:17pm

re: #387 JordanRules

It is. The latest episode (Monday’s) has an interview with Seth Moulton, rookie Congressional rep from MA. He’s very impressive.

Jon Lovett (one of the hosts) can get a tad annoying, just to warn you.

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Barefoot Grin  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:07:26pm

re: #377 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Holy shit. Did he really say that? We are fucked.

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JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:07:51pm

re: #394 A wild WITHAK appeared!

Ha! I heard Favs even seems annoyed by him on occasion.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:09:12pm

re: #391 Citizen K

[Embedded content]

Doesn’t surprise me.

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ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:09:14pm

re: #233 freetoken

I don’t have an “issue” with what Maddow is doing, if by that you mean I’m against her effort.

I am saying that in the big picture of how Trump was elected, this 2005 tax return thing is not an effective push back against the wave that brought Trump to the forefront of American politics.

Sorry, busy day and can’t keep up.

I think you miss my point. I am addressing continued effort which you often talk about working on the average American voter.

She has her own “Russian Connections in Trump Administration” message going out as she has been on it for weeks. She is almost the only person really consistently banging on this and the tax form was just one part of the message.

How would FOX handle Trump finding a tax form of Clinton and releasing it? It may be in a way that you would find works for FOX News.

I’m trying to find why what Rachel is doing is any different from the stuff you say works for FOX.

And it was just reported, she is enjoying some of her best ratings ever. I think she is winning her 9 PM slot against CNN and close to FOX.

Something is working.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:09:37pm

re: #393 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Yep.

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Jack Burton  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:10:04pm

re: #395 Barefoot Grin

Holy shit. Did he really say that? We are fucked.

It sounded better in the original German no doubt.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:10:26pm

re: #400 Jack Burton

It sounded better in the original German no doubt.

Even Hitler valued allies.

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wrenchwench  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:10:38pm
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Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:10:40pm

re: #374 Backwoods_Sleuth

Trump Is So Unpopular That Car Companies Offered Bribes To Autoworkers To Attend Detroit Speech

Isn’t that illegal? I remember the coal companies required miners to attend a Romney event but refused to pay them saying it was illegal to do so.

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A wild WITHAK appeared!  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:11:02pm

re: #396 JordanRules

Ha! I heard Favs even seems annoyed by him on occasion.

That certainly seems to come through in the podcast. He’s like the nerdy, annoying little brother that doesn’t know when to stop talking sometimes.

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Barefoot Grin  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:11:27pm

re: #400 Jack Burton

It sounded better in the original German no doubt.

Speaking of which, I wonder if he’ll laud the VW factory in Tennessee while he’s there. Or the Japanese parts makers. Or Hangook tires. Or….

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Citizen K  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:11:38pm

re: #377 Backwoods_Sleuth

re: #381 JordanRules

Like I’ve said before: Diplomacy in the hands of people who denigrate and mock the very concept of diplomacy as a thing. They’ve got it in their heads that it’s something only ‘weak’ people do and ‘real, strong people’ take and that’s it, no questions, no negotiations.

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Timothy Watson  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:12:42pm

re: #377 Backwoods_Sleuth

.@POTUS in Michigan: “We don’t need friends abroad… They don’t like us. They think we’re stupid people.” cc Rex Tillerson ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

He’s going to “stand up to China” by pissing off every ally we have/had.

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Jack Burton  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:13:30pm

re: #401 HappyWarrior

Even Hitler valued alliesfascist useful idiots.

FTFY

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HappyWarrior  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:14:21pm

re: #408 Jack Burton

FTFY

No, I honestly think Hitler as evil as he did value allies. But that’s true as well.

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Dr. Matt  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:15:15pm
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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:16:06pm
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JordanRules  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:16:37pm

re: #406 Citizen K

Yep! It’s also another function of privilege.

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Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:17:05pm
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Jack Burton  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:17:31pm

re: #409 HappyWarrior

No, I honestly think Hitler as evil as he did value allies. But that’s true as well.

He threw Mussolini and Horthy under the bus the second they were inconvenient.

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Bubblehead II  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:25:23pm

re: #362 KGxvi

I listened to the new episode of Pod Save the World with Glenn Greenwald this morning. It was rather fascinating, and I highly recommend it. Has anyone read his book No Place to Hide?

Not a name to bring up here as he is a douche and highly despised her.

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darthstar  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:36:37pm

re: #371 Backwoods_Sleuth

If Detroit starts making driver-less cars, I hope the first one they come out with is a 442 Oldsmobile with a fuckin’ blower on the engine.

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ObserverArt  Mar 15, 2017 • 12:37:52pm

re: #379 stpaulbear

[Embedded content]

Apologies that I can’t remember which lizard made this for me.

Me!


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Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT
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A Closer Look at the Eastman State Bar DecisionTaking a few minutes away from work things to read through the Eastman decision. As I'm sure many of you know, Eastman was my law school con law professor. I knew him pretty well because I was also running in ...
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