John Oliver Turns His Pitiless Gaze on Death Investigations [VIDEO]
America’s system for conducting death investigations is a mess. John Oliver explains why we should all be a little more concerned about fixing it.
America’s system for conducting death investigations is a mess. John Oliver explains why we should all be a little more concerned about fixing it.
The absolute lack of professionalism within the coroner/medical examiner system is appalling.
Coroners can be pretty much anyone off the street, and what’s worse, they could be the same as the sheriff - so they could investigate themselves for wrongdoing such as excessive force leading to death of suspects.
Yeah, we know how that ends up. No one holds the cop liable and it was just an accident that the guy ends up shot multiple times in the back of the head, etc.
The medical examiner system isn’t perfect, but it would help by upping pay and requiring minimum basic competency from those who are tasking with identifying causes of death especially since this could help close various criminal cases, speeds closing of estate matters, and it shows a lack of interest in how we deal with the deceased.
This will go over like a wet fart in church:
Electric vehicle warning sounds are sounds designed to alert pedestrians to the presence of electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and all-electric vehicles (EVs) travelling at low speeds. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued its final ruling in February 2018, and requires the device to emit warning sounds at speeds less than 18.6 mph (30 km/h) with compliance by September 2020, but 50% of “quiet” vehicles must have the warning sounds by September 2019.[3] The European Parliament approved legislation that requires the mandatory use of “Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems” for all new electric and hybrid electric vehicles within five years after publication of the final approval of the April 2014 proposal to comply with the regulation.[4]
re: #2 Shropshire Slasher
Honestly, as cars get quieter, we’re going to need something like that. I’ve had a couple of close calls where I look one way, then look the other, and as I start to cross, the first way I looked had a quiet car coming up on me. Happened both on foot and behind the wheel.
Meanwhile, back on immigration, Ann Coulter’s getting touted by Mickey Kaus for speaking the truth about amnesty - that millions will get in and stay here…
Ann Coulter has the dirty truth Trump isn’t telling you: the hundreds of thousands—on track for millions—of border crossers with flimsy “asylum” claims ARE GETTING IN AND THEY WILL BE STAYING HERE.https://t.co/KB2jEBSDnn https://t.co/lQgIL9LpjW
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey) May 20, 2019
That too is bulkshit.
Only a fraction of those seeking asylum here are ever granted asylum. In fact, only a fraction of those coming to the US seek asylum. There were something like 90,000 asylum claims made in 2016. That sounds like a lot… but it isn’t a crisis.
Between 2016 and 2017, the foreign-born population increased by about 787,000, or almost 2 percent—a rate higher than the 1 percent growth experienced between 2015 and 2016, but lower than the 3 percent increase between 2013 and 2014.
What’s a crisis is that Trump doesn’t want to actually hike the number of judges that would be needed to clear the backlog and speedily process claims (all immigration claims, which often result in those overstaying their visas, the prime cause of being undocumented, not because they crossed a border where there was no port of entry). Asylum claims take time to process because the courts need to review all kinds of documents. It’s not easy, and not all claims get approved.
Put another way, there aren’t millions of people seeking or claiming asylum. And there isn’t a cumulative millions of people seeking asylum.
The white nationalists are busy claiming a crisis exists because nonwhites are seeking legal immigration to the US.
re: #3 KGxvi
I wouldn’t disagree. I’ve seen many pedestrians without a care in the world staring at their phones with their ear buds in.
Remember when NRA spokescreature Dana Loesch applauded those soldiers who urinated on Iraqi corpses, and then the ENTIRE RIGHT WING united to do the same? Hurr hurr Amurica fuck yeah.
We now have a president with that exact same degenerate mentality.— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) May 20, 2019
re: #4 lawhawk
Kaus was never really a charming guy, but I see he has continued his sad descent into ALL CAPS Coulterism.
re: #4 lawhawk
Kind of amazing that Kaus used to be considered a liberal.
re: #2 Shropshire Slasher
This will go over like a wet fart in church:
I’ve had my Tesla for almost 9 months now. Something like this would actually be a good thing. The car is absolutely silent at low speeds. I have to pay very close attention in any neighborhoods/parking lots for people walking around that aren’t paying attention.
re: #9 GlutenFreeJesus
I’ve had my Tesla for almost 9 months now. Something like this would actually be a good thing. The car is absolutely silent at low speeds. I have to pay very close attention in any neighborhoods/parking lots for people walking around that aren’t paying attention.
We’ve evolved as a species to listen for the noise generated by large metal beasts. Silent predators will be our downfall.
re: #10 Belafon
It’s funny. I spent thousands of dollars making my Infiniti that the Tesla replaced louder. lol
re: #10 Belafon
We’ve evolved as a species to listen for the noise generated by large metal beasts. Silent predators will be our downfall.
A violent far right gang whining, “STOP THE SLANDER!”
This is impossible to parody. https://t.co/RDY0pP3XM7— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) May 20, 2019
re: #14 Charles Johnson
A $5000 bracelet??
It better do my laundry and make me dinner for that price.
re: #15 Eclectic Cyborg
A $5000 bracelet??
It better do my laundry and make me dinner for that price.
And do the dishes…. or is that the $8,000 model?
re: #9 GlutenFreeJesus
I’ve had my Tesla for almost 9 months now. Something like this would actually be a good thing. The car is absolutely silent at low speeds. I have to pay very close attention in any neighborhoods/parking lots for people walking around that aren’t paying attention.
ISTR a few years ago, seeing a news piece on a carmaker (Honda?) experimenting with a noisemaking system for electric vehicles. Not excessively loud, just a sort of mechanical “whoosh” that kicked in (via external speakers) when the car was in motion, and was just loud enough to let you know there was a vehicle there. Which I thought was quite handy (I’ve had a couple of near-misses in garages): but I always wondered why it hadn’t caught on.
re: #17 Jay C
ISTR a few years ago, seeing a news piece on a carmaker (Honda?) experimenting with a noisemaking system for electric vehicles. Not excessively loud, just a sort of mechanical “whoosh” that kicked in (via external speakers) when the car was in motion, and was just loud enough to let you know there was a vehicle there. Which I thought was quite handy (I’ve had a couple of near-misses in garages): but I always wondered why it hadn’t caught on.
You could always use clothespins to hold a playing card in the spokes.
Overall, he reported at a recent meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, in Louisville, Kentucky, “more than 50% of people complain of traffic noise. Electric cars could be a good tool to reduce traffic noise, but if we add traffic warning signals, it could become worse.”One of the biggest problems, he says, is that in designing these signals, researchers are working under the implicit assumption that only one car will be emitting them at any given time.
But in an urban setting, with a lot of slow-moving vehicles, that simply isn’t realistic. Instead, Genuit says, there could be many cars creating a cacophony of different sounds that might clash unpleasantly.
re: #12 Eclectic Cyborg
He’s going to pardon war criminals but he loves the vets!
///
You add the ///, but I’m guessing this will probably be the WH’s response to any criticism of Trump’s war-criminal pardons.
That and denunciations of Dems/critics as disloyal peacenik sellout pansy-ass wusses for daring to “slander” OUR BRAVE TROOPS !!!1!11!
(“Slander” of course, being defined in the usual Trump-Era manner: “telling the truth”)
re: #18 Decatur Deb
You could always use clothespins to hold a playing card in the spokes.
I made the exact same joke IRL last week.
moron
On this Cuban Independence Day, we stand by the people of Cuba in their quest for freedom, democracy and prosperity. The Cuban regime must end its repression of Cubans & Venezuelans. The United States will not stand idly by as Cuba continues to subvert democracy in the Americas!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019
….Iran will call us if and when they are ever ready. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse - very sad for the Iranian people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019
Speaking of adding sound to silent cars, did you know that several automakers play engine sounds to the car’s interior via the speakers? And not necessarily the sound of the engine in the car. Ford, for instance, uses a V8 sound for its 4 cylinder Ecoboost Mustang.
Apparently, engines themselves are quieter, and with the sound deadening materials in modern cars, drivers felt like they weren’t getting the sound they wanted from their muscle cars.
Because of course they do. The government is being run by a crime family. https://t.co/HdnxOBWi8i
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) May 20, 2019
The sound of parts falling from my LandRover is warning enough.
re: #26 Blind Frog Belly White
Speaking of adding sound to silent cars, did you know that several automakers play engine sounds to the car’s interior via the speakers? And not necessarily the sound of the engine in the car. Ford, for instance, uses a V8 sound for its 4 cylinder Ecoboost Mustang.
Apparently, engines themselves are quieter, and with the sound deadening materials in modern cars, drivers felt like they weren’t getting the sound they wanted from their muscle cars.
The mechanical click of the turn signal is one of those artificially generated sounds, isn’t it?
another stream-of-consciousness event tonight
See you tonight at 7:00 P.M. Eastern, Montoursville, Pennsylvania! #MAGA https://t.co/Ij2AjXfRZa
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019
Edward G Bantam.
“Yeah. You try it, see? Yeah. See.”
The Malaysian Serama bantam is the smallest breed of chicken in the world. They are also known for their upright posture. pic.twitter.com/VMhYsB8j1y
— 41 Strange (@41Strange) May 19, 2019
re: #30 Backwoods_Sleuth
another stream-of-consciousness event tonight
Why is Obama always campaigning?
///
re: #17 Jay C
ISTR a few years ago, seeing a news piece on a carmaker (Honda?) experimenting with a noisemaking system for electric vehicles. Not excessively loud, just a sort of mechanical “whoosh” that kicked in (via external speakers) when the car was in motion, and was just loud enough to let you know there was a vehicle there. Which I thought was quite handy (I’ve had a couple of near-misses in garages): but I always wondered why it hadn’t caught on.
That beeping/clicking noise at many stoplights now would even suffice. It’s not too annoying, and you know it means “pay attention”.
re: #8 Charles Johnson
Kind of amazing that Kaus used to be considered a liberal.
Still remember when he ran against Barbara Boxer in 2010 and he got slaughtered in the primary.
re: #9 GlutenFreeJesus
I’ve had my Tesla for almost 9 months now. Something like this would actually be a good thing. The car is absolutely silent at low speeds. I have to pay very close attention in any neighborhoods/parking lots for people walking around that aren’t paying attention.
I drive a Prius and I am very aware that people…cannot…hear…me at low speeds. I have had too many instances where other cars or pedestrians almost got hit if I would not have been very aware. I have no issue with this.
#Arctic average sea ice coverage for April 2019 was the smallest on record for the month. It was also the 18th consecutive April that Arctic sea ice was below avg: @NOAANCEIclimate https://t.co/yALppCyNno #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/dMrHJBuFvX
— NOAA (@NOAA) May 20, 2019
I think this is a better idea for electric horseless carriages and pedestrians:
In the United States, the state of Vermont passed a similar Red Flag Law in 1894, only to repeal it two years later.[2] The most infamous of the Red Flag Laws was enacted in Pennsylvania circa 1896, when legislators unanimously passed a bill through both houses of the state legislature, which would require all motorists piloting their “horseless carriages”, upon chance encounters with cattle or livestock to (1) immediately stop the vehicle, (2) “immediately and as rapidly as possible … disassemble the automobile”, and (3) “conceal the various components out of sight, behind nearby bushes” until equestrian or livestock is sufficiently pacified.[3] The law never took effect, however, due to a veto by the state’s governor, Daniel H. Hastings.[3]
He has already reached 50 tweets in this thread.
1) So now we have self-described “progressives” like @ggreenwald and @mtracey telling us that the threat of white nationalism in the USA is “nonexistent” (as Tracey put it), and when called out for that GG chimes in and claims that we “needs be keep the threat in perspective.” pic.twitter.com/89CDRKzN1v
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) May 20, 2019
3) Gather ‘round, kids, while I replay for you the tale of the little Pontifex Maximus and his lawyer. Better settle in, because it’s a massive, 100-plus-tweet thread. But worth it. pic.twitter.com/hlEBYrLzm4
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) May 20, 2019
re: #39 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀
He has already reached 50 tweets in this thread.
I’ll admit I didn’t foresee GG taking this turn, or at least not back when I read him regularly in the 2000’s.
“shenanigans”
One Proud Boys leader says the group “likes to sometimes cause shenanigans.” pic.twitter.com/j5qKEByliu
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) May 20, 2019
and I can see why they are “proud” O_o
Nice fucking scarf, dude. pic.twitter.com/daELOmUvOA
— Winston Smith (@populismsucks) May 20, 2019
The Proud Boys leader says the gorilla on their banner is “a dedication to Harambe.” pic.twitter.com/qfgAvIzrEZ
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) May 20, 2019
Meh. Since I got cl’d, I wanted to put this up from the last thread as a possible defense of baby elephant pictures:
re: #82 lawhawk
All the focus clues suggest that it’s a photo edited image. Very poorly done at that.
It’s been enhanced poorly, and probably compressed badly to make it smaller and easier to repost, but that doesn’t make it fake.
A reverse image lookup results in this original
The photographers website is here:
Since the larger elephant is actually significantly behind the babies, it’s not in the same focal plane- if you look closely, it’s already starting to fall out of focus compared to the babies. A low f-stop and shallow DOF, combined with zoom compression, and the fact that the additional cropping results in a forced perspective, could explain the anomalies you are noticing.
Given the number of elephant pictures (among other things) she posts, it seems a jump to go from zero to fake on the basis of a second-hand “enhancing” of the original.
(Note: I’m making an educated guess on the lens and aperture, since the exif data has been stripped from original file.)
Yesterday, I posted a story about how some brats destroyed a model railway club’s exhibition in the UK.
Well, today, Sir Rod Stewart ponied up some dough to help that club out.
Sir Rod Stewart says he is donating £10,000 to a model railway club whose exhibition was destroyed by vandals.
Market Deeping Model Railway Club lost years of work in the raid in Stamford, Lincolnshire, on Saturday.
The 74-year-old singer - and model railway enthusiast - said he was “absolutely devastated” by the attack.
A fundraising page which was originally set up to raise £500 for the club has now raised more than £60,000 in just over a day.
Four youths were arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage and have been released on police bail.
I genuinely had no idea that Rod Stewart was a model railroad enthusiast. I guess you learn something new every day.
re: #44 Dr Lizardo
Yesterday, I posted a story about how some brats destroyed a model railway club’s exhibition in the UK.
Well, today, Sir Rod Stewart ponied up some dough to help that club out.
I genuinely had no idea that Rod Stewart was a model railroad enthusiast. I guess you learn something new every day.
Him and Sheldon Cooper…
A giant robot of Trump tweeting on a gold toilet, farting and shouting things like “I’m a stable genius” will greet Trump in UK.
Would be a shame if it went viral 😏 pic.twitter.com/NUIMYhFno6— Grace Anderson 🌊 (@darkhairme) May 19, 2019
re: #1 lawhawk
I have a friend that does expert testimony. Ballistics, toolmarks, evidentiary technique. He has written a damning book on how so many “truths” of physical evidence as scientific really are anything but. Crime labs are gonna freak.
re: #30 Backwoods_Sleuth
another stream-of-consciousness event tonight
[Embedded content]
Fueled by cocaine and Adderall
re: #44 Dr Lizardo
James May is as well. I was expecting him to step up.
re: #2 Shropshire Slasher
You are aware that internal combustible engines make noise when traveling at slow speeds, right? Some of the are actually quite loud, in fact.
Or maybe you’ve never heard a motorcycle tooling down the road. It’s possible, I guess.
Apparently Trump is planning on ‘ordering’ McGahn to defy the House subpoena and not testify. There’s supposedly a DOJ OLC opinion being drafted to defend this move.
There can’t be any claim of attorney/client privilege, because the WH Counsel is not the President’s attorney.
There can’t really be any claim of executive privilege, since McGahn already testified to the SCO.
It’s all about stopping McGahn from making him look bad on national television, and there’s no claim of privilege for that.
re: #10 Belafon
We’ve evolved as a species to listen for the noise generated by large metal beasts. Silent predators will be our downfall.
New model for 2020: the Tesla Velociraptor.
///
re: #49 Backwoods_Sleuth
James May is as well. I was expecting him to step up.
All hail Captain Slow!
re: #49 Backwoods_Sleuth
James May is as well. I was expecting him to step up.
Hopefully, he will. According to the article, Roger Daltrey is also into model railways.
re: #44 Dr Lizardo
Yesterday, I posted a story about how some brats destroyed a model railway club’s exhibition in the UK.
Well, today, Sir Rod Stewart ponied up some dough to help that club out.
I genuinely had no idea that Rod Stewart was a model railroad enthusiast. I guess you learn something new every day.
It’s like finding out Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, and Drew Berrymore play D&D.
Just in: Justice Department’s influential Office of Legal Counsel says Congress cannot compel McGahn to testify. pic.twitter.com/SKUa1w5eqG
— Del Quentin Wilber (@DelWilber) May 20, 2019
re: #58 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀
“”congress may not constitutionally compel the Presidents Senior Advisers to testify about their official duties.”
Um, why the fuck not?
re: #55 Belafon
It’s like finding out Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, and Drew Berrymore play D&D.
Admittedly, that’d be an awesome adventure or campaign to participate in.
re: #58 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀
Well I’m sure that’s a perfectly non-biased, non partisan, non-political decision from the impartial DOJ of DJT.
///
re: #59 Eclectic Cyborg
“”congress may not constitutionally compel the Presidents Senior Advisers to testify about their official duties.”
Um, why the fuck not?
Really? Where has this ruling been the past 250 years?
re: #61 Sir John Barron
Well I’m sure that’s a perfectly non-biased, non partisan, non-political decision from the impartial DOJ of DJT.
///
“The Presidents independence from Congress.”
11 hours of Clinton testimony would beg to differ.
re: #47 Rightwingconspirator
I have a friend that does expert testimony. Ballistics, toolmarks, evidentiary technique. He has written a damning book on how so many “truths” of physical evidence as scientific really are anything but. Crime labs are gonna freak.
He won’t be the first, pretty much any case that used hair matches as evidence was BS, at least now they can pull mitochondrial dna from hair so it has some use even without a rootball.
And bite mark comparisons are apparently trash for evidentiary value too.
This is a Science Friday episode about it from a couple years ago.
re: #63 Eclectic Cyborg
“The Presidents independence from Congress.”
The President doesn’t even know Congress, they were just the coffee boy.
/
re: #30 Backwoods_Sleuth
It’s close to Williamsport Pa and he’s there to speak on behalf of Fred Keller who is a Tea Bag rubber stamp hack from my area. It’s the 12th District that was ruled gerrymandered and reset along different lines in Pennsylvania. Tom Marino was the previous Tea Bag political hack who suddenly retired to spend more time with his (fill in blank).
Marc Friedenberg is running against him. Marc was defeated by Tom Marino last election.
Insight
Marc has little to no chance since this area is in the pocket of the GOP for decades.
BUT in some local elections there were shifts.
Got that?
I want to throw bottles.
Cut to the chase, that fucking dipstick Fred Keller who was a GOP Governor Tom Corbett underwear stain is now angling for Congress. And he will take it. Because dead plants can vote.
Here. Meet Fred. Fred likes you. But not you over there. But we keep our voices low. Fred.
Got that?
re: #26 Blind Frog Belly White
Speaking of adding sound to silent cars, did you know that several automakers play engine sounds to the car’s interior via the speakers? And not necessarily the sound of the engine in the car. Ford, for instance, uses a V8 sound for its 4 cylinder Ecoboost Mustang.
Apparently, engines themselves are quieter, and with the sound deadening materials in modern cars, drivers felt like they weren’t getting the sound they wanted from their muscle cars.
My wife’s 2005 Mustang has that. It’s a 6 cylinder, but f you’re in the car and hit the gas, it sounds like you’re driving a Boss 302.
re: #55 Belafon
It’s like finding out Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, and Drew Berrymore play D&D.
I’ll play Rogue for them!
re: #51 Blind Frog Belly White
Apparently Trump is planning on ‘ordering’ McGahn to defy the House subpoena and not testify. There’s supposedly a DOJ OLC opinion being drafted to defend this move.
There can’t be any claim of attorney/client privilege, because the WH Counsel is not the President’s attorney.
There can’t really be any claim of executive privilege, since McGahn already testified to the SCO.
It’s all about stopping McGahn from making him look bad on national television, and there’s no claim of privilege for that.
I believe the argument is that the SCO is under the purview of the DOJ which is part of the executive branch so the president can still assert executive privilege since McGahn has never testified outside the executive branch. Don’t think it is a good argument, but what they are going with. It will tie things up in the courts and that’s really what they want.
re: #72 danarchy
I believe the argument is that the SCO is under the purview of the DOJ which is part of the executive branch so the president can still assert executive privilege since McGahn has never testified outside the executive branch. Don’t think it is a good argument, but what they are going with. It will tie things up in the courts and that’s really what they want.
McGahn is a private citizen, so there’s nothing really blocking him except he works for a Republican linked private law firm. The Democrats will have to challenge the DOJ ruling, but that’s just going to eat time.
Our job is to be angry at Trump, not Democrats.
re: #55 Belafon
I knew about Vin, I MIGHT have heard about The Rock. I had NO idea about Drew Barrymore.
You don’t say… https://t.co/ISFUIG2qkh
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 20, 2019
Justin Amash on the Tea Party: “It turns out a lot of them were not in favor of limiting the size of government, they were just opposed to the president at the time.”
Turns out, Tea Party members were just racists. Who knew?
EVERYBODY!— The Rube Report (@GuadalahonkyToo) May 20, 2019
re: #76 makeitstop
Neil Young owns Lionel Trains.
Young was a minority shareholder from 1995 till 2008, but got bought out/forced out when Lionel LLC (the current version of the company) went through bankruptcy; he apparently still does consulting for them though.
Lionel changed hands again in 1995, when Kughn sold controlling interest in the company to an investment group that included Neil Young and the holding company Wellspring Capital Management, which was headed by former Paramount Communications (formerly Gulf+Western) chairman Martin Davis (he had left the board of Viacom, which bought Paramount the previous year). The new company became known as Lionel, LLC. The company continued marketing reproductions of its vintage equipment, and the trend towards producing new equipment that was ever-more-detailed continued. Young now had a 20% stake in the company.
[…]
Lionel’s Chapter 11 plan also called for private equity firm Guggenheim Partners to contribute US$37.1 million to the reorganized Lionel company, which consequently would now own 48.6 percent of the new Lionel. Similarly, the plan also called for the estate of the late Martin S. Davis (former chairman of Gulf+Western Industries/Paramount Communications Inc.) to provide US$21.9 million to Lionel, and the Davis estate would now have a 28.6 percent share in the reorganized company. Guggenheim Partners’s and the Davis estate’s funding totaled US$59 million for the reorganization plan; they would also loan Lionel an additional US$10 million in second-lien debt. As a result, Calabrese expected the company to be out of bankruptcy “within a week”.[4]
Following the reorganization plan, Neil Young was no longer a minority shareholder in the Lionel company; however, Calabrese insisted that the company wanted Young to remain involved, claiming that Neil would have an “ongoing role in the company”, but that this role would be “up to [Neil]”.[4] The pair organized a meeting on March 28, 2008. As of 2012, Young remains an active consultant in the company’s LEGACY and other high-end products.
re: #77 Blind Frog Belly White
I stand corrected.
He still has one of the biggest model train rigs in the world, though. :)
re: #81 makeitstop
I stand corrected.
He still has one of the biggest model train rigs in the world, though. :)
And Young did this for Lionel:
In 1991, the most popular toy train, the Santa Fe F3 was reintroduced with RailSounds. In 1992 Richard Kughn and musician Neil Young, an avid model railroader, created Liontech, chartered to develop exclusive new model train control and sound systems. Liontech’s RailSounds II debuted in 1994.
In 1994, TMCC (Trainmaster Command Control), the brainchild of Neil Young, was introduced. Abbreviated as TMCC, it is a technology similar to Digital Command Control which permits, among other things, the operation of Lionel trains by remote control. This allowed collectors to walk around their layout while still being in control of their trains. It introduced new features like whistle, bell, chugging, diesel roar, electro-couplers, ability to turn RailSounds on or off, and many more.
re: #47 Rightwingconspirator
Bite evidence…. that’s a huge area that turned out to be junk science.
I’m still sort of confused. Is this a case of McGahn wanting/willing to testify and the WH trying to block such out of fear of embarrassment? Or is it McGahn refusing to testify and the WH trying to find a way to back that up?
re: #81 makeitstop
I stand corrected.
He still has one of the biggest model train rigs in the world, though. :)
Yep.
The Older Boy was really into trains, from the age of 2 to the age of 6. And I mean REALLY INTO trains, in the way ASD folks get. Nearly every toy, and most of the videos he watched were train-related. Mrs. FBW found all the nearby train rides, including the Live Steamers in Tilden Park in Berkeley, and the Roaring Camp steam train near Santa Cruz. We went to ‘Train Shows’ at the Cow Palace - basically a bunch of dealers selling train and model train stuff. I even took him up to Portland to ride for a day on a Union Pacific excursion train, pulled by what was at that time the largest operating steam engine.
Then, at the age of 6, over the course of a couple months, he completely lost interest in trains. Next it was pirates.
So, his 6th birthday we celebrated on the Roaring Camp steam train. His 7th birthday we celebrated on a “pirate ship”, the Hawaiian Chieftain.
And we ended up with a lot of train stuff.
re: #39 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀
10) So he decided to found an entirely new religion, separate from Christianity and Judaism, predicated essentially on the worship of whiteness. He called it Creativity, and his organization the Church of the Creator. pic.twitter.com/NlARpvyaSq
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) May 20, 2019
re: #79 Backwoods_Sleuth
…..
The Rube Report
@GuadalahonkyToo
Justin Amash on the Tea Party: “It turns out a lot of them were not in favor of limiting the size of government, they were just opposed to the president at the time.”Turns out, Tea Party members were just racists. Who knew?
EVERYBODY!
I don’t think they are necessarily racists — it could just have been that they hate Democrats. Think of how Bill Clinton was treated — and he was a Southern white boy. Yes — there are a lot of racists supporting the party but most of the opposition in the House and Senate was motivated by disdain for everything Democratic. Hillary would have faced the same opposition if she had been chosen in 2008.
re: #83 lawhawk
From his book, private cause i gotta ask about public posting. Rifle marks on bullets from victims… Yikes.
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
re: #86 gocart mozart
It is quite a thread, all 110 tweets of it
re: #33 GlutenFreeJesus
That beeping/clicking noise at many stoplights now would even suffice. It’s not too annoying, and you know it means “pay attention”.
I think they should all be required to make this noise:
re: #87 Hecuba’s daughter
I don’t think they are necessarily racists — it could just have been that they hate Democrats. Think of how Bill Clinton was treated — and he was a Southern white boy. Yes — there are a lot of racists supporting the party but most of the opposition in the House and Senate was motivated by disdain for everything Democratic. Hillary would have faced the same opposition if she had been chosen in 2008.
I tie it all back to the migration that occurred after the CRA and VRA were passed. They hate Democrats because Democrats support minorities.
re: #87 Hecuba’s daughter
I don’t think they are necessarily racists — it could just have been that they hate Democrats. Think of how Bill Clinton was treated — and he was a Southern white boy. Yes — there are a lot of racists supporting the party but most of the opposition in the House and Senate was motivated by disdain for everything Democratic. Hillary would have faced the same opposition if she had been chosen in 2008.
I don’t think one can discount that racism was involved, because more than a few tried to justify such by arguing that he was the “First Affirmative Action President.” We had 8 years of Republicans grumbling that if he’d been white, then Hillary/McCain/Romney would have won. That they “knew” scores of white voters that voted for Obama for fear of being accused of “racism.”
re: #90 danarchy
I think they should all be required to make this noise:
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They should let people add their own sounds, like ring tones on their phones! :)
re: #84 Targetpractice
I’m still sort of confused. Is this a case of McGahn wanting/willing to testify and the WH trying to block such out of fear of embarrassment? Or is it McGahn refusing to testify and the WH trying to find a way to back that up?
I’m wondering the same thing. Wouldn’t it be wild if McGahn tried to show up to testify and Barr had him arrested.
A California anti abortion group tried filing a CEQA suit to block a Planned Parenthood in California, saying it would generate too much noise. The “noise” was to be generated by the group’s own protests https://t.co/XGC4EG0rgm
— Kevin Burke (@derivativeburke) May 19, 2019
re: #93 makeitstop
They should let people add their own sounds, like ring tones on their phones! :)
“Is that your Nissan Leaf?”
“Yeah.”
“Why does it sound like a Ferrari Daytona?”
“Sound pack I downloaded yesterday. I can also make it sound like Lamborghini Countach if I want.”
re: #85 Blind Frog Belly White
Yep.
The Older Boy was really into trains, from the age of 2 to the age of 6. And I mean REALLY INTO trains, in the way ASD folks get. Nearly every toy, and most of the videos he watched were train-related. Mrs. FBW found all the nearby train rides, including the Live Steamers in Tilden Park in Berkeley, and the Roaring Camp steam train near Santa Cruz. We went to ‘Train Shows’ at the Cow Palace - basically a bunch of dealers selling train and model train stuff. I even took him up to Portland to ride for a day on a Union Pacific excursion train, pulled by what was at that time the largest operating steam engine.
Then, at the age of 6, over the course of a couple months, he completely lost interest in trains. Next it was pirates.
So, his 6th birthday we celebrated on the Roaring Camp steam train. His 7th birthday we celebrated on a “pirate ship”, the Hawaiian Chieftain.
And we ended up with a lot of train stuff.
One thing I just found out about the original, defunct Lionel Corporation that falls under “huh…”: Roy Cohn (yes, that Roy Cohn, he of McCarthy and Trump infamy) was the owner of the company from 1959-1963 and just about ran it into the ground then:
In 1959, Cowen and son sold their interest in the Lionel company and retired. The buyer was Cowen’s grandnephew, Roy Cohn (businessman and attorney to Senator Joseph McCarthy) who replaced most of Cowen’s management. The business direction of the Lionel company changed: it added subsidiary companies unrelated to toy train sets — among them were Dale Electronics, Sterling Electric Motors, and Telerad Manufacturing.[14] Cohn’s unsuccessful tenure of Lionel lost the company more than US$13 million in his four years of running the company.[6]
re: #94 stpaulbear
I’m wondering the same thing. Wouldn’t it be wild if McGahn tried to show up to testify and Barr had him arrested.
The fact that they’re trying to bar the testimony on the grounds that anything said between him and Trump is “privileged” seems to weigh more towards his being willing to testify and the WH trying to slap duct tape over his mouth.
re: #93 makeitstop
They should let people add their own sounds, like ring tones on their phones! :)
All this reminds me of a joke, which I won’t tell for 2 reasons. First, it’s an ethnic joke. Second, it just doesn’t work in print. Gotta do it in person.
re: #96 Targetpractice
“Is that your Nissan Leaf?”
“Yeah.”
“Why does it sound like a Ferrari Daytona?”
“Sound pack I downloaded yesterday. I can also make it sound like Lamborghini Countach if I want.”
Or a T Rex.
re: #97 TedStriker
One thing I just found out about the original, defunct Lionel Corporation that falls under “huh…”: Roy Cohn (yes, that Roy Cohn, he of McCarthy and Trump infamy) was the owner of the company from 1959-1963 and just about ran it into the ground then:
That must explain the affinity of Trump and Cohn - a history of being lousy businessmen.
re: #100 Belafon
Would you have the matching T-rex eating the stick figure family sticker?!
“Giggity Giggity Giggity Giggity Giggity Giggity Giggity Giggity GIGGGGIIIIITTTTTYYYYYEEEEEEEEE
The Quagmire V-8 sound patch.
re: #96 Targetpractice
“Is that your Nissan Leaf?”
“Yeah.”
“Why does it sound like a Ferrari Daytona?”
“Sound pack I downloaded yesterday. I can also make it sound like Lamborghini Countach if I want.”
I’d go with this. :P
Imagine being able to set car sounds like phone rings. Right blinker is the voice of Clint Eastwood.
re: #105 here…not here…..here…not…was I even…..
The Metallica For Whom the Bell Tolls patch… (all you need the is the opening riff… )
re: #111 Belafon
Imagine being able to set car sounds like phone rings. Right blinker is the voice of Clint Eastwood.
“Right Turn Clyde”
re: #113 Rightwingconspirator
“Right Turn Clyde”
So, does one include the sound of an orangutan fist hitting a face?
Jesus Christ, this admin can make anything racist…
Commissioner Brendan Carr of the Federal Communications Commission told CNBC on Monday that suppliers of 5G wireless networking equipment in the U.S. should “share Western values.”
“Companies that are deploying our network equipment [should] share our Western values in terms of respecting IP rights, respecting the First Amendment,” Carr said on “Squawk Alley, ” discussing security around next generation 5G wireless technology.
Last week, the Trump administration effectively blacklisted Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant that makes wireless equipment that can be used in 5G network deployments.
The move announced Wednesday states, among other requirements, that U.S. firms must seek government approval before doing business with Huawei. The Trump administration alleges that Huawei poses a national security threat because of close ties to the communist Chinese government. Huawei has denied those allegations.
My Rolls-Royce, nicknamed “the Robber Baron,” is actually fairly audible from the outside, which is good since I don’t have a cowcatcher, er, brush guard for shoving aside heedless peasants.
Inside, the clock is not in fact the loudest sound, especially not when I am playing ZZ Top or Creedence Clearwater.
re: #104 lawhawk
Piker….
Bugatti Veyron.
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Eh, give me a nice supercharged Miata with the too down. Not as fast but in touch with the road, in the wind and a cd of my favorite tunes.
re: #116 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel
My Rolls-Royce, nicknamed “the Robber Baron,” is actually fairly audible from the outside, which is good since I don’t have a cowcatcher, er, brush guard for shoving aside heedless peasants.
Inside, the clock is not in fact the loudest sound, especially not when I am playing ZZ Top or Creedence Clearwater.
All electric cars should be required to play rap or heavy metal, with the bass turned up too far and big ass subwoofers in the trunk.
re: #118 William Lewis
Wh, give me a nice supercharged Miata with the too down. Not as fast but in touch with the road, in the wind and a cd of my favorite tunes.
I’d like to have enough money to buy a Bugatti, but I’d use it to buy a couple other, slightly less extreme cars.
And a house.
re: #112 lawhawk
All good. King Nothing had me. I put that on my CD in my biggarigga and scream it running down hills in storms.
Ah.
So much good music.
Love it all.
Astounded when someone says “huh”.
Swim in it.
Wah Gwann…
I’m guessing that “too quiet” was not one of the problems at this Jeep jamboree.
Over 100 arrests made during “Go Topless” weekend in Galveston
More than 100 people were arrested as “Go Topless Galveston,” an event that brings together hundreds of Jeep drivers, attracted intoxicated crowds.
Public intoxication, driving while intoxicated, vehicle burglary and other offenses caused the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office to work around the clock. The majority of the arrests took place on Crystal Beach, where the event was held.
“We’ve seen them fall out of vehicles, get struck by other vehicles, fall out and hit their head,” said Sheriff Henry Trochesset Sunday afternoon. “We had a head-on collision last night by Gilchrist. A vehicle caught on fire. The passenger was extracted from the vehicle and we called Life Flight,” a helicopter ambulance service. “That I know of, there are no fatalities so far. But the weekend’s not over.”
re: #117 Targetpractice
…
I’ll be in my bunk.
//
I really, really liked this Nissan. I’m not sure if it’s in production or if it’s just a concept, but this thing is just badass.
re: #123 makeitstop
I really, really liked this Nissan. I’m not sure if it’s in production or if it’s just a concept, but this thing is just badass.
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Remember the cardinal rule of auto shows and concept cars: the cooler the design, the more likely it will never enter production, at least as shown in the concept.
That said, that 50th anniversary GT-R concept does look metal AF.
re: #122 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel
I’m guessing that “too quiet” was not one of the problems at this Jeep jamboree.
Over 100 arrests made during “Go Topless” weekend in Galveston
Can’t say I really would have connected Jeeps with a “Go Topless” event…
:P
re: #124 TedStriker
Remember the cardinal rule of auto shows and concept cars: the cooler the design, the more likely it will never enter production, at least as shown in the concept.
That said, that GT-R does look metal AF.
I went looking - it’s an Italdesign re-work of the GT-R that will see production of 50 copies, each ‘tailored to the individual buyer.’
Price tag - starting at 990,000 Euros. Not this year.
re: #126 makeitstop
I went looking - it’s an Italdesign re-work of the GT-R that will see production of 50 copies, each ‘tailored to the individual buyer.’
Price tag - starting at 990,000 Euros. Not this year.
From the side, it’s reminiscent of the new Camaro - which you can get fully tricked out for <10% of that.
re: #126 makeitstop
I went looking - it’s an Italdesign re-work of the GT-R that will see production of 50 copies, each ‘tailored to the individual buyer.’
Price tag - starting at 990,000 Euros. Not this year.
In other words, it’s a rich guy’s toy and future garage queen, lovingly pampered but hardly ever driven.
Those new cars do look awesome but I’ve had my eye on a classic Corvette for ages.
Share this tweet if you think throwing milkshakes on fascists should become a new thing. https://t.co/O6xnrjnH9f
— 🇹🇹Black🇭🇹Aziz🇳🇬aNANsi🇯🇲 (@Freeyourmindkid) May 20, 2019
Gov Bevin proclaims the week of June 17 to be Covered Bridges Week in Kentucky, when we will celebrate our state’s antiquated bridges - no, not the massive, crumbling Brent Spence, but the quaint, historic bridges that don’t make you fear for your lives. ^JC pic.twitter.com/z446KCQdy3
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) May 20, 2019
re: #129 Eclectic Cyborg
Those new cars do look awesome but I’ve had my eye on a classic Corvette for ages.
I saw a red ‘57 Chevy Bel Air when I was out earlier. That design still turns my head every single time.
The Proud Boys leader says the gorilla on their banner is “a dedication to Harambe.” pic.twitter.com/qfgAvIzrEZ
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) May 20, 2019
In Alt-Right memes Harambe is code for black people. Another racial gesture like the ok hand sign, disguised as “a joke,” to own the libtards.
re: #129 Eclectic Cyborg
Those new cars do look awesome but I’ve had my eye on a classic Corvette for ages.
A guy up the street has a ‘62. Last of the ones with the exposed headlights, but the tail end is like the one on the 63-67 Corvettes. If I had all the money in the world, and could only buy one Corvette, I’d buy one of those.
It makes me feel all ‘Route 66’.
re: #134 Blind Frog Belly White
A guy up the street has a ‘62. Last of the ones with the exposed headlights, but the tail end is like the one on the 63-67 Corvettes. If I had all the money in the world, and could only buy one Corvette, I’d buy one of those.
It makes me feel all ‘Route 66’.
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That is nice. I’ve actually had my eye on the mid 70s to early 80s model year. I was just looking at a 1974 Stingray that looked sexy as hell.
re: #130 gocart mozart
Notice how the person tossing the milkshake is neither thrown to the ground violently or shot 9 fucking times as he is tasered.
‘Merica.
JUST IN: Judge rules in favor of House Democrats’ efforts to obtain Donald Trump’s financial records from former accounting firm. https://t.co/8tHr9A58lG
— ABC News (@ABC) May 20, 2019
re: #137 The Vicious Babushka
Womp, womp you orange motherfucker.
From the Mehta decision:
B. Determining Whether Congress Has Acted Legislatively
When a court is asked to decide whether Congress has used its investigative power improperly, its analysis must be highly deferential to the legislative branch. A number of guideposts mark the way forward. To start, the court must proceed from the assumption “that the action of the legislative body was with a legitimate object, if it is capable of being so construed, and [the court] ha[s] no right to assume that the contrary was intended.” McGrain, 273 U.S. at 178 (citation omitted). It also “must presume that the committees of Congress will exercise their powers responsibly and with due regard for the rights of affected parties.” Exxon Corp., 589 F.2d at 589. So, when it appears that Congress is investigating on a subject-matter in aid of legislating, “the presumption should be indulged that this was the real object.” McGrain, 273 U.S. at 178. An important corollary to this presumption of regularity is that courts may not “test[] the motives of committee members” to negate an otherwise facially valid legislative purpose. Watkins, 354 U.S. at 200; see also Eastland, 421 U.S. at 508 (“Our cases make clear that in determining the legitimacy of a congressional act we do not look to the motives alleged to have prompted it.”) (citation omitted). “So long as Congress acts in pursuance of its constitutional power, the Judiciary lacks authority to intervene on the basis of the motives which spurred the exercise of that power.”
Barenblatt, 360 U.S. at 132 (citation omitted).
I wonder who the chief judge is in the circuit where all of the fights between Congress and Trump will play out and whether he cares about partisan norm-busting. Oh that’s right…it’s some guy named Merrick Garland.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) May 20, 2019
re: #123 makeitstop
I really, really liked this Nissan. I’m not sure if it’s in production or if it’s just a concept, but this thing is just badass.
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Little more than a little Dodge dna in there.
re: #145 jaunte
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The WH’s biggest hope is getting this to the SCOTUS bench where they expect Roberts will declare that Congress has no business looking into the president’s* business.
re: #137 The Vicious Babushka
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So the story states that the judge would not issue a stay pending appeal…is that decision also appealable on an expedited basis? Could the Court of Appeals somehow put a temporary stay in place?
re: #147 Targetpractice
I wonder what precedent they’ll cite for that. Maybe something from King Arthur.
“Some 160 years later, President Donald J. Trump has taken up the fight of his predecessor” James Buchanan, generally considered the worst president in history. Ouch. https://t.co/iz1sG8LBrv
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) May 20, 2019
re: #149 jaunte
I wonder what precedent they’ll cite for that. Maybe something from King Arthur.
I’ve no clue, but I’m sure it’ll be a howler.
re: #144 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel
Possums are UPCs - Unarmored Possumnel Carriers…
I don’t even have to check the usual suspects to know how this is gonna be received: “THIS JUDGE WAS BIASED AGAINST TRUMP! HE’S AN OBAMA APPOINTEE!! HE SHOULD HAVE PASSED THE CASE TO ANOTHER JUDGE!!!” Followed up with the few sub-geniuses realizing Garland gets the next crack at this case and demanding he recuse himself because…he’s biased against Trump for not nominating him.
You might laugh, but it will happen.
re: #146 Rightwingconspirator
Little more than a little Dodge dna in there.
Indeed. It just looks like it’s going fast, just sitting there.
So, the other thing about McGahn is that Trump tweeted essentially calling him a liar. And now he wants to prevent McGahn from testifying.
But apparently, in all their legal mumbo-jumbo, the one thing they DIDN’T assert was that the WH could BLOCK McGahn from testifying. All they claimed was that Congress couldn’t compel him to testify.
This is the key point:
Although OLC’s opinion says the President can “direct” McGahn not to testify, it identifies absolutely zero legal basis through which the President could _stop_ McGahn from appearing voluntarily.
If such a basis existed, trust me, OLC would’ve cited it. https://t.co/YyjXvLkziz— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) May 20, 2019
re: #156 Blind Frog Belly White
So, the other thing about McGahn is that Trump tweeted essentially calling him a liar. And now he wants to prevent McGahn from testifying.
But apparently, in all their legal mumbo-jumbo, the one thing they DIDN’T assert was that the WH could BLOCK McGahn from testifying. All they claimed was that Congress couldn’t compel him to testify.
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They seem to be trying to lay the groundwork for when they successfully scare him into backing out of testifying. I’m seeing pundits offering up the opinion that Trump could “retaliate” by ordering Republicans to withhold work from his law firm if he goes through with testifying, probably by declaring that he’s a “liar” who “can’t be trusted” to respect attorney-client privilege.
re: #148 Mike Lamb
So the story states that the judge would not issue a stay pending appeal…is that decision also appealable on an expedited basis? Could the Court of Appeals somehow put a temporary stay in place?
Upon appeal, the appealing party can file a motion in the appellate court for a stay of the trial court’s ruling. The appellate court can also issue one sua sponte, meaning “on it’s own motion.”
Abbe Lowell also instructed Cohen to distance Ivanka from the Moscow deal and Cohen had an email to prove it. @waltshaub @DC_Bar https://t.co/nCn4lRlbaw
— Sandy Skipper (@SandySkipper1) May 20, 2019
re: #159 KGxvi
Upon appeal, the appealing party can file a motion in the appellate court for a stay of the trial court’s ruling. The appellate court can also issue one sua sponte, meaning “on it’s own motion.”
Is this one of those “likely to prevail on the merits” things, where the court might refuse the stay if they thought the plaintiff wouldn’t win?
re: #158 Targetpractice
They seem to be trying to lay the groundwork for when they successfully scare him into backing out of testifying. I’m seeing pundits offering up the opinion that Trump could “retaliate” by ordering Republicans to withhold work from his law firm if he goes through with testifying, probably by declaring that he’s a “liar” who “can’t be trusted” to respect attorney-client privilege.
In a rational world, that would be yet another article of impeachment against Trump. Well, two: another count of obstruction of Congress; and one for abuse of office/power and effectively issuing a bill of attainder.
GOP senator unleashes over tariffs, demands end to trade war: “Farmers and ranches are hurting” https://t.co/Z5sI8GtkE7 pic.twitter.com/zHxjsti94k
— The Hill (@thehill) May 20, 2019
And I thought….
So……
Who’s developed “DriveTones”.
Me thinks no one
re: #161 Blind Frog Belly White
Is this one of those “likely to prevail on the merits” things, where the court might refuse the stay if they thought the plaintiff wouldn’t win?
I’m not sure what the standard is, actually. Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 8 covers these kind of motions.
re: #162 KGxvi
In a rational world, that would be yet another article of impeachment against Trump. Well, two: another count of obstruction of Congress; and one for abuse of office/power and effectively issuing a bill of attainder.
Ayep. But we’re not in a rational world, so I could totally see McGahn bowing out tomorrow, followed by the House Dems immediately…threatening to hold him in contempt, leading to another bout of laughter from the WH.
re: #167 Targetpractice
Ayep. But we’re not in a rational world, so I could totally see McGahn bowing out tomorrow, followed by the House Dems immediately…threatening to hold him in contempt, leading to another bout of laughter from the WH.
House Dems need to say fuck it and just start impeachment hearings… they’ve got Amash on board at least when it comes to obstruction of justice so they can call it bipartisan.
re: #116 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel
My Rolls-Royce, nicknamed “the Robber Baron,” is actually fairly audible from the outside, which is good since I don’t have a cowcatcher, er, brush guard for shoving aside heedless peasants.
Inside, the clock is not in fact the loudest sound, especially not when I am playing ZZ Top or Creedence Clearwater.
Is it wrong that I want to come to Texas and hang out with you?
re: #168 KGxvi
House Dems need to say fuck it and just start impeachment hearings… they’ve got Amash on board at least when it comes to obstruction of justice so they can call it bipartisan.
They will first go through the courts like they have done with respect to the financial records mentioned above.
re: #161 Blind Frog Belly White
Is this one of those “likely to prevail on the merits” things, where the court might refuse the stay if they thought the plaintiff wouldn’t win?
Ok, just looked it up, looks like the moving party needs to establish four things:
a strong likelihood of success on the merits of its appeal; that [the party] will suffer irreparable harm if a stay is not granted; that the harm will outweigh any harm opposing parties will suffer if the stay is granted; and that the public interest would be furthered by granting the stay.
In re Power Recovery Sys., Inc., 950 F.2d 798, 804 n. 31 (1st Cir. 1991)
Perhaps it’s time for Congress to test this argument as part of its oversight responsibilities. https://t.co/D6qLCJ3khI
— Tim O’Brien (@TimOBrien) May 20, 2019
I want the new Italian death mobile from Fiat:
re: #168 KGxvi
House Dems need to say fuck it and just start impeachment hearings… they’ve got Amash on board at least when it comes to obstruction of justice so they can call it bipartisan.
They’re scared of their own shadows, which ironically is the very thing that a lot of critics of the leadership brought up in the weeks and months leading up to the midterms, which was met with assurances that they’d take the matter “seriously” and would impeach if they found sufficient evidence.
Six months later, the critics are being proven right as the leadership seems to be looking for every excuse they can for inaction.
re: #171 KGxvi
Ok, just looked it up, looks like the moving party needs to establish four things:
In re Power Recovery Sys., Inc., 950 F.2d 798, 804 n. 31 (1st Cir. 1991)
Well, hell, that’s easy, then! No, no, no, and no! (Or, why I’m not a judge)
re: #175 makeitstop
My wife loved that car at the Auto Show, mainly because it was one of the few cars left that comes with a manual transmission. She hates driving an automatic.
I don’t mind driving an automatic, but a stick shift is more fun.
re: #171 KGxvi
Ok, just looked it up, looks like the moving party needs to establish four things:
In re Power Recovery Sys., Inc., 950 F.2d 798, 804 n. 31 (1st Cir. 1991)
Strong likelihood of winning on the merits? I think the lower court just got done effectively stating this case has no merit.
Irreparable harm to the party? I don’t think “damage to Donny’s ego” counts.
And the public interest is in transparency, not in protecting politicians from their own dirty laundry.
re: #177 KGxvi
I don’t mind driving an automatic, but a stick shift is more fun.
I do sometimes regret getting the Challenger with an automatic, but not Friday morning when I was stuck on a steep grade waiting for the flagger to let us through.
Congressmen Devin Nunes filed a request for extension on his mandatory financial disclosure forms, which were due Wednesday. Nunes has faced recent questions from critics alleging he neglected to include some of his business interests on his forms.https://t.co/HaGc73SU5R
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) May 19, 2019
re: #170 Belafon
They will first go through the courts like they have done with respect to the financial records mentioned above.
See, the flip side to “Doing things ‘right’,” which is what we’re told letting this all grind its way through the bowels of the federal court system, is that it’s playing by Donny’s rules. This ruling today happened only because the judge chose to expedite things, when the WH was gearing up to drag it out for weeks or months.
The hope of the DNC leadership is if they drag things out, then it will hurt Donny next November because the public will be put off by his lack of transparency and attempt to grind the investigations to a halt. But he’s already hit the floor in his poll numbers, he doesn’t really have anywhere else to go but up.
re: #175 makeitstop
My wife loved that car at the Auto Show, mainly because it was one of the few cars left that comes with a manual transmission. She hates driving an automatic.
One aspect of it that I love, too.
re: #178 Targetpractice
Strong likelihood of winning on the merits? I think the lower court just got done effectively stating this case has no merit.
Irreparable harm to the party? I don’t think “damage to Donny’s ego” counts.
And the public interest is in transparency, not in protecting politicians from their own dirty laundry.
The argument on appeal would be this:
1. the trial court erred in its ruling by applying the wrong standard and had they applied the correct standard, we would have won.
2. Trump, even has president, still has a constitutionally protected right to privacy, including in documents/records protected by a privilege (accountants likely count as fiduciaries) and releasing these documents (at least without a protective order) would violate Trump’s constitutional rights
3. Plaintiffs aren’t harmed by waiting for the appeal because they’re still in court and if the court of appeal rules against Trump, they’ll be able to get them; there’s no rush to get the documents while the appeal is pending because the litigation at the trial level will be effectively tolled
4. There’s an inherent public interest in protecting every person’s right to privacy and ensuring that the federal rules of civil procedure are enforced fairly. Granting the stay sets a precedent that financial records should be protected pending appeal. If the documents are publicly released, it could prejudice Trump in other proceedings. (There’s all sorts of bullshit public policy arguments you can make here)
I suspect that Trump probably loses on the first one. The second and third points usually go together and could go either way. Usually if you get through the first three, you’ll likely see the court come up with something for the fourth prong.
My sister is on FB dracarys-ing the hell out of people who are complaining about people spoiling last night’s episode of GoT.
I know here we apply spoiler tags to be polite, but there aren’t spoiler tags on FB, and things like GoT are big cultural events, and expecting everyone to NOT talk about them because you haven’t seen it yet but don’t have the self-control to stay off FB till you do seems ‘sun shines out your ass’ self-centered.
re: #179 Blind Frog Belly White
I do sometimes regret getting the Challenger with an automatic, but not Friday morning when I was stuck on a steep grade waiting for the flagger to let us through.
My Challenger is a stick shift, and one nice feature it has is a hill assist… so you can take your foot off the break while pressing the clutch and not roll down a hill.
re: #157 GlutenFreeJesus
The most annoying sound in the world is Donald Trump’s voice.
Trump said children were being trafficked.
— Jo Burchfield #VoteBlueNoMatterWho (@burchfieldjo) May 20, 2019
re: #186 The Vicious Babushka
The most annoying sound in the world is Donald Trump’s voice.
Especially when he stops on the South Lawn on the way to the helicopter, which you hear screaming in the background.
Asshole.
“Camp Crystal Lake” pic.twitter.com/EtsMVPGfJ5
— Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) May 20, 2019
re: #181 Targetpractice
See, the flip side to “Doing things ‘right’,” which is what we’re told letting this all grind its way through the bowels of the federal court system, is that it’s playing by Donny’s rules. This ruling today happened only because the judge chose to expedite things, when the WH was gearing up to drag it out for weeks or months.
The hope of the DNC leadership is if they drag things out, then it will hurt Donny next November because the public will be put off by his lack of transparency and attempt to grind the investigations to a halt. But he’s already hit the floor in his poll numbers, he doesn’t really have anywhere else to go but up.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… daily hearings on articles of impeachment will be the lead story on every news broadcast. You could easily draft two dozen articles at this point. Two or three months of that, followed by a trial in the Senate that - like the Clinton trial - will be broadcast on every single fucking channel that (depending on how many articles you pass through the House) could take months; that’s the sort of thing that might just result in Trump breaking through his floor. Or at the very least further lowers his ceiling. Even if you don’t remove him, you can get a solid six months crushing him daily.
But we apparently live in a country where one party deserves to lose and the other doesn’t deserve to win.
Today’s hot take on the court decision on Trump’s financial records from FR. Because Presidents are above the law:
However, a president can simply refuse to honor it, as he can refuse to obey a judicial order. Separation of powers and there’s not a darned thing the judges can do about it.
Tough turkey!So yes, Congress can make illegal or unfair or simply unconstitutional demands on a president, thereby precipitating a “constitutional crisis”.. congress can do this any time it wishes, but it can avail them nothing so long as a president says no. Political whoopie and some headlines, yes. Documents, no.
Our Founders set up three co-equal and SEPARATE branches of government, dependent on each other ONLY to the limited degrees they specified. Our Founders had the example of a Parliamentary system…. which they certainly could have adopted had they wished…and in which the Prime Minister has to obey the majority votes of the Parliament.
Our Founders specifically said NO to that system.14 posted on 5/20/2019, 2:48:51 PM by faithhopecharity ( ”Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
JFC
Pres. Trump says his attorneys will appeal the judge’s ruling in favor of House Democrats in their efforts to obtain his financial records: “This never happened to any other president. They’re trying to get a re-do.” https://t.co/XEhtCnAT2C pic.twitter.com/keENOEoGF2
— ABC News (@ABC) May 20, 2019
re: #192 The Vicious Babushka
JFC
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“This never happened to any other president.”
The Whitewater Investigation would like a word.
We’re just going to be buried in an endless cycle of subpoenas, contempt hearings and appeals until November 2020, aren’t we?
re: #178 Targetpractice
Strong likelihood of winning on the merits? I think the lower court just got done effectively stating this case has no merit.
Irreparable harm to the party? I don’t think “damage to Donny’s ego” counts.
And the public interest is in transparency, not in protecting politicians from their own dirty laundry.
2 and 3 weigh pretty heavily in favor of Trump here. Damage is done once the documents are turned over, and waiting doesn’t hurt the Committee in any appreciable way. On the other hand, I don’t see Trump prevailing and the public interest isn’t protected by a stay here.
re: #194 Eclectic Cyborg
We’re just going to be buried in an endless cycle of subpoenas, contempt hearings and appeals until November 2020, aren’t we?
Yes, because the DNC have lopped off their own gonads for fear that the public learning they have any will in some way inspire enough support for Trump to win reelection.
re: #192 The Vicious Babushka
JFC
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It hasn’t happened because he’s the first to have not released tax returns.
re: #191 calochortus
Today’s hot take on the court decision on Trump’s financial records from FR. Because Presidents are above the law:
So, checks and balances aren’t a thing with those folks?
re: #198 Mike Lamb
So, checks and balances aren’t a thing with those folks?
Not for Republicans, apparently.
re: #191 calochortus
Today’s hot take on the court decision on Trump’s financial records from FR. Because Presidents are above the law:
If only someone had told Tricky Dick that he could tell Congress to blow him and they weren’t getting a damned thing no matter what the courts told him.
These fuckers truly do want a dictatorship, and only because they finally found their Hitler.
re: #198 Mike Lamb
So, checks and balances aren’t a thing with those folks?
Only checks.
With many zeroes on them.
There is no downside to impeachment. If it exposes Trump’s crimes and the GOP Senate still protects Trump, Dem-leaning voters are going to be furious and will turn out in droves. Do nothing, though, and frustrated Dems will stay home in 2020. It’s as if @TheDemocrats want to lose
— 617to416 (@617to416) May 20, 2019
re: #203 Interesting Times
This is what I am worried about. Not impeaching Trump could help guarantee his re-election.
It also sets the precedent that a President can do all sorts of shady and corrupt shit and get away with it.
Don’t think the next Republican President won’t take full advantage.
re: #204 Eclectic Cyborg
This is what I am worried about. Not impeaching Trump could help guarantee his re-election.
It also sets the precedent that a President can do all sorts of shady and corrupt shit and get away with it.
I don’t think Nancy Pelosi is OK with Trump doing whatever he wants. I strongly suspect that she wants to appear to be reluctant to impeach until there is a lot of evidence that can be seen by the indifferent middle of the country-possibly in conjunction with the economy being seen to be stagnating for “real” Americans. Impeaching is one thing, convicting is another and it seems to me that all these investigations and subpoenas (with their attendant obstruction) will only continue to pick up steam.
I hope I’m right.
re: #173 Colère Tueur de Lapin
I want the new Italian death mobile from Fiat:
[Embedded content]
*whispers*
You know most everything under the skin of the new Spiders (but not quite everything, mind you) are shared with the new Mazda Miatas/MX-5s (and is built by Mazda in Japan), right?
///
It’s the defunding the Special Olympics play.
— Schooley (@Rschooley) May 20, 2019
This was the identical argument Nixon gave for trying to block the Watergate tapes from being released. https://t.co/Gz1FokswxR
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) May 20, 2019
#BREAKING: The House Intelligence Committee just voted 12-7 to release the transcripts from Michael Cohen’s congressional testimony in February & March 2019.
The documents contain over 600 pages of testimony and related exhibits.
-https://t.co/S8oT8LYAAf
-https://t.co/kVBM2r89I5— Caroline Orr (@RVAwonk) May 20, 2019
re: #203 Interesting Times
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You know, say what you will about the GOP leadership (I could fill books with my thoughts), they at least try to do the stupid shit they run on.
They knew that repealing the ACA was political suicide, but they did it because that’s what their base wanted.
They pushed through wildly unpopular tax cuts because that’s what their base had been promised.
They’re presently flooding the body politic with massively unpopular forced-birth bills because that’s what their brain-dead base demands.
And they are protecting Donny with the sort of mentality that one rarely views outside of third world banana republics because to do less would mean their base screaming bloody murder.
Yes, the things they do are reprehensible and will be viewed by future generations as a dark period for American politics. But they don’t care, because they’re focused on winning reelection. Meanwhile, their counterparts across the aisle are doing what they’ve always done: Turning political gold into shit because they’re scared to death that the “mushy middle” will abandon them if they show the least bit of partisanship.
re: #205 calochortus
I don’t think Nancy Pelosi is OK with Trump doing whatever he wants. I strongly suspect that she wants to appear to be reluctant to impeach until there is a lot of evidence that can be seen by the indifferent middle of the country-possibly in conjunction with the economy being seen to be stagnating for “real” Americans. Impeaching is one thing, convicting is another and it seems to me that all these investigations and subpoenas (with their attendant obstruction) will only continue to pick up steam.
I hope I’m right.
My moderate Democratic congressperson thinks voting Trump out would do less damage to the country than impeachment. I used to be all for impeachment, because it would be faster. It no longer seems to have that advantage. Party-building will be necessary in any circumstances. That started in the mid-terms. The continuation might have to wait until after the primaries, but not if Decatur Deb has anything to say about it.
re: #210 Targetpractice
Meanwhile, their counterparts across the aisle are doing what they’ve always done: Turning political gold into shit because they’re scared to death that the “mushy middle” will abandon them if they show the least bit of partisanship.
Exactly! And it’s stupid beyond belief - Dems didn’t win the House in 2018 with “bipartisanship” promises, they won by promising accountability and protection of popular policies (e.g. ACA). They also won due to a turnout surge among people who sat out 2016. And nothing will piss away that advantage faster than the appearance of weakness or caving or failing to fight back.
The so-called “Obama/Trump” voters are already gone. In fact, trying to appease any trump voter is a fool’s errand (the exception being Elizabeth Warren, who made no compromises and simply explained how her policies would help them instead of engaging in weak, pathetic pandering).
re: #4 lawhawk
“The white nationalists are busy claiming a crisis exists because nonwhites are seeking legal immigration to the US.”
And because the US is on track to being a majority non-White country in the near future. SCARY!! /s
re: #211 wrenchwench
My moderate Democratic congressperson thinks voting Trump out would do less damage to the country than impeachment. I used to be all for impeachment, because it would be faster. It no longer seems to have that advantage.
“Saying ‘Wait for 2020’ as Pelosi does ignores the structural conditions of a GOP coup. It ignores threats to election integrity. But most of all, it ignores that people are suffering now. People under attack can’t wait 18 months for an uncertain outcome.” https://t.co/XryrJrATTD
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) May 17, 2019
Newsflash to your congressperson: the country is already damaged. Failing to take concrete steps to stop this lawlessness will only make things worse (and guarantee an unfair and un-free 2020 election).
re: #211 wrenchwench
And if he doesn”t get voted out, then what?
‘Hookers’ turned gay man straight with ‘anointed cake,’ Dallas evangelist says
A Dallas evangelist told his followers that an “anointed cake” baked by “hookers” turned a gay man straight.
The evangelist, Lance Wallnau, bills himself as a Christian consultant whose website says he helped get President Donald Trump elected with his book God’s Chaos Candidate.
Wallnau has made a career out of his pronouncements, which have earned him more than 200,000 Facebook followers.
re: #199 William Lewis
Interesting. I wonder if it is still a Miata in Fiat dress?
Largely. But it’s got the 1.4L turbo from the 500 Abarth. Plus slightly different suspension tuning, IIRC.
I believe it’s slightly faster than the Miata.
re: #214 Interesting Times
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Newsflash to your congressperson: the country is already damaged. Failing to take concrete steps to stop this lawlessness will only make things worse (and guarantee an unfair and un-free 2020 election).
Her district includes the poorest county in the second poorest state.
Investigations are continuing. Everything found is campaign fodder. Damage continues either way. A coup is not imminent. I could be wrong, but what if I was?
re: #216 Skip Intro
And if he doesn”t get voted out, then what?
The DNC leadership seems to think the answer to that is “Well, then we’ll impeach him.” Which is absolutely ridiculous when you consider that Donny’s entire argument for why the DNC wants to impeach him…is because Hillary lost the election. It won’t matter how strong the evidence is after ‘20 if Donny wins, because any attempt to impeach him at that point not only will fail in the Senate, but will actually help the GOP argue that the DNC is only doing so because they failed to beat Donny at the polls.
I’m sorry, but it’s now or never, either impeach him or drop the subject entirely. Continuing this “We believe he’s broken the law, but we can’t take action until we’re absolutely certain” does not display confidence, it display uncertainty and cowardice.
The consultant for Amash’s primary challenger boasts about the timing of his client’s Trump endorsement: https://t.co/t62KO92iui
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) May 20, 2019
Amazing. This is now the bedrock of Trumpist ideology. A loyalist not in spite of but because of Access Hollywood tape. https://t.co/di1zn9VhiC
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) May 20, 2019
They’re boasting about supporting Trump because he grabs ‘em by the pussy. Man, just….
And knowing things, he might win because everything fucking sucks and sexual assault is a plus for election these days.
re: #217 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel
‘Hookers’ turned gay man straight with ‘anointed cake,’ Dallas evangelist says
[Embedded content]
There’s no reason for you to believe I was trying to remember who did that song last week, but it’s true.
re: #212 Interesting Times
I agree with you and Targetpractice that the House should begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. I also find the incessant whining and insults directed at Democratic politicians obnoxious and irritating.
Contrary to the contrary BS, most Democrats did not run on a platform of removing Trump from office, they ran on policy.
re: #209 jaunte
Until Democrats start impeachment proceedings, actions like these are pretty meaningless, imho. They need to put Trump under the microscope and reveal his dirty laundry so that he’s damaged beyond repair before the election cycle begins in earnest in 2020.
Steve Doocy tries to talk to New Yorkers, and New Yorkers are not having it. pic.twitter.com/6ng5eTUsoc
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) May 20, 2019
re: #219 wrenchwench
Investigations are continuing. Everything found is campaign fodder. Damage continues either way. A coup is not imminent. I could be wrong, but what if I was?
If you define “coup” as the tanks-rolling-in-the-street version, then no, we’re not there…but if you use the “slow-moving coup” version, yes, it’s already underway (in fact, I daresay it started when malevolent turtle mcconnell vowed to block and kneecap Obama at every turn).
Georgia’s gubernatorial race was stolen (not by Russian ratfuckery, but good-old-fashioned GOPer suppression). And maybe Florida was as well (depending on how deep the Russian ratfuckery in certain counties went).
So…yes…I’m extremely worried about election fraud/voter suppression unlike anything the US has ever seen next year, simply because GOPers stand to benefit. Televised impeachment hearings now (and scorched-earth fines/arrest policies against supoeana-dodgers) at least stand a chance of revealing so much crime that even a few other GOPers will follow Amash’s lead.
So…tomorrow is Primary Election Day in Kentucky, where the primaries are closed.
So…I’m faced with a nightmare Republican ballot for state offices, including governor.
It is extremely depressing…what to do? what to do?
Not voting is not an option, nor is going to my polling place and voting a blank ballot.
SO…my strategy is I will not vote for anyone:
*named Bevin
*associated with or a fanboi of Trump
*associated with McConnell in any way ever
*a Libertarian pretending to be a Republican just so they can be on the Republican ballot.
Let me tell y’all…that seriously narrowed the choices down to complete losers across the board.
And each and every one of them get my vote tomorrow.
Come November…every one of my votes goes to the Democrats
re: #190 KGxvi
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… daily hearings on articles of impeachment will be the lead story on every news broadcast. You could easily draft two dozen articles at this point. Two or three months of that, followed by a trial in the Senate that - like the Clinton trial - will be broadcast on every single fucking channel that (depending on how many articles you pass through the House) could take months; that’s the sort of thing that might just result in Trump breaking through his floor. Or at the very least further lowers his ceiling. Even if you don’t remove him, you can get a solid six months crushing him daily.
But we apparently live in a country where one party deserves to lose and the other doesn’t deserve to win.
So, six months from now would be November 2019 and not November 2020.
Staten Islander actually is a different race than Manhattanite. Not many people know this,
— Edwin Mix (@TheEdMix) May 20, 2019
re: #229 Belafon
So, six months from now would be November 2019 and not November 2020.
In six months, the question of impeachment could also be deader than the dodo, as the DNC finds itself trying to decide between embracing a candidate who supports such or a candidate who wants to “bring the parties together” to fix the nation’s problems.
re: #219 wrenchwench
Her district includes the poorest county in the second poorest state.
Investigations are continuing. Everything found is campaign fodder. Damage continues either way. A coup is not imminent. I could be wrong, but what if I was?
I prefer coupes to coups any day
re: #231 Targetpractice
In six months, the question of impeachment could also be deader than the dodo, as the DNC finds itself trying to decide between embracing a candidate who supports such or a candidate who wants to “bring the parties together” to fix the nation’s problems.
Which means impeachment could tear the party apart.
They need to fight. What kind of selfish person abandons the most vulnerable without a fight? What kind of patriot gives up their country without a fight? What kind of official lets law die without a fight?
I’m glad Castro and a few others fight; the rest need to get on board.— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) May 20, 2019
re: #233 Belafon
Which means impeachment could tear the party apart.
The flip side to that being we’d be going into next November arguing that, as bad as Trump’s crimes may be, they’re not enough to warrant impeaching him over. Thus he will have the boost in the polls of both parties agreeing that nothing he has done warrants removal from office. And the DNC will be stuck running against a guy who, despite being unpopular, still has a very healthy economy to fall back on.
re: #227 Interesting Times
If you define “coup” as the tanks-rolling-in-the-street version, then no, we’re not there…but if you use the “slow-moving coup” version, yes, it’s already underway (in fact, I daresay it started when malevolent turtle mcconnell vowed to block and kneecap Obama at every turn).
Georgia’s gubernatorial race was stolen (not by Russian ratfuckery, but good-old-fashioned GOPer suppression). And maybe Florida was as well (depending on how deep the Russian ratfuckery in certain counties went).
So…yes…I’m extremely worried about election fraud/voter suppression unlike anything the US has ever seen next year, simply because GOPers stand to benefit. Televised impeachment hearings now (and scorched-earth fines/arrest policies against supoeana-dodgers) at least stand a chance of revealing so much crime that even a few other GOPers will follow Amash’s lead.
Pence is just another flavor of the same poison. He has to go, too. We have to defeat the tea party, the white supremacists, the perpetuators of patriarchy, and a whole lot more. Also, fix climate change.
Do the most good. Do the least bad.
“And the pig, because it has a cloven hoof that is completely split, but will not regurgitate its cud; You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you to wear on your feet in Australian bars.”
— Leviticus 11:7–8— Edwin Mix (@TheEdMix) May 20, 2019
re: #226 gocart mozart
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OMG, now I need a meme of Steve Doocy being run over by a truck and my day will be complete.
— Dan Kazmiruk 🇨🇦 (@DanKazmiruk) May 20, 2019
We have one side screaming “NO COLLUSION! TOTAL EXONERATION!”
And the other is mumbling under their breath about how that’s not true, but they need more time to prove it.
Which do you think the public’s gonna find more convincing? More confident?
re: #207 jaunte
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Or he’ll go ahead and pardon them, and the one who’s a top-tier sniper will kill everyone who testified against him.
re: #239 Targetpractice
“The message Pelosi conveys when she says Trump is ‘not worth it’ is that it is not worth holding him accountable for crimes that have resulted in the loss of human life and the ongoing destruction of our nation.”
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) April 19, 2019
(and if people are wondering why I keep reposting Sarah Kendzior’s tweets, it’s because she was one of the first people to predict trump could win, and 99% of the other predictions she’s made since have also come true*)
*and that 1% would be the one where she predicts trump will use nukes for shits and giggles…though the more Dem leadership drags its feet, the more time there is for THAT prediction to come true as well.
.@BenShapiro joins @MarthaMacCallum to discuss the actions of Senator Jeff Merkley, who live-streamed his attempt to enter a Texas immigrant detention center in order to slam the Trump administration.
FULL VIDEO => https://t.co/Y6UN4cBjvn pic.twitter.com/b8HEDKxU0s— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 6, 2018
Fuckface defending Trump’s gulags for immigrant children.
re: #239 Targetpractice
We have one side screaming “NO COLLUSION! TOTAL EXONERATION!”
And the other is mumbling under their breath about how that’s not true, but they need more time to prove it.
Which do you think the public’s gonna find more convincing? More confident?
I think I know the answer to this one. It’s the people dowsing themselves with gasoline and setting themselves on fire because Democrats aren’t following this one fool proof method of removing Trump.
The reasons I don’t buy the “impeachment now will help the Democrats” is 1. Democrats get punished for doing the right thing, and 2. Does anyone remember how Bush 1 winning the first Gulf War would get him reelected.
I don’t think impeachment will affect the election.
re: #205 calochortus
I don’t think Nancy Pelosi is OK with Trump doing whatever he wants. I strongly suspect that she wants to appear to be reluctant to impeach until there is a lot of evidence that can be seen by the indifferent middle of the country-possibly in conjunction with the economy being seen to be stagnating for “real” Americans. Impeaching is one thing, convicting is another and it seems to me that all these investigations and subpoenas (with their attendant obstruction) will only continue to pick up steam.
I hope I’m right.
If Pelosi isn’t going to lead the charge on impeachment, fine. But someone needs to be out there moving the dialogue. If you want public opinion to change in a short period of time (like two years or less) you need someone to lead. Otherwise, you need decades or a deus de machina
re: #241 Interesting Times
[Embedded content]
(and if people are wondering why I keep reposting Sarah Kendzior’s tweets, it’s because she was one of the first people to predict trump could win, and 99% of the other predictions she’s made since have also come true*)
*and that 1% would be the one where she predicts trump will use nukes for shits and giggles…though the more Dem leadership drags its feet, the more time there is for THAT prediction to come true as well.
Given that impeachment or no impeachment, Trump’s going to be in office at least until the end of his term, how exactly would Dem timing have any impact on this.
— Eli Valley (@elivalley) May 20, 2019
re: #245 KGxvi
If Pelosi isn’t going to lead the charge on impeachment, fine. But someone needs to be out there moving the dialogue. If you want public opinion to change in a short period of time (like two years or less) you need someone to lead. Otherwise, you need decades or a deus de machina
Elizabeth Warren?
re: #243 Weaselone
I think I know the answer to this one. It’s the people dowsing themselves with gasoline and setting themselves on fire because Democrats aren’t following this one fool proof method of removing Trump.
Who’s said it’s fool proof? Certainly not I. My argument has been that the DNC leadership needs to put up or shut up. If they don’t feel that Mueller’s Report is sufficient grounds to at least get the ball rolling on impeachment hearings, then they need to offer us something more substantive than “He’s not worth it.” Else Kendzior is right and the DNC is sending out the message that nothing the man has done is worth impeaching him for. And if you want a fool proof way for Trump to win reelection, then breaking the back of party morale is the ideal way of doing so.
re: #245 KGxvi
If Pelosi isn’t going to lead the charge on impeachment, fine. But someone needs to be out there moving the dialogue. If you want public opinion to change in a short period of time (like two years or less) you need someone to lead. Otherwise, you need decades or a deus de machina
Fair enough, but I think there are people out there moving the dialogue. The problem is it is difficult to get hard evidence (not all of it, just enough to persuade people that it’s a legit investigation) when the president and the Senate are dedicated to stonewalling.
GOP legislators may have supported Nixon, but they didn’t, as far as I know agree that investigations should be completely blocked.
re: #244 Belafon
The reasons I don’t buy the “impeachment now will help the Democrats” is 1. Democrats get punished for doing the right thing, and 2. Does anyone remember how Bush 1 winning the first Gulf War would get him reelected.
I don’t think impeachment will affect the election.
I do remember how the DNC gambled that public sentiment over the Iraq War being seen as a “failure” in ‘04 would drag Dubya’s popularity down enough to help Kerry win. Of course, then he won the primaries and immediately began backtracking on his criticism of the war effort, such that the one thing the party saw as their ace-in-the-hole became a liability as their candidate was spun as a “peacenik” who wanted to give the UN a veto on American foreign policy.
Confirmed tornado hitting, Spur, Texas, a town of 1,300 souls.
Springtime in tornado alley.
re: #250 calochortus
Fair enough, but I think there are people out there moving the dialogue. The problem is it is difficult to get hard evidence (not all of it, just enough to persuade people that it’s a legit investigation) when the president and the Senate are dedicated to stonewalling.
GOP legislators may have supported Nixon, but they didn’t, as far as I know agree that investigations should be completely blocked.
You know what will get the ball rolling faster and convince the courts to speed up the process? Making the subpoenas part of impeachment proceedings, rather than what the GOP are portraying as “fishing expeditions.”
Trump is now lying that the Green New Deal will require buildings to be rebuilt “with no windows.”
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 20, 2019
re: #253 Targetpractice
You know what will get the ball rolling faster and convince the courts to speed up the process? Making the subpoenas part of impeachment proceedings, rather than what the GOP are portraying as “fishing expeditions.”
And the impeachment will be portrayed as a fishing expedition.
re: #225 Patricia Kayden
Until Democrats start impeachment proceedings, actions like these are pretty meaningless, imho. They need to put Trump under the microscope and reveal his dirty laundry so that he’s damaged beyond repair before the election cycle begins in earnest in 2020.
This election cycle began in earnest in 2016.
It’s May 20, 2019 and Trump fans are booing Hillary Clinton and chanting “lock her up!” pic.twitter.com/sZoaP64V5a
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 20, 2019
Seriously, I don’t get this. Saeare: #249 Targetpractice
Who’s said it’s fool proof? Certainly not I. My argument has been that the DNC leadership needs to put up or shut up. If they don’t feel that Mueller’s Report is sufficient grounds to at least get the ball rolling on impeachment hearings, then they need to offer us something more substantive than “He’s not worth it.” Else Kendzior is right and the DNC is sending out the message that nothing the man has done is worth impeaching him for. And if you want a fool proof way for Trump to win reelection, then breaking the back of party morale is the ideal way of doing so.
Umm. If you’re hanging your hopes on the DNC you’re going to be sorely disappointed. The DNC is not a particularly powerful organization.
Does Trump spend more time golfing or holding rallies? At least they both take him away from trying to govern.
re: #255 Belafon
And the impeachment will be portrayed as a fishing expedition.
The difference is the House DNC won’t look like they’re digging through every dumpster and garbage bin looking for something incriminating. It’s generally more damaging to a person when you are looking into specific crimes rather than just saying “We have a right to know!”
re: #259 calochortus
Does Trump spend more time golfing or holding rallies? At least they both take him away from trying to govern.
Tweeting while watching Fox.
re: #254 The Vicious Babushka
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And it also requires the distribution of Soylent Green as food for the masses, despite the fact that it’s made of, well, you know…
Where is Robert E Lee? Got grant but no Lee??? Smh
— Yoshi (@Yoshi08447178) May 20, 2019
The military treason/loser team
1. Robert E. Lee
2. Benedict Arnold
3. Michael Flynn
4. Nathan Bedford Forrest— Edwin Mix (@TheEdMix) May 20, 2019
Trump says that Biden didn’t have 600 people at his first public event, it was 150, he knows because he’s good at crowd estimates. It was 600. Trump is likely America’s single worst crowd estimator.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 20, 2019
re: #258 Weaselone
Seriously, I don’t get this. Saea
Umm. If you’re hanging your hopes on the DNC you’re going to be sorely disappointed. The DNC is not a particularly powerful organization.
If I’m not hanging my hopes on the Dem Party, who would you propose that I do? Because I’ve already seen two major elections in my lifetime where holding out hope that the voters would make the right call ended in total disaster.
JFC
Trump jokes about serving as many as 5 terms as president.
“And maybe if we really like it a lot and if things keep going like they are going we will do what we have to do, and a three [terms] and a four, and a five.” pic.twitter.com/NeektAccaR— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 20, 2019
From Face the Nation yesterday:
REP. SCHIFF: …And what we have been doing is we have been gradually escalating the- the tactics we need to use to get information for the American people. So we began by asking for voluntary cooperation and that was not forthcoming. We followed with subpoenas, we followed with contempt, we may follow with inherent contempt, and we may have to follow with impeachment. There may be an odd confluence of interest here between the Trump Administration and people around the president who want him impeached because they think it’s politically advantageous. And an increasing number of Democrats and maybe Republicans who feel this president’s conduct is so incompatible with office, incompatible with our system of checks and balances that if the only way that we can do our oversight is through an impeachment proceeding then maybe we have to go down that road. But I think it’ll be important to show the American people this was a decision made reluctantly.
re: #258 Weaselone
Seriously, I don’t get this. Saea
Umm. If you’re hanging your hopes on the DNC you’re going to be sorely disappointed. The DNC is not a particularly powerful organization.
The DNC has little or nothing to do with impeachment. It’s mostly a fund-raising and electioneering party apparatus. Impeachment rests with Pelosi, and she knows what she is doing.
re: #244 Belafon
I don’t think impeachment will affect the election.
I think it absolutely will affect the election.
But I don’t know how, and neither does anyone else.
Will a smartly-executed series of hearings somehow tip wavering 2016 Trump voters in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin away from lukewarm support for Trump and over to support of the Democratic nominee?
Will it prompt occasional Democratic voters (especially POCs and women) to get motivated to go to the polls and boost turnout, the way Obama’s 2008 run did?
Will it give ammunition to politically disengaged voters to declare themselves “sick of politics” and declare their distrust for both parties, “because they’re all the same”? And if so, will it push them away from the polls, or will it fuel a backlash that will bring those voters out to support Trump, who’ll use it to play victim?
Will it reveal enough damning evidence to create a tide of public sentiment against Trump in a way that even brings a few moderate Republicans around?
We do not know.
So do we put political calculation aside and simply ask what’s the right thing to do in the eyes of history? We know there’s one strain of Democratic politicians and Democratic voters who would immediately say “yes.”
But there’s also a faction, embodied by Nancy Pelosi, that isn’t going to do that, at least not without a good push. We need those votes, too. That’s not going to happen instantly.
My best guess is that we get there - bit by bit and then all at once. There’s going to be something that comes out of the various investigations still underway. Maybe it’s the NY AG getting the state tax returns. Maybe it’s Deutsche Bank giving up his account records. Maybe it’s Iran. Maybe it’s one more weekend Tweet storm that finally makes it impossible to doubt his lack of mental competency. Maybe it’s something else we don’t even see coming yet.
Pelosi isn’t stupid, and I don’t think the moderate, risk-averse wing of the party she represents are stupid, either. She - and they - are waiting for the sheer bulk of evidence and public opinion to push them over the edge.
It all makes for a nerve-wracking summer. I think it also leads to a more solid process and position in the end.
But again: nobody really knows anything. Present company very much included.
A human being would ask about welfare of the person having the medical issue.
— HoodieB (@hoodieb) May 20, 2019
I would have thought it obvious by now that I use “DNC” as a shorthand for the Dem Party as a whole, same as I use “GOP” for the Repub Party. Particularly since I’ve been doing it for months and nobody has corrected me.
Okay this site is garbage. YES I use 2% milk! Sometimes whole milk but mostly 2%. Why do u care?! This does not make me antisemitic or a “hypocrite”. I have had my life threatened and my dog doxxed. @jack is this okay with you?! They are trying to cancel me
— )))David Cross((( (@davidcrosss) May 20, 2019
re: #265 Targetpractice
If I’m not hanging my hopes on the Dem Party, who would you propose that I do? Because I’ve already seen two major elections in my lifetime where holding out hope that the voters would make the right call ended in total disaster.
The Democrats aren’t really a strict hierarchical organization. You’re really talking about state organizations and thousands of individual campaigns supported by a bit of national level scaffolding. I mean look at how the funding played out in 2018 and the various groups that arose to encourage and nurture candidates.
re: #272 Targetpractice
I would have thought it obvious by now that I use “DNC” as a shorthand for the Dem Party as a whole, same as I use “GOP” for the Repub Party. Particularly since I’ve been doing it for months and nobody has corrected me.
RNC is a better analogue to DNC. I just call the party “Dems” for short. The real leader of the party right now is Pelosi (with Obama positioning himself to be its soul.)
re: #275 Decatur Deb
RNC is a better analogue to DNC. I just call the party “Dems” for short. The real leader of the party right now is Pelosi, (with Obama positioning itself to be its soul.)
Fair enough.
re: #273 gocart mozart
Er…um…I can only file that under “no clue what it means without further context.”
But as long as we’re on the subject of dairy products and politics collide…
— Leon Tuttle (@fxnkls) May 20, 2019
re: #272 Targetpractice
I would have thought it obvious by now that I use “DNC” as a shorthand for the Dem Party as a whole, same as I use “GOP” for the Repub Party. Particularly since I’ve been doing it for months and nobody has corrected me.
That’s a mixup since the only proper term for the Democratic party is the Democratic party. We don’t have a short name for the party, but the DNC is a specific entity.
re: #274 Weaselone
The Democrats aren’t really a strict hierarchical organization. You’re really talking about state organizations and thousands of individual campaigns supported by a bit of national level scaffolding. I mean look at how the funding played out in 2018 and the various groups that arose to encourage and nurture candidates.
Something I fear we may not see a repeat of if more and more members of the party feel that the effort is a waste. That removing Trump will not fix the problem, but just mean the next guy the Repubs run in 2024 won’t be as obviously crooked. After all, they got away with a ton of shit in the 80s because the figurehead of their party looked like your grandpa and made jokes about himself.
re: #279 Targetpractice
Something I fear we may not see a repeat of if more and more members of the party feel that the effort is a waste. That removing Trump will not fix the problem, but just mean the next guy the Repubs run in 2024 won’t be as obviously crooked. After all, they got away with a ton of shit in the 80s because the figurehead of their party looked like your grandpa and made jokes about himself.
Two years of President Pence scares me more than two of Trump. Pence will not step on his dick every morning by 0900.
Doesn’t Congress have a duty to uphold the law regardless of election outcome? There is plenty of evidence of crimes and if the very people that can get the ball rolling towards getting the truth out to the voters don’t do their sworn duty, people will sit out anyways.
re: #279 Targetpractice
That’s my fear as well. Of course, the Republicans have consistently been selecting ever more loud and proud pieces of excrement as their candidates, so who knows.
New from WaPo: Michael Cohen told a House panel during closed-door hearings that he’d been instructed by Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow to falsely claim in a 2017 statement to Congress that negotiations to build Trump Tower Moscow ended in January 2016.https://t.co/MbyuppmTvu
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 20, 2019
This is Trump’s lawyer
This is the third “medical event” of the evening. An actual human being might express at least “thoughts and prayers” for the sick people.
There is another medical issue in the crowd. This time, Trump says, “I don’t know what this does to television, but that’s OK.” “But that’s OK” is one of the things he says when he isn’t happy about something but knows he can’t complain about it.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 21, 2019
Incredible — Trump goads his fans into booing Fox News.
“What is going on with Fox? What is going on there? They’re putting more Democrats on than you have Republicans. Something strange is going on — something very strange.” pic.twitter.com/dHvNk1qUis— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2019
re: #285 The Vicious Babushka
This is the third “medical event” of the evening. An actual human being might express at least “thoughts and prayers” for the sick people.
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We’re talking a man whose ego exerts a gravitational pull. He’s pissed that they’re taking the attention away from him.
Don McGahn’s lawyer says McGahn will not appear at House Judiciary Cmte. hearing Tuesday, in letter obtained by NBC News. pic.twitter.com/d1OoLPd79w
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 21, 2019
Someone asked for a version of today’s supermax thread all in one place as a post, so I put it up — along with the Kos introduction — at Orcinus.https://t.co/kUEH3jvPSv
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) May 20, 2019
re: #288 The Vicious Babushka
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The OLC’s letter had the intended effect: It gave McGahn an excuse to avoid testifying. So now he’ll be held in contempt, but as Barr’s laughter in Pelosi’s face has proven, that’s not much of a threat at this point. It’s just above “harshly-worded letter” in terms of punishment for the continued pissing on the law.
re: #285 The Vicious Babushka
This is the third “medical event” of the evening. An actual human being might express at least “thoughts and prayers” for the sick people.
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I was at Mar-a-Lago and we had this incredible ball, the Red Cross Ball, in Palm Beach, Florida.
And we had the Marines. And the Marines were there, and it was terrible because all these rich people, they’re there to support the Marines, but they’re really there to get their picture in the Palm Beach Post…
So you have all these really rich people, and a man, about 80 years old — very wealthy man, a lot of people didn’t like him — he fell off the stage.
So what happens is, this guy falls off right on his face, hits his head, and I thought he died. And you know what I did? I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting,’ and I turned away.
I couldn’t, you know, he was right in front of me and I turned away. I didn’t want to touch him… he’s bleeding all over the place, I felt terrible.
You know, beautiful marble floor, didn’t look like it. It changed colour. Became very red.
Trump accuses the FBI and Democrats of treason. He then has to pause as his fans chant, “lock them up!”
“We have a great new attorney general who will give it a very fair look,” Trump says. 👀 pic.twitter.com/TNEoVny7pJ— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2019
re: #292 The Vicious Babushka
geee…trying to be obama with the dr. thing.
re: #282 Amory Blaine
Doesn’t Congress have a duty to uphold the law regardless of election outcome? There is plenty of evidence of crimes and if the very people that can get the ball rolling towards getting the truth out to the voters don’t do their sworn duty, people will sit out anyways.
You are correct, but impeachment is a political process in the best of times, and even more so when we’re nearly guaranteed not to get a conviction in the Senate.
And I want you (all) also to think about how fickle Democrats can be. The House starts impeachment, and people will start wanting conviction.
— Edwin Mix (@TheEdMix) May 21, 2019
re: #286 The Vicious Babushka
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I guarantee you I could find a dozen or more engineers at my company this will agree now that Fox is favoring Democrats.
That is one diverse looking crowd. You have the full spectrum from white guys with hats to white guys without hats. https://t.co/I4ztNq3R35
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) May 21, 2019
Tomorrow is Primary Day in Pennsylvania. I will be at the polls as I have been for many elections. This is a reminder to vote in the Primaries. Thanks.
re: #294 Belafon
Maybe when some of the financial records are examined we’ll get a better sense of the direction.
Now that Cohen’s testimony over (600 pages!) has been released, it’s going to a very long night in the newsrooms around the country.
Romney calls Amesh’s call for impeachment courageous, can’t take that step himself: realclearpolitics.com
Sure, Biff, bash a federal judge in a jurisdiction that’ll surely include more cases and rulings pertaining to your corrupt and illegitimate presidency. Keep going, smart guy. Once again, Trump always makes things worse for Trump. https://t.co/yC9uriyMAq
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) May 21, 2019
who knew that Obama was still appointing judges?
re: #303 Joe Bacon 🌹
If I have a wish for a Last Supper, it’s this banquet from Honey’s Fried Chicken in Culver City!
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Is that pumpkin pie?
From earlier this month:
The number of Americans who said President Donald Trump should be impeached rose 5 percentage points to 45 percent since mid-April, while more than half said multiple congressional probes of Trump interfered with important government business, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday.
The opinion poll, conducted on Monday, did not make clear whether investigation-fatigued Americans wanted House of Representatives Democrats to pull back on their probes or press forward aggressively and just get impeachment over with.
The question is an urgent one for senior Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives, who are wrestling with whether to launch impeachment proceedings, despite likely insurmountable opposition to it in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Published on May 9th.
re: #305 Backwoods_Sleuth
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Does that mean Democrats can and/or should ignore rulings by Trump-appointed judges?
This clip once again makes me appreciate @TonyAtamanuik’s brilliant impression. More @PresidentShow! Come on @ComedyCentral. https://t.co/mSIXwAGYdQ
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) May 21, 2019
re: #305 Backwoods_Sleuth
This is yet another reason to being impeachment hearings (or at the very least, get the ball rolling on inherent contempt and hearings to see if impeachment is warranted). Newt Gingrich poisoned the well on impeachment by making it look like a spiteful political act (end game being, the next time Dems tried it, it would be spun by the blathering beltway class as “durr hurr, both sides” instead of a legitimate exercise of constitutional duty).
Now, however, Dems have a chance to take impeachment back, by holding hearings and revealing REAL crimes. If they don’t - if they proceed to let this festering toxic shitpile of a DoJ crap all over them - what’s going to happen is kangeroo-court show trials (or at the very least, investigations) of anyone trump declares an “enemy.” And the blathering beltway class will then declare that ALL criminal investigations are therefore “partisan” in nature.
shenanigans…
NEW: I obtained a 150-page internal WhatsApp chat log (and photos) showing volunteers with Miami-Dade County Commission Candidate Alex Diaz de la Portialla’s campaign discussing stealing and/or shredding absentee ballots in 2018: https://t.co/57RBJAdfb6
— Jerry Iannelli (@jerryiannelli) May 20, 2019
Here are the images, including a portion of the chat log in which someone tells a volunteer to “tear up the ballot good.” https://t.co/57RBJAdfb6 pic.twitter.com/i9Q5Iyvzgv
— Jerry Iannelli (@jerryiannelli) May 20, 2019
re: #308 Belafon
From earlier this month:
The opinion poll, conducted on Monday, did not make clear whether investigation-fatigued Americans wanted House of Representatives Democrats to pull back on their probes or press forward aggressively and just get impeachment over with.
Haven’t read the full article yet, but I do detect a distinct whiff of “shit or get off the pot” in the overall response.
re: #307 sagehen
Is that pumpkin pie?
They make Sweet Potato tarts.
Which would require an insulin shot for me to handle.
The stupidest member of Congress looks exactly as you’d imagine https://t.co/eprjcv5FQ3
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) May 21, 2019
re: #313 Interesting Times
Haven’t read the full article yet, but I do detect a distinct whiff of “shit or get off the pot” in the overall response.
There’s someone in there who basically said that while she wanted Trump held accountable, she’d rather have health insurance taken care of.
re: #308 Belafon
From earlier this month:
Published on May 9th.
It should be noted that the point when public polls on impeaching Nixon sat at this point…was immediately after the Saturday Night Massacre. In other words, the public views Trump’s actions in the wake of the release of the Mueller Report on the same level as the firing of the AG and Deputy AG.
The problem is that this could become the high water mark if the Dems don’t capitalize, as seen here:
“It’s becoming a circus over there” in Washington, said Fatima Alsrogy, 36, a T-shirt designer from Dallas who took the poll. “There are so many more important things the country needs to pay attention to right now.”
Alsrogy, an independent, thinks Trump should be impeached. Yet she also wishes lawmakers would do more to improve the healthcare system for self-employed people like her.
“I bought my own (health) insurance on an Obamacare exchange,” she said. “It’s a huge expense, and I don’t know if Obamacare is going to be amended or taken away. It’s stressful.”
The longer these investigations drag out, the more it looks like the Dem leadership is focusing on them than passing policy and fixing problems.
Likewise, another thing to keep in mind:
Trump’s popularity was unchanged from a similar poll that ran last week - 39 percent of adults said they approved of Trump, while 55 percent said they disapproved.
He’s hit the floor and pretty much stayed there for weeks. These little victories like today’s ruling or Cohen’s testimony may give us tingles up our legs, but it’s not moving the needle much for voters.
It is worth noting that Biden’s family moved him from Pennsylvania to Delaware when he was 10 years old. https://t.co/BEfZHdVMxQ
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 21, 2019
re: #317 Belafon
There’s someone in there who basically said that while she wanted Trump held accountable, she’d rather have health insurance taken care of.
All the more reason for Dems to come up with messaging that says, “oh hai, trump and the GOPer senate are stopping you from having all the nice things.”
Elizabeth Warren and AOC do this, with the former deciding to bypass the beltway blatherers and corporate media censors by speaking to people directly. Time will tell if that technique can be enough to break through.
This is Crook and her son Cashew. Cashew told her you made fun of his height. Crook wants to know why you’d make him sad like that? Both 12/10 please explain yourself pic.twitter.com/F3xvSoikYO
— WeRateDogs™ (@dog_rates) May 21, 2019
Anne over at Balloon Juice has two article up that reference Warren, and I think there’s some good overlap there. Number one is the appeal she’s having with black women:
As most of you on here probably know, I’m focused on how race intersects with the #2020 election. Today I’m out with a story on @SenWarren catching fire with black women voters. Read it here:https://t.co/SmeNEy5CXT
— Errin Haines Whack (@emarvelous) May 18, 2019
What’s interesting about Warren’s rise among black women is that it is her being a white woman that allows her to discuss issues of race in a way that comes across as refreshing. Black candidates discussing similar issues can be seen as pandering or locked into identity politics.
— Errin Haines Whack (@emarvelous) May 18, 2019
Welp, she did it. Elizabeth Warren just won the presidency. Give her the White House, the Iron Throne, a Nobel prize, a pony, whatever she wants. pic.twitter.com/AlKOC9oFDy
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) May 19, 2019
Those were from the first story. This is from the second:
Buttigieg on Trump: “It is the nature of grotesque things that you can’t look away.” pic.twitter.com/OUiBF9DOxM
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) May 19, 2019
This is, objectively, a great clip for Pete Buttigieg! And when he’s the Democratic candidate (probably not this year, IMO, but in 2024 or 2028) it’ll get replayed as much as Barack Obama’s 2004 keynote DNC speech got replayed during his campaign.
This year, Buttigieg is still a ‘niche’ candidate in the primaries — he needs to introduce himself to as many potential swing voters as possible, and if he can do it with ‘earned’ (i.e., free) media, so much the better. And since he’s got the right visual markers for a Fox-News-viewer-approved presidential candidate (male, white, attractive in a properly ‘Heartland’ way), social marketeers would say he could only improve his status in the current Democratic primary scrum by literally showing himself off to the crucial low-info all-American voter.
Elizabeth Warren, by choosing to refuse a Fox townhall, made the right decision for Elizabeth Warren… and for the good of the Democratic Party as a whole (not to mention, IMO, the American polity in general). Fox News has been establishing their (insanely bigoted & sexist) version of Elizabeth Warren in its viewers’ tiny minds since 2012; nothing she could say or do on a Fox platform would improve that for the better. If she’s not in the Oval Office or the new Cabinet come 2021, she’ll be (happily) continuing her good work as Ted Kennedy’s successor, the first Lioness of the Senate. She can ‘afford’ to give Fox the back of her hand, for the greater good.
(And Kamala Harris, wisely understanding that Fox viewers have been primed to attack *any* Democratic woman like mobbing grackles, did the smart thing in following Warren’s refusal. Harris also has both a larger natural Democrat constituency and a broader national media presence than Buttigieg — more to lose, less to gain.)
The snow starting tonight won’t end till after midnight. I don’t think there’s been measurable snow on my birthday, where I physically was, IN MY LIFETIME and that’s changing. #ClimateChangeIsReal and we need to #RestorePolarVortex.
— (((Chrysi Cat))) (@chrysicat) May 21, 2019
so full of shit
Trump’s latest absurd lie: He claims he’s seen ‘piles’ of bald eagles killed by windmills pic.twitter.com/dn5c4mdbcy
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 21, 2019
re: #325 Backwoods_Sleuth
so full of shit
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He shouldn’t have strapped them on donkeys and given them lances.
What about AR-15’s? https://t.co/LgxHWAyFfA
— Samuel Sinyangwe (@samswey) May 20, 2019
re: #327 The Vicious Babushka
He’s got to make room in KY for his aluminum plant.
— (((IntheNumbers))) (@ItsNumbersMan) May 21, 2019
Looking through the technews the ACM put up, and I thought this was interesting:
Some U.S. manufacturers are offering employees programming and robotics training, as automation sweeps through the industry. Wire-basket maker Marlin Steel Wire Products, for example, acquired $2 million worth of robots in the past 15 months, and is training workers to operate both the robots and laser-cutting software. Marlin Steel’s employees write code so robots can fabricate parts to specifications, while others employ collaborative software to engage with clients on design revisions in real time. Said Marlin Steel Wire Products CEO Drew Greenblatt, “We’re not going to beat the competition because we are charging lower prices. We are going to beat the competition because of the technology. These are factory workers turning into coders to exploit the technologies.”
Contrast this with what Clinton tried to offer coal miners.
On impeachment: My feeling is that we are at the point where FDR (supposedly) said, “I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it.” Pelosi is very good at getting things done and keeping her caucus together once she is committed to something. But she’s not really a vanguard person, and anyway it isn’t her job.
We don’t have a leader who is going to do this for us. I think it is on the dem candidates, and the safe blue representatives, and us to keep things moving forward. Hopefully with a little help from the courts and the press.
re: #330 Charmingly Persistent
On impeachment: My feeling is that we are at the point where FDR (supposedly) said, “I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it.” Pelosi is very good at getting things done and keeping her caucus together once she is committed to something. But she’s not really a vanguard person, and anyway it isn’t her job.
We don’t have a leader who is going to do this for us. I think it is on the dem candidates, and the safe blue representatives, and us to keep things moving forward. Hopefully with a little help from the courts and the press.
A few crowds chanting impeachment would probably help as well.
Yes indeed. Scary shit within. https://t.co/iWWoxUtXup
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 21, 2019
I’m #3 on the hold list for this
re: #331 Belafon
A few crowds chanting impeachment would probably help as well.
Won’t do any good for the orange guy’s mental state, either, which will probably prompt more tweetstorms.
One of the consistent things I keep seeing in all the “hey let’s talk to Trump voters in Iowa|Wisconsin|Scranton PA” coverage is that even the ones who still say they believe in the guy and will vote for him again also very regularly admit they don’t like his tweets.
Anything that makes those tweets even more unhinged is good news for our side, if not for our nation.
Walking over to the protest, several people protesting Ilhan Omar screamed in my face that I was Arab, that I followed sharia law, that I believed my husband should beat me. Disgusting off the hook racism.
— Molly Crabapple (@mollycrabapple) May 20, 2019
re: #303 Joe Bacon 🌹
If I have a wish for a Last Supper, it’s this banquet from Honey’s Fried Chicken in Culver City!
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I have walked past that place many times.
Now have mentally bookmarked that I shall go in next time. Thanks.
re: #67 here…not here…..here…not…was I even…..
Yeah, it really messed up my travel plans today. I needed to be in Montoursville - live only about 18 miles from it, less as the crow flies, but managed to schedule a job down in the next county south instead. My other half wanted to go because he’s one of those that thinks Trump walks on water but he also hates crowds. Got lucky and managed to have a quiet evening without hearing Dolt45’s voice.
re: #111 Belafon
Imagine being able to set car sounds like phone rings. Right blinker is the voice of Clint Eastwood.
“left turn Clyde”
(Yea, it’s actually “right turn”. Mea Culpa.)
re: #304 Belafon
Romney calls Amesh’s call for impeachment courageous, can’t take that step himself: realclearpolitics.com
Romney being typical GOP. Mouth will says whatever (and be *very* concerned) and the hands/vote will do nothing.