John Oliver Explains SLAPP Suits, an Intimidation Strategy to Shut Down Public Debate

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After winning a legal battle involving a coal executive and a giant squirrel, John Oliver explains how SLAPP suits are designed to stifle public dissent.

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294 comments
1
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:07:37am
2
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:11:57am

Panicky draft evader builds barricade out of the living bodies of his supporters.

3
Rightwingconspirator  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:15:08am

I’m struck by how accurate the books are. Fear by Woodward etc. Then there is everything we can see and hear for ourselves. Deranged angry tweets from a guy in The Office where you want calm, intelligence and wisdom. At least the best effort, past presidents have had famous tempers. But self-restraint kicked in. Not with this guy, Hence the lies and the extra cruelties along the way.

4
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:19:14am

WTF

5
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:19:32am

re: #3 Rightwingconspirator

I’m struck by how accurate the books are. Fear by Woodward etc. Then there is everything we can see and hear for ourselves. Deranged angry tweets from a guy in The Office where you want calm, intelligence and wisdom. At least the best effort, past presidents have had famous tempers. But self-restraint kicked in. Not with this guy, Hence the lies and the extra cruelties along the way.

I’d use the term disciplined instead of calm, but your point stands about the traits you want. We’ve survived unintelligent presidents, we’ve survived unwise presidents, we’ve even survived some hot heads. But we’ve never seen one - at least not in modern times - that lacks all three of those traits, until now. And it’s an utter disaster.

6
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:21:16am

re: #4 The Pie Overlord!

probably talking about his precious tv ratings? and of course making shit up on the spot.

7
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:21:38am

re: #5 KGxvi

I’d use the term disciplined instead of calm, but your point stands about the traits you want. We’ve survived unintelligent presidents, we’ve survived unwise presidents, we’ve even survived some hot heads. But we’ve never seen one - at least not in modern times - that lacks all three of those traits, until now. And it’s an utter disaster.

Partially due to pretty much total unstinting support from his party. They’ve got their desired power and apparently no integrity or principles beyond having and keeping it.

8
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:26:27am

From last thread:

re: #268 NO SMOCKING GUN!

Fortunately they don’t need a supermajority in the House, just a solid majority like they have now. Its amazing how much politics has changed just since 2008 when the Democrats managed to win 60 seats in the Senate, which is now pretty much unthinkable. 40% of America has gone fascist, which is why the filibuster really needs to be abolished or radically reformed.

Only if the President is of the same Party, IMO: while a “solid majority”in the House is fine, without the 2/3 necessary to override a Presidential veto - and never mind the systemic imbalances in the Senate - even the most progressive Congress is still going to be hamstrung by WH hostility (if it’s there): maybe not a problem with a President Pence or a President Romney, say: assholes as they are, they at least know how The System works, and would/will work within it. The nightmare scenario, though, is getting another - competent and smarter - “Trump” in the WH, learning from his predecessor’s mistakes, and installing a fascist regime despite Congressional opposition.

We may be seeing a preview of this in the (very) near future: while the prospect of Trump holding the government hostage over the impeachment inquiry (the budget CR expires next week(?)), may seem chancy; given the near-nihilistic responses of Congressional Republicans to the blatancy of Trump’s incompetence and criminality, we may see a real-life example of the consequences of a lack-of-override-power quite soon. Unfortunately.

9
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:29:12am

re: #1 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Is that asshole playing Mr. Tough Guy behind bullet proof glass?

10
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:29:18am

I’m staying home.

11
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:31:21am
12
Dave In Austin  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:31:58am

It just hit here in Texas. the temp was 71 20 mins. ago. I’ve got 50 now.

13
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:32:44am

re: #8 Jay C

From last thread:

Only if the President is of the same Party, IMO: while a “solid majority”in the House is fine, without the 2/3 necessary to override a Presidential veto - and never mind the systemic imbalances in the Senate - even the most progressive Congress is still going to be hamstrung by WH hostility (if it’s there): maybe not a problem with a President Pence or a President Romney, say: assholes as they are, they at least know how The System works, and would/will work within it. The nightmare scenario, though, is getting another - competent and smarter - “Trump” in the WH, learning from his predecessor’s mistakes, and installing a fascist regime despite Congressional opposition.

We may be seeing a preview of this in the (very) near future: while the prospect of Trump holding the government hostage over the impeachment inquiry (the budget CR expires next week(?)), may seem chancy; given the near-nihilistic responses of Congressional Republicans to the blatancy of Trump’s incompetence and criminality, we may see a real-life example of the consequences of a lack-of-override-power quite soon. Unfortunately.

I am fully expecting Trump to shut the government down and use it as blackmail to stop the impeachment inquiry. I also fully expect every RepubliKKKlan in both chambers to back him and keep the government shut down for longer than the 35 days of his last temper tantrum.

14
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:34:12am

re: #11 The Pie Overlord!

[Embedded content]

Trash trucks?

The new Presidential Motorcade?

I hate this crap in general (I live just a couple of blocks from Madison Square Park): that it’s Donald Trump (rather than a real President) blocking off streets and snarling traffic just makes it worse….

15
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:38:15am

re: #4 The Pie Overlord!

WTF

[Embedded content]

My first guess is that it may have been in relation to some kind of sports score, but there hasn’t been a 58-0 blowout in college football in several years and the Wildcats basketball team has played no game with that score this year either.

My other guess is that Trump is just a senile fucking idiot that has no clue what he’s talking about.

16
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:41:15am

58-0? Judicial nominations that were confirmed?

It certainly isn’t elections won, because the GOP has gotten walloped since 2016.

Or he’s talking out of his arse again, because of course he is.

It could be word salad.

17
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:41:51am

re: #15 Eclectic Cyborg

My first guess is that it may have been in relation to some kind of sports score, but there hasn’t been a 58-0 blowout in college football in several years and the Wildcats basketball team has played no game with that score this year either.

My other guess is that Trump is just a senile fucking idiot that has no clue what he’s talking about.

A Wildcats basketball game would never have that low of a score, blowout or not.

18
NO SMOCKING GUN!  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:41:56am

re: #8 Jay C

From last thread:

Only if the President is of the same Party, IMO: while a “solid majority”in the House is fine, without the 2/3 necessary to override a Presidential veto - and never mind the systemic imbalances in the Senate - even the most progressive Congress is still going to be hamstrung by WH hostility (if it’s there): maybe not a problem with a President Pence or a President Romney, say: assholes as they are, they at least know how The System works, and would/will work within it. The nightmare scenario, though, is getting another - competent and smarter - “Trump” in the WH, learning from his predecessor’s mistakes, and installing a fascist regime despite Congressional opposition.

We may be seeing a preview of this in the (very) near future: while the prospect of Trump holding the government hostage over the impeachment inquiry (the budget CR expires next week(?)), may seem chancy; given the near-nihilistic responses of Congressional Republicans to the blatancy of Trump’s incompetence and criminality, we may see a real-life example of the consequences of a lack-of-override-power quite soon. Unfortunately.

I can’t see the country electing both a GOP President and a 2/3 Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate anyway. If a competent fascist is elected to the WH, its going to be up to us, the people, to stop his lawlessness. We can’t count on Congress or the courts to do it for us.

19
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:42:55am

re: #11 The Pie Overlord!

Trash trucks literally surrounding Madison Square park to protect Trump from boo-ing

garbage trucks protect trump from….people yelling

totally apropos
a great headline

20
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:43:18am

re: #11 The Pie Overlord!

Trash trucks are used because they’re big, bulky, and can be used to block off and secure areas from potential car/truck bombs. Our town uses them to block off streets when they do street fairs after a couple of infamous terror attacks involving vehicles plowing through crowds.

I get the use.

I also get the symbolism of dumpster trucks. All that’s missing is the fire because Trumpworld is an everlasting dumpster fire of criminal conduct.

(Edited)
And yet Trump will try to use this event to create a moment his propagandists can package as a campaign ad. That’s it.

21
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:43:19am

re: #13 Joe Bacon 🌹

I am fully expecting Trump to shut the government down and use it as blackmail to stop the impeachment inquiry. I also fully expect every RepubliKKKlan in both chambers to back him and keep the government shut down for longer than the 35 days of his last temper tantrum.

I don’t think there’s enough Republicans in Congress stupid enough to go forward with a government shut down in an election year… and that’s before you factor in an ongoing impeachment process.

22
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:44:42am

re: #13 Joe Bacon 🌹

I am fully expecting Trump to shut the government down and use it as blackmail to stop the impeachment inquiry. I also fully expect every RepubliKKKlan in both chambers to back him and keep the government shut down for longer than the 35 days of his last temper tantrum.

i mostly expect this
and if they do then i fully expect it to backfire on them all

aside from his 25-40% support, the rest of the country is not stupid

23
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:45:40am

re: #17 Backwoods_Sleuth

A Wildcats basketball game would never have that low of a score, blowout or not.

Right. Very few basketball games would in fact.

24
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:46:21am

re: #21 KGxvi

I don’t think there’s enough Republicans in Congress stupid enough to go forward with a government shut down in an election year… and that’s before you factor in an ongoing impeachment process.

Yep. The GOP will push back on a shutdown I would imagine.

25
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:48:09am
26
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:51:44am
27
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:52:10am

re: #11 The Pie Overlord!

[Embedded content]

Seems kinda appropriate.

28
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:52:26am

re: #8 Jay C

I think we overplay the idea of “systematic imbalance” in the Senate. The ten smallest states by population are:

Idaho, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming. The partisan breakdown in those states is: 11-12-1 (D-R-I)

29
Charles Johnson  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:53:23am
30
Charles Johnson  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:53:58am
31
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:53:58am

re: #25 The Pie Overlord!

The Mrs has been wanting to do more vegetarian dishes, and we found a good “stew” that works as a compromise. It’s a Perisan chickpea and spinach stew with basmati rice. It totally works - there’s a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice to brighten flavors, tumeric, and a bunch of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, and dill, plus mint for garnish. I was surprised at how filling it was, since I usually need more after a vegetarian meal.

Think I’m going to make it part of my regular meal planning rotation….

32
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:54:06am

11/11/18 11:11 AM—Grandpa Bacon told me that on that day and at that time he heard the voice of God when the battlefield finally went silent and the armistice took effect to end World War 1.

33
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:54:47am

I feel like Trump is one of the worst human beings to ever walk the earth.

Have I gone too far with that assessment?

34
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:55:34am

re: #33 Eclectic Cyborg

I feel like Trump is one of the worst human beings to ever walk the earth.

Have I gone too far with that assessment?

No.

35
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:56:32am

re: #12 Dave In Austin

It just hit here in Texas. the temp was 71 20 mins. ago. I’ve got 50 now.

It’s 41 now in the DFW area.

36
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:58:16am

re: #22 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

i mostly expect this
and if they do then i fully expect it to backfire on them all

aside from his 25-40% support, the rest of the country is not stupid

Especially if he’s got nothing to hide.

37
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:58:31am

re: #31 lawhawk

The Mrs has been wanting to do more vegetarian dishes, and we found a good “stew” that works as a compromise. It’s a Perisan chickpea and spinach stew with basmati rice. It totally works - there’s a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice to brighten flavors, tumeric, and a bunch of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, and dill, plus mint for garnish. I was surprised at how filling it was, since I usually need more after a vegetarian meal.

Think I’m going to make it part of my regular meal planning rotation….

If you don’t hate squash-like vegetables something to consider cooking is a stuffed pumpkin. Generally it’s hollowing out a small pumpkin (3lbs or so) and filling the cavity with baked stale bread (essentially croutons), cheese, garlic, and spices. Then adding a bit of heavy cream and baking it for a few hours. (My version is non-vegetarian and includes bacon.)

38
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 10:59:12am

re: #35 Belafon

It’s 41 now in the DFW area.

Which means I can expect that here by the end of the day most likely. Lovely.

39
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:00:11am

re: #31 lawhawk

The Mrs has been wanting to do more vegetarian dishes, and we found a good “stew” that works as a compromise. It’s a Perisan chickpea and spinach stew with basmati rice. It totally works - there’s a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice to brighten flavors, tumeric, and a bunch of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, and dill, plus mint for garnish. I was surprised at how filling it was, since I usually need more after a vegetarian meal.

Think I’m going to make it part of my regular meal planning rotation….

one of our usual once a week vegetarian meals is sweet onion, garlic, chickpeas, black beans, cubed sweet potato, and spinach.
Spices are cumin seed, mustard seed (both sauteed in olive oil until the mustard seed starts to “pop”) and Baharat blend. Then toss in the various veg with maybe a cup of water, saving the spinach for last as soon as the sweet potato is done to desired tenderness.

nom, nom, nom.

40
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:01:24am

re: #37 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

If you don’t hate squash-like vegetables something to consider cooking is a stuffed pumpkin. Generally it’s hollowing out a small pumpkin (3lbs or so) and filling the cavity with baked stale bread (essentially croutons), cheese, garlic, and spices. Then adding a bit of heavy cream and baking it for a few hours. (My version is non-vegetarian and includes bacon.)

or acorn squash instead of a pumpkin.

Pumpkin soup, BTW, is particularly delish on cold days.

41
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:01:41am

re: #31 lawhawk

The Mrs has been wanting to do more vegetarian dishes, and we found a good “stew” that works as a compromise. It’s a Perisan chickpea and spinach stew with basmati rice. It totally works - there’s a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice to brighten flavors, tumeric, and a bunch of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, and dill, plus mint for garnish. I was surprised at how filling it was, since I usually need more after a vegetarian meal.

Think I’m going to make it part of my regular meal planning rotation….

Zedushka is a fervent carnivore, but has learned to enjoy vegetarian/vegan meals. His favorite is falafel, but he also likes SLT (sourdough, lettuce, tomato) sandwiches and whatever vegetable soup I cook up. Today’s soup is butternut lentil because I had some in the freezer.

I was going to go shopping today but NOPE. We have plenty of ingredients in the pantry to ride out this snowfall.

My kids are all like “if you move to Florida you won’t have to worry about snow!” and I’m like “yeah, only boiling hot humid weather, alligators and hurricanes!” As much as I love my grandkids, I love the seasons. They can come here to experience snow.

42
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:03:05am

re: #41 The Pie Overlord!

Zedushka is a fervent carnivore, but has learned to enjoy vegetarian/vegan meals. His favorite is falafel, but he also likes SLT (sourdough, lettuce, tomato) sandwiches and whatever vegetable soup I cook up. Today’s soup is butternut lentil because I had some in the freezer.

I was going to go shopping today but NOPE. We have plenty of ingredients in the pantry to ride out this snowfall.

My kids are all like “if you move to Florida you won’t have to worry about snow!” and I’m like “yeah, only boiling hot humid weather, alligators and hurricanes!” As much as I love my grandkids, I love the seasons. They can come here to experience snow.

and Palmetto bugs and sand fleas.

boa constrictors/pythons as well now, I hear…

43
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:04:24am

re: #26 Backwoods_Sleuth

New Trump Facebook ad encourages people to say “THANK YOU VETERANS” by donating to… the Trump campaign

in a really perverse way, these people are brilliant

44
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:04:46am

re: #33 Eclectic Cyborg

I feel like Trump is one of the worst human beings to ever walk the earth.

Have I gone too far with that assessment?

One of, sure… but I’m not sure he makes the podium for either the 20th or 21st century. Like if there were an Olympics of bad people, he’d be in the field, he’d definitely qualify, but I don’t think he’s a medal contender.

45
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:04:54am

re: #37 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

I can take or leave squash or pumpkins. The Mrs. loves that.

I don’t mind pumpkin/squash soup, though I usually add a bunch of sriracha or harissa to give more flavor.

I just finished making a big batch of chicken stock (5 quarts worth) and froze it away. It’s just a base, but when I defrost and use, I’ll probably make a batch with ginger, scallion, and mushroom.

46
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:06:04am

re: #44 KGxvi

One of, sure… but I’m not sure he makes the podium for either the 20th or 21st century. Like if there were an Olympics of bad people, he’d be in the field, he’d definitely qualify, but I don’t think he’s a medal contender.

and they sure wouldn’t let him sit at the big bad people table.

he’d be banished to one of the kiddie tables out in the cornfield.

47
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:06:22am

re: #31 lawhawk

The Mrs has been wanting to do more vegetarian dishes, and we found a good “stew” that works as a compromise. It’s a Perisan chickpea and spinach stew with basmati rice. It totally works - there’s a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice to brighten flavors, tumeric, and a bunch of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, and dill, plus mint for garnish. I was surprised at how filling it was, since I usually need more after a vegetarian meal.

Think I’m going to make it part of my regular meal planning rotation….

Ok, you have my attention, you have a recipe or at least the name of the stew?

48
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:07:09am

re: #41 The Pie Overlord!

I’ve cut down on red meat significantly from when I was growing up, but now I primarily eat chicken, and have upped my vegetable intake significantly. I could do falafel all the time though frying does tend to undermine the healthy aspect just a smidge.

The Mrs. does a great Israeli salad, and I make my own hummus. So there’s that.

49
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:08:27am

re: #48 lawhawk

I’ve cut down on red meat significantly from when I was growing up, but now I primarily eat chicken, and have upped my vegetable intake significantly. I could do falafel all the time though frying does tend to undermine the healthy aspect just a smidge.

The Mrs. does a great Israeli salad, and I make my own hummus. So there’s that.

homemade hummus is the only way to go.

I don’t know how anyone can eat that commercially made goop. (same goes for homemade vs storebought salsa).

50
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:08:39am

re: #47 KGxvi

I’ll do better than that…

recipe. I dropped the yogurt from the recipe and cooked it as a meat dish.

51
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:08:45am

re: #42 Backwoods_Sleuth

and Palmetto bugs and sand fleas.

boa constrictors/pythons as well now, I hear…

And then there’s Florida Man…

52
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:08:49am

re: #48 lawhawk

I’ve cut down on red meat significantly from when I was growing up, but now I primarily eat chicken, and have upped my vegetable intake significantly. I could do falafel all the time though frying does tend to undermine the healthy aspect just a smidge.

The Mrs. does a great Israeli salad, and I make my own hummus. So there’s that.

probably sacrilege…there are lots of baked falafel recipes…

53
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:08:49am

Stuffed pumpkin coming out of oven

Serving with extra bacon and cooking supervisor’s feet
54
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:09:04am

re: #50 lawhawk

I’ll do better than that…

recipe. I dropped the yogurt from the recipe and cooked it as a meat dish.

gracias

55
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:10:16am

re: #49 Backwoods_Sleuth

I admit to buying store bought hummus. It’s easier than dragging out the food processor and the prep/cleanup, but nothing tastes nearly as good as homemade.

That’s why I have stopped buying store made chicken stock/soup. My soup base is so much better and healthier too.

56
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:11:34am

re: #52 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

probably sacrilege…there are lots of baked falafel recipes…

That is sacrilege. Baked will do in a pinch, but fried is the only way to get a truly tasty falafel. It’s all about the oil.

57
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:11:43am

we also make a Greek salad every week.

It really hasn’t been difficult moving away from heavy on the red meat diet to a more fruit and veg diet since MrBWS’s heart attack.

Today’s lunch/dinner was a sweet mango curry with chicken and basmati rice.

58
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:13:50am

re: #40 Backwoods_Sleuth

or acorn squash instead of a pumpkin.

Pumpkin soup, BTW, is particularly delish on cold days.

Last week in NY I had a “Girl’s Day” with my daughters-in-law. We went to a vegetarian restaurant in Crown Heights and one of their featured items was an acorn squash soup served in a “bowl” made out of a roasted, hollowed-out acorn squash.

59
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:13:50am

re: #57 Backwoods_Sleuth

that Greek salad is a HUGE batch, which keeps for several days to use as a side dish for whatever meals.

60
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:14:09am
61
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:16:18am

re: #21 KGxvi

I don’t think there’s enough Republicans in Congress stupid enough to go forward with a government shut down in an election year… and that’s before you factor in an ongoing impeachment process.

Well, it’s still a year away from the election, so that, specifically, is not going to be a factor IMO. But “stupid enough”? - these are Congressional Republicans we’re talking about: it’s more a case (again, JIMO) of “desperate enough”.

However, I’m also thinking that a “blackmail” shutdown WILL backfire badly on Trump and the GOP: if for no other reason that it will be able to be spun as, fundamentally, an admission of guilt: and MAY just be enough to push public opinion up past the 60% “impeach and remove” level that would likely spell doom for the last of GOP resistance.

Not that the Senate would vote him out, necessarily….

62
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:16:45am
63
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:18:08am

Well, Trump loses yet another case:

64
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:19:49am
65
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:21:15am

re: #61 Jay C

Well, it’s still a year away from the election, so that, specifically, is not going to be a factor IMO. But “stupid enough”? - these are Congressional Republicans we’re talking about: it’s more a case (again, JIMO) of “desperate enough”.

However, I’m also thinking that a “blackmail” shutdown WILL backfire badly on Trump and the GOP: if for no other reason that it will be able to be spun as, fundamentally, an admission of guilt: and MAY just be enough to push public opinion up past the 60% “impeach and remove” level that would likely spell doom for the last of GOP resistance.

Not that the Senate would vote him out, necessarily….

Oh, don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of stupid Congressional Republicans that the veto override would be close. But I think McConnell may be cutting Trump lose, he’s already abandoned a unified defense among Senators. And more Republicans outside the deepest red states/districts may do the math when more polls come out.

66
William Lewis  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:24:34am

re: #57 Backwoods_Sleuth

we also make a Greek salad every week.

It really hasn’t been difficult moving away from heavy on the red meat diet to a more fruit and veg diet since MrBWS’s heart attack.

Today’s lunch/dinner was a sweet mango curry with chicken and basmati rice.

Nothing that fancy here. Two hot dogs and a can of Bush’s Brown Sugar and Hickory baked beans along with a nice hot mug of tea.

67
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:24:51am

re: #63 lawhawk

Dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction… how fucking stupid are his lawyers?

68
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:25:58am

re: #67 KGxvi

Dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction… how fucking stupid are his lawyers?

all the ones who were remotely competent have jumped ship.

69
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:26:13am

re: #67 KGxvi

I think it’s really a question of ripeness. The court would reconsider if House Ways and Means requested the tax returns from NYS. Trump thought he could sue to thwart that from happening, but the courts need an actual act on which to rule.

It’s as though Trump’s lawyers forgot their civ pro lessons.

70
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:26:41am

re: #68 Backwoods_Sleuth

In hindsight Cohen was more competent than his current crop of lawyers? /

71
austin_blue  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:27:02am

re: #65 KGxvi

Oh, don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of stupid Congressional Republicans that the veto override would be close. But I think McConnell may be cutting Trump lose, he’s already abandoned a unified defense among Senators. And more Republicans outside the deepest red states/districts may do the math when more polls come out.

The Ukraine debacle will be the *first* Article of Impeachment forwarded to the Senate for trial. It will certainly not be the last. As the Articles pile up, so will pressure on the R’s to Cover Their Asses.

72
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:27:36am

re: #70 lawhawk

In hindsight Cohen was more competent than his current crop of lawyers? /

funny that, eh?

73
Mike Lamb  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:28:00am

re: #55 lawhawk

I admit to buying store bought hummus. It’s easier than dragging out the food processor and the prep/cleanup, but nothing tastes nearly as good as homemade.

That’s why I have stopped buying store made chicken stock/soup. My soup base is so much better and healthier too.

Instapot is great for hummus. Can go from dry to fully cooked in about an hour. No soaking.

74
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:28:05am

re: #68 Backwoods_Sleuth

all the ones who were remotely competent have jumped ship.

Fair, but personal jurisdiction and venue are things that every first year law student should be able to figure out. The fact that they didn’t take the five minutes it usually takes to analyze jurisdiction/venue in most law firms is just amazing.

75
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:30:32am

re: #69 lawhawk

I think it’s really a question of ripeness. The court would reconsider if House Ways and Means requested the tax returns from NYS. Trump thought he could sue to thwart that from happening, but the courts need an actual act on which to rule.

It’s as though Trump’s lawyers forgot their civ pro lessons.

In this case, the court didn’t even get to ripeness. Hell, they didn’t even get to venue because of a want of jurisdiction. They could have filed in any district in New York and been fine on jurisdiction and venue. Then they might have got to ripeness - though there’s a decent argument that you don’t really need a case to ripen if you’re seeking declaratory relief. But this is literally stumbling out of the starting block and falling flat on your face

76
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:31:23am

re: #74 KGxvi

It’s Trumpworld’s consistent effort at lawfare - try to bluster and BS their way to an outcome favorable to Trump. When the opponent has finite resources, or is a smaller business, they may knuckle under, but when Trump’s up against government agencies and deep pockets, he loses. Bigly.

Everyone can see that Trump is a paper tiger who doesn’t know what he’s doing and is trying to BS his way out of every mess. This is no different.

77
EPR-radar  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:33:29am

re: #33 Eclectic Cyborg

I feel like Trump is one of the worst human beings to ever walk the earth.

Have I gone too far with that assessment?

Nope. “Worse than Trump” is a very short list, which Trump is diligently working to shrink.

78
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:37:09am

re: #67 KGxvi

Dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction… how fucking stupid are his lawyers?

answer depends on whether they got paid up front for this

79
makeitstop  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:39:39am

That Oliver segment was simply brilliant. He and his writers kick ass.

Oh, and - Eat shit, Bob.

80
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:39:49am

re: #78 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

answer depends on whether they got paid up front for this

bwahahahahaaaaa

trump never pays anything up front.

81
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:41:50am

Very interesting story at ESPN about a 33-year-old walk on at Colorado State playing football.

Joshua Griffin spent his 20s in the Army, had five overseas tours and worked with Special Forces/Operations. It’s worth the read.

82
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:43:19am

re: #79 makeitstop

That Oliver segment was simply brilliant. He and his writers kick ass.

Oh, and - Eat shit, Bob.

That big musical production number at the end *CHEF’S KISS*

83
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:43:43am

re: #67 KGxvi

Dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction… how fucking stupid are his lawyers?

re: #80 Backwoods_Sleuth

bwahahahahaaaaa

trump never pays anything up front.

then that fucking stupid

84
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:44:58am

re: #28 KGxvi

I think we overplay the idea of “systematic imbalance” in the Senate. The ten smallest states by population are:

Idaho, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming. The partisan breakdown in those states is: 11-12-1 (D-R-I)

Actually, there are twelve states there, and the partisan breakdown of Senators is 10-12-2 (D-R-I). Which given the views of those (I) Senators, is pretty much even.

But the “structural imbalance” I was talking about was related to ideology/partisanality rather than population. What I was thinking about (and will do some back-of-the-envelope calculations for when I get back from shopping) was what the irreducible minimum number of Republican Senate seats is likely to be given present political realities; i.e. in how many states is it unlikely/long odds/impossible to imagine a Democratic (never mind “liberal”) Senator ever being elected.

I don’t have a number yet, but I’m pretty sure it is going to be depressingly high.

85
makeitstop  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:45:09am

re: #82 The Pie Overlord!

That big musical production number at the end *CHEF’S KISS*

Seriously. That’s using the medium to the max. Who else even does TV like that any more?

86
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:45:58am

Well I am sure glad that we went NY last week & not this week.

87
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:46:55am

re: #85 makeitstop

Seriously. That’s using the medium to the max. Who else even does TV like that any more?

Must watch in full screen.

88
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:48:05am
89
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:51:02am

take a fucking seat, tulsi

90
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:54:31am
91
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:55:49am

re: #89 Backwoods_Sleuth

take a fucking seat, tulsi

The correct response is BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!.

Clinton lawyer: Congresswoman Gabbard, considering our client never used a name, why did you assume it was meant for you?

92
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 11:56:10am

re: #84 Jay C

Actually, there are twelve states there, and the partisan breakdown of Senators is 10-12-2 (D-R-I). Which given the views of those (I) Senators, is pretty much even.

But the “structural imbalance” I was talking about was related to ideology/partisanality rather than population. What I was thinking about (and will do some back-of-the-envelope calculations for when I get back from shopping) was what the irreducible minimum number of Republican Senate seats is likely to be given present political realities; i.e. in how many states is it unlikely/long odds/impossible to imagine a Democratic (never mind “liberal”) Senator ever being elected.

I don’t have a number yet, but I’m pretty sure it is going to be depressingly high.

I obviously can’t count this morning.

Off the top of my head, I’d guess it’s probably in the mid-40s.

States that are always going to have two Republicans: Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana (that’s 14 total)

States that are always going to have one Republican: Montana, North and South Dakota, Alaska, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania (that’s 19 states so between 19 and 38).

I went a little liberal/wishful thinking on the one Republican states.

And then there’s the states like Arizona and Nevada and New Hampshire that could could go either way each cycle.

So the number is probably somewhere in the 40-45 range would be my guess.

I suspect it’s probably similar for Democrats.

93
sagehen  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:01:08pm

My annual posting of the 2014 UK art installation, “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” (at the Tower of London).

It was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI. It’s named after a poem, written by a soldier in that war shortly before he was KIA. The ceramic poppies that comprise the river/lake of blood, it’s the same number as Commonwealth soldiers KIA in the war.

94
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:04:44pm
95
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:06:37pm
96
jeffreyw  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:07:19pm
97
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:11:54pm

These are the people we are keeping the country for, the judge, the new lawyer, and her son:

98
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:11:56pm
99
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:12:25pm

The cold front just hit Round Top. Heading from 74 down to 31.

100
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:14:08pm

re: #99 jaunte

The cold front just hit Round Top. Heading from 74 down to 31.

temperature is actually rising here in The Backwoods.

This does not bode well for the coming winter storm.

101
PhillyPretzel  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:17:01pm

re: #100 Backwoods_Sleuth

Temps usually go up before they come down. It is at 66 degrees in Philly.
weather.gov

102
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:18:04pm

re: #85 makeitstop

Seriously. That’s using the medium to the max. Who else even does TV like that any more?

that
was
brilliant

i laughed so hard i’ve got tears

103
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:19:33pm

Oh! I forgot to mention that I’ve replaced my decades-old telephones with a Panasonic cordless system (base unit plus two cordless units).

I have Caller ID voice and room to block up to 250 numbers (I already blocked a Washington DC number…take THAT trump and the RNC!)
Lots of other features that I’m still exploring.

I was sooo stuck in the 20th Century with the old system…

104
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:20:31pm

re: #101 PhillyPretzel

Temps usually go up before they come down. It is at 66 degrees in Philly.
weather.gov

thus my “this does not bode well…”

105
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:22:28pm

re: #101 PhillyPretzel

Temps usually go up before they come down. It is at 66 degrees in Philly.
weather.gov

It’s almost 70 F here at the moment… by Tuesday morning it’s forecast to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 22F with a daytime high of 29…then 14F on Wednesday morning.

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

106
PhillyPretzel  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:22:48pm

re: #103 Backwoods_Sleuth

I love my Panasonic cordless. It blocks up to 250 numbers and has 5 handsets and of course I got it on amazon. :)

107
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:24:43pm

re: #106 PhillyPretzel

I love my Panasonic cordless. It blocks up to 250 numbers and has 5 handsets and of course I got it on amazon. :)

got mine from Amazon, too!

I got the three handset option.
The display on one of the handsets just stays blank, so we’re going to use that one as an intercom unit out in the shop and/or kitchen in the new house.

108
A dark and stormy covfefe  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:25:06pm

Canada’s National Racist Grandpa is unemployed. At least 15 years too late.

109
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:26:40pm

re: #73 Mike Lamb

Instapot is great for hummus. Can go from dry to fully cooked in about an hour. No soaking.

Yeah, I like that about the instantpot and dried beans. No need to soak overnight, just put in with enough moisture and in an hour you have re-hydrated beans again.

110
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:26:48pm

re: #93 sagehen

Here’s the full poem for anyone who is interested:

The blood swept lands and seas of red,
Where angels dare to tread.
As I put my hand to reach,
As God cried a tear of pain as the angels fell,
Again and again.
As the tears of mine fell to the ground,
To sleep with the flowers of red,
As any be dead.
My children see and work through fields
of my own with corn and wheat,
Blessed by love so far from pain of my resting
Fields so far from my love.
It be time to put my hand up and end this pain
Of living hell, to see the people around me
Fall someone angel as the mist falls around,
And the rain so thick with black
thunder I hear
Over the clouds, to sleep forever and kiss
The flower of my people gone before time
To sleep and cry no more.
I put my hand up and see the land of red,
This is my time to go over,
I may not come back So sleep, kiss the boys for me.

111
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:27:00pm

yelling at clouds again

112
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:27:36pm

Imma guessing he heard the boos despite all of the garbage trucks

113
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:27:56pm

[Can’t find this tweet right now: twitter.com ]

114
PhillyPretzel  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:28:03pm

Hmm the coldest temps I could find in PA of course is near Lake Erie at 33 degrees. That is on the other side of the state from me.

115
Skip Intro  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:29:42pm

116
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:30:19pm

re: #113 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Can’t find this tweet right now: twitter.com ]

don’t know why he deleted it…his response was dead on:

117
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:30:21pm

re: #108 A dark and stormy covfefe

Canada’s National Racist Grandpa is unemployed. At least 15 years too late.

[Embedded content]

Yeah, Cherry has long been known as a bloviating asshole with racist tendencies. 20 years ago he was decrying all the Europeans that were coming into the NHL, referring to almost all of them pejoratively as “Swedes” regardless of where they actually from and maintaining Canadian hockey players were always better than anyone from across the pond.

I actually met him once when I was a kid. Seemed a nice enough guy but he’s definitely set in his ways. Cherry is 85 now. Time for him to ride off anyway.

118
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:31:05pm

re: #114 PhillyPretzel

Hmm the coldest temps I could find in PA of course is near Lake Erie at 33 degrees. That is on the other side of the state from me.

It’s already snowing in Indianapolis and west-central Ohio.

119
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:32:28pm

“murky”

120
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:37:00pm

re: #114 PhillyPretzel

Hmm the coldest temps I could find in PA of course is near Lake Erie at 33 degrees. That is on the other side of the state from me.

I’m about 50 miles south of Lake Erie and we are showing 43F right now.

121
A dark and stormy covfefe  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:38:00pm

re: #117 Eclectic Cyborg

There’s some charming stuff in this 1992 article.

“Cherry says with a sigh. “They really are. Just look at our immigration policy. We accept everyone. Yes, in Vancouver they cheer louder for Pavel Bure than they do for Trevor Linden. But there are plenty of good ol’ boys like me who would rather see a guy with a name like Billy O’Reilly.”

122
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:39:34pm

re: #119 Backwoods_Sleuth

“The call is murky, it is really murky. I don’t like for the president of the United States to mention an American citizen for investigation to a foreign leader. I think that is out of bounds.”

perfectly murky

you see, even perfect in a murky way

which the best kind of perfect

123
jeffreyw  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:40:00pm

re: #106 PhillyPretzel

I love my Panasonic cordless. It blocks up to 250 numbers and has 5 handsets and of course I got it on amazon. :)

I have a cordless home phone that blocks all the numbers. I turned the ringer off, we use it to call toll free tech support numbers because our cells used to drop a lot of calls. I list my cell as my home phone number, I’ve had the same one for 35 years now. It’s taken years, but I seldom get callers asking to speak to my wife. “No, she can’t come to this phone right now, try her number - it’s xxx-xxxx.”

124
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:41:17pm

yeppers…he’s upset about the boos

and he’s also retweeting this nonsense:

125
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:41:29pm

re: #119 Backwoods_Sleuth

“murky”

[Embedded content]

Yeah, … murky. All those …’s that were left out of the “transcript”.

126
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:42:57pm

re: #123 jeffreyw

I have a cordless home phone that blocks all the numbers. I turned the ringer off, we use it to call toll free tech support numbers because our cells used to drop a lot of calls. I list my cell as my home phone number, I’ve had the same one for 35 years now. It’s taken years, but I seldom get callers asking to speak to my wife. “No, she can’t come to this phone right now, try her number - it’s xxx-xxxx.”

cell phones generally don’t work here, although the Panasonic system can sync with it.
We are pretty much stuck with a landline if we want phone service.

127
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:47:20pm

re: #119 Backwoods_Sleuth

“murky”

[Embedded content]

Nah, it’s pretty damn clear.

128
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:47:42pm

re: #119 Backwoods_Sleuth

“murky”

[Embedded content]

Shut up Kindaslezy! You gladly conspired with Dumbya and THE DICK to lie us into a war that killed my son!

129
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:48:26pm
130
uriel  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:56:24pm

re: #122 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Heh.

131
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 12:56:27pm

re: #92 KGxvi

OK: saw your #92, but didn’t look closely at it until I’d done my own off-the-cuff figuring (helped by a map, of course). I went at it slightly differently: I toted up the number of “red” states I felt unlikely to ever elect a Democrat (15: 30 Senators), and the number of “blue” states I felt unlikely to ever elect a GOPer (11: 22 Senators); which leaves, of course, the other 24 states as “maybes”.

So by my count, the “bedrock” Republican Senate probably is (as you posit) somewhere around 40-45 seats - and that in a blue-wave environment. Like I said: depressingly high.

132
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:02:46pm

Fun fact: It’s possible to be both a veteran AND a racist white supremacist.

133
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:15:33pm

re: #132 Eclectic Cyborg

Fun fact: It’s possible to be both a veteran AND a racist white supremacist.

and have a President* intervene in one’s court martial…

134
steve_davis  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:17:51pm

re: #28 KGxvi

I think we overplay the idea of “systematic imbalance” in the Senate. The ten smallest states by population are:

Idaho, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming. The partisan breakdown in those states is: 11-12-1 (D-R-I)

re: #33 Eclectic Cyborg

I feel like Trump is one of the worst human beings to ever walk the earth.

Have I gone too far with that assessment?

Trump has never walked the earth. He golf carts it.

135
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:22:06pm

re: #126 Backwoods_Sleuth

cell phones generally don’t work here, although the Panasonic system can sync with it.
We are pretty much stuck with a landline if we want phone service.

at&t gave us a microcell about 10 years ago - no charge because we too have no cell service - some sort of dead spot
it was the predecessor to the newer cell phones wi-fi calling feature

after a mostly reliable 5 years, we dumped our landline.
its a minor PITA if the power goes out or we need to call 911 (so far, never)

136
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:23:35pm

re: #121 A dark and stormy covfefe

There’s some charming stuff in this 1992 article.

Yep, that sounds like Cherry.

He’s also an outspoken climate change denier. Shocking, I know.

//

137
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:23:43pm

re: #135 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

at&t gave us a microcell about 10 years ago - no charge because we too have no cell service - some sort of dead spot
it was the predecessor to the newer cell phones wi-fi calling feature

after a mostly reliable 5 years, we dumped our landline.
its a minor PITA if the power goes out or we need to call 911 (so far, never)

[Embedded content]

Embedded Image

thanks!
MrBWS’s smartphone for work is AT&T.
We’ll check that out!

138
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:25:08pm

re: #135 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

Be aware that AT&T no longer carries Microcells so after yours bites the dust, whenever that may be, you’ll be stuck with Wi-Fi calling as a fallback.

Microcells can still be purchased from third party marketplaces (Ebay, Craigslist, etc.)

139
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:27:07pm

re: #137 Backwoods_Sleuth

thanks!
MrBWS’s smartphone for work is AT&T.
We’ll check that out!

it was a long time ago
as i remember it we called customer service and said something like we’re loyal very long time at&t customers, etc and we have att cellphones and we cant make or receive calls in our own house. (as an aside, we can if we walk outside into the field, and no, it’s not the construction of the house)

anyway, that did it for us.

140
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:27:07pm

re: #138 Eclectic Cyborg

Be aware that AT&T no longer carries Microcells so after yours bites the dust, whenever that may be, you’ll be stuck with Wi-Fi calling as a fallback.

just saw that

:(

141
steve_davis  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:27:47pm

re: #67 KGxvi

Dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction… how fucking stupid are his lawyers?

I was just thinking, this is why you hire the 800 dollar an hour lawyer who specializes in civil procedure. Knowing where to go and what to actually sue for is not for simpletons.

142
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:28:31pm

re: #140 Backwoods_Sleuth

just saw that

:(

143
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:28:52pm

Trump’s Biden “corruption” obsession is just more projection:

“…The awarding of a contract to a Perry political ally in Ukraine comes as President Trump’s own conversation with Ukraine’s president about opening an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden has become central to the House’s impeachment inquiry.

Perry has refused to turn over documents related to his interactions with Ukraine as part of the Trump administration’s policies, as requested by a House subpoena.”

WaPo:

“Visitor logs released by the Energy Department through a public records request show Bleyzer entering through the VIP check-in desk at the building where Perry’s office is at least three times, most recently on May 8.
……
Perry, who announced last month he is resigning by the end of the year, has refused to cooperate with the congressional probe.

Bleyzer and Perry’s ties go back at least a decade. As governor, Perry appointed Bleyzer in 2009 to serve as a member of a Texas state advisory board overseeing state funding to emerging technology ventures. The following year, Bleyzer contributed $30,000 to Perry’s 2010 campaign for Texas governor.”
washingtonpost.com

144
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:31:46pm

re: #141 steve_davis

Trump thinks in terms of SLAPP suits. He’s out to silence his critics and opponents and thinks these suits will somehow stop the onslaught of bad news for Trump.

It does nothing of the sort, but it exposes Trump as a simpleton who has no clue how anything works, or what his job is. He treats everything as how he can personally benefit and enrich himself and his cronies. Everything else is in service of that.

145
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:35:21pm

Update: At 10:30am it was 66 degrees. at 3:35pm, it’s 37.

146
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:36:21pm

re: #143 jaunte

Trump’s Biden “corruption” obsession is just more projection:

[Embedded content]

WaPo:

cmon
perry’s in the cabinet
and an R

not at all the same thing //

147
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:41:54pm
148
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:44:54pm

re: #147 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Was she the one whose testimony was interrupted by GOP galloping into the SCIF?

149
ckkatz  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:45:36pm

re: #69 lawhawk
IANAL - But I had always thought that the large number of current Trump suits was a delaying tactic. My understanding was that Trump has played these kind of games with varying degrees of success for decades. John Oliver’s prescient piece on SLAPP describes what I thought was Trump’s strategy and goal.

I had also assumed that the attorneys filing these kind of suits were well aware of what was going on. As I understand it, they pay no price for the maliciousness of this kind of strategy.

And I had assumed that once they agree to represent Trump, they are professionally expected to represent him to the best of their (legal) ability. So there was no reason to for them to not do it and many reasons to do it.

150
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:47:01pm

Just in case you needed another reason to hate Trump, he’s ending a program set up by Obama that allowed Filipino WW2 soldiers who are applying for citizenship due to their service bring their family members to the US: dailykos.com.

151
Patricia Kayden  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:47:18pm

Sigh.

152
NO SMOCKING GUN!  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:47:44pm

re: #108 A dark and stormy covfefe

Canada’s National Racist Grandpa is unemployed. At least 15 years too late.

[Embedded content]

What did he say?

153
ckkatz  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:47:47pm

While I was writing up my 149, you posted 144 which pretty much points out the same things.

re: #144 lawhawk

Trump thinks in terms of SLAPP suits. He’s out to silence his critics and opponents and thinks these suits will somehow stop the onslaught of bad news for Trump.

It does nothing of the sort, but it exposes Trump as a simpleton who has no clue how anything works, or what his job is. He treats everything as how he can personally benefit and enrich himself and his cronies. Everything else is in service of that.

154
lawhawk  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:50:00pm

re: #148 The Pie Overlord!

Yes.

155
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:51:13pm

WTFITS
“Something”

156
Skip Intro  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:53:40pm
157
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:54:31pm

“If you see intolerance and hate, speak out against them.”

158
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:55:19pm

i posted this downstairs
any other legal eagles want to weigh in?

Help me because i am totally confused about Bolton:

- he wants the courts to decide whether he can answer the subpoena and testify, or not
- and he’s writing a book

so assume he doesnt testify, mostly because timing is a factor and the courts are slow.
- could he include what he would have testified to in the book?
- ie impeachment related, and/or ukraine-gate - - I dont see how because that would be absurd
- what about anything / everything else - ie general stuff ——- i dont see how he could write a book at all if he wouldnt agree to testify about the exact same things to congress
- because he, and everyone are taking an all or nothing approach - not appearing at all vs appearing and declining to answer certain questions.

- if he does include all or a lot of this stuff in the book then none of these ploys not to testify make any legal sense to me
- if not, then likely it’s just another book of dirt, just new stories & mostly meaningless

159
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:56:36pm

re: #155 The Pie Overlord!

“You can shoot me, but you’ll have to kill us all… Something.” Trump said at the #VeteransDay Parade. Then he waited for applause that never came.

“Man surrounded by garbage trucks waits for applause”

160
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:57:06pm

re: #131 Jay C

OK: saw your #92, but didn’t look closely at it until I’d done my own off-the-cuff figuring (helped by a map, of course). I went at it slightly differently: I toted up the number of “red” states I felt unlikely to ever elect a Democrat (15: 30 Senators), and the number of “blue” states I felt unlikely to ever elect a GOPer (11: 22 Senators); which leaves, of course, the other 24 states as “maybes”.

So by my count, the “bedrock” Republican Senate probably is (as you posit) somewhere around 40-45 seats - and that in a blue-wave environment. Like I said: depressingly high.

Historically, it’s been very rare for one party to be much weaker than 40-45 in the Senate. You’ve got to go back to the 70s to find a time when the majority was over 60 votes - and that was the Democrats with a lot of bluedog/Dixiecrat types. Of course it’s not helped by the fact that both parties at the national level basically write off certain states

161
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:59:06pm

oh

162
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 1:59:14pm

re: #159 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

“Man surrounded by garbage trucks waits for applause”

You got to admit it is so appropriate for that piece of shit to be surrounded by garbage trucks!

163
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:00:44pm
House Democrats and former deputy national security adviser Charles Kupperman separately asked a federal judge to block acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney from intervening in a lawsuit over subpoenas related to the House’s impeachment inquiry, The Hill reports.

” subpoenis envy”

(i’d like to take credit, though i cannot)

164
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:00:46pm

re: #156 Skip Intro

165
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:00:49pm

re: #158 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

i posted this downstairs
any other legal eagles want to weigh in?

Help me because i am totally confused about Bolton:

- he wants the courts to decide whether he can answer the subpoena and testify, or not
- and he’s writing a book

so assume he doesnt testify, mostly because timing is a factor and the courts are slow.
- could he include what he would have testified to in the book?
- ie impeachment related, and/or ukraine-gate - - I dont see how because that would be absurd
- what about anything / everything else - ie general stuff ——- i dont see how he could write a book at all if he wouldnt agree to testify about the exact same things to congress
- because he, and everyone are taking an all or nothing approach - not appearing at all vs appearing and declining to answer certain questions.

- if he does include all or a lot of this stuff in the book then none of these ploys not to testify make any legal sense to me
- if not, then likely it’s just another book of dirt, just new stories & mostly meaningless

The scope of the subpoena is wider than the scope of the book. At least with respect to the criming of Trump.

166
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:01:48pm
167
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:03:02pm

re: #156 Skip Intro

Vincent D’Onofrio will be playing King in the movie.

168
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:05:05pm

“…Perry made clear that the Trump administration wanted to see the entire Naftogaz supervisory board replaced, according to a person who attended both meetings. Perry again referenced the list of advisers that he had given Zelenskiy, and it was widely interpreted that he wanted Michael Bleyzer, a Ukrainian-American businessman from Texas, to join the newly formed board, the person said. Also on the list was Robert Bensh, another Texan who frequently works in Ukraine, the Energy Department confirmed.”
cbsaustin.com

169
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:05:26pm

“…The Naftogaz supervisory board is supposed to be selected by the Ukrainian president’s Cabinet in consultation with international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, the United States and the European Union. It must be approved by the Ukrainian Cabinet. Ukrainian officials perceived Perry’s push to swap out the board as circumventing that established process, according to the person in the room.”

170
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:06:00pm

re: #165 KGxvi

The scope of the subpoena is wider than the scope of the book. At least with respect to the criming of Trump.

so the book’s gonna suck

171
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:07:22pm

re: #156 Skip Intro

[Embedded content]

well, if reunification is a result of this Brexit nonsense, IRA’s goal has been met.

172
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:08:45pm

re: #170 DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)

so the book’s gonna suck

I mean, Bolton had been around for a while, so there might be some stuff about W and Cheney’s shenanigans. And he served in both the Reagan and GHW Bush administrations. So there could be interesting stuff in there.

But yeah, I’m guessing like most memoirs of career politicians/government types it’s going to suck. That’s usually just a safe bet.

173
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:10:59pm
174
Dread Pirate  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:15:20pm
175
goddamnedfrank  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:18:32pm

re: #173 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Trump didn’t actually answer the question in full. The questions was “did you ask Barr or anyone at the Justice Department to investigate the Bidens?”

After being quite the dick his final bullshit response was “I never spoke to him about anything.”

You can ask someone for something without speaking directly to them, and he never answered if he asked anyone at the DOJ, either directly or through WH staff.

Because he obviously did, early on, and the response he got sent him down this criminal extortion path using Giuliani as the bag man.

176
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:20:01pm

I hope this meets with approval. I’m doing some test baking today preparing for Thanksgiving Day. Using Grandma’s biscuit recipe from memory using her preferred Swans Down Cake Flour…

177
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:22:02pm

re: #175 goddamnedfrank

“I never spoke to him about anything.”

No, you never do that sort of thing directly. You simply imply that it would be a good idea for one of your staffers suggest the idea to one of the AG’s staffers. “Plausible deniability” - it don’t mean what it used to mean.

178
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:22:15pm
179
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:22:20pm

re: #166 jaunte

[Embedded content]

From that Oil Price piece by Bensh:

This new government will also need to find an effective way to pay the country’s gas debt to Russia, because that will not disappear. The only way to do that is to start selling off energy assets and privatizing the energy infrastructure.

Gee, Bob: got any buyers in mind…..?

Whatta piece of.. ummm, work: rendered irrelevant, in large part, by events; but still useful as a background to the present Ukrainian mess: though Bensh’s bottom line: i.e. that Russian bullying of Ukraine is bad, but it’s still all the Ukrainians’ fault, still stinks.

180
goddamnedfrank  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:27:52pm

re: #177 KGxvi

No, you never do that sort of thing directly. You simply imply that it would be a good idea for one of your staffers suggest the idea to one of the AG’s staffers. “Plausible deniability” - it don’t mean what it used to mean.

“You know I’m hearing a lot of really bad things about Burisma, someone should look into that. Someone who won’t recuse themselves like that useless fuck Jeff Sessions. I’m not saying exactly who should look into it, just, y’know … someone.”

181
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:28:29pm

re: #179 Jay C

Note the way he just brushes by the invasion of Crimea, no biggie.

182
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:28:40pm

re: #176 Joe Bacon 🌹

I hope this meets with approval. I’m doing some test baking today preparing for Thanksgiving Day. Using Grandma’s biscuit recipe from memory using her preferred Swans Down Cake Flour…

[Embedded content]

they look perfect

183
jeffreyw  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:28:59pm

re: #176 Joe Bacon 🌹

I hope this meets with approval. I’m doing some test baking today preparing for Thanksgiving Day. Using Grandma’s biscuit recipe from memory using her preferred Swans Down Cake Flour…

[Embedded content]

Those are fabulous!👍👍

184
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:37:57pm

re: #176 Joe Bacon 🌹

I hope this meets with approval. I’m doing some test baking today preparing for Thanksgiving Day. Using Grandma’s biscuit recipe from memory using her preferred Swans Down Cake Flour…

[Embedded content]

please share the recipe from your apparently perfect memory.

please, please, please

185
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:40:03pm

re: #181 jaunte

Note the way he just brushes by the invasion of Crimea, no biggie.

And dismisses the “pro-democracy” movement then occurring:

But it’s important in all of this to pay close attention to what Russia is airing as its grievances, which included: an illegitimate Ukrainian government led by radicals; unprotected Russian speakers in the eastern regions; and $11 billion in unpaid Ukrainian gas debt.

At least he didn’t echo the stock Moscow line that non-Russian-puppet Ukrainians are all “Nazis and Fascists”.

186
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:41:04pm

i. cant. breathe.

187
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:41:35pm

Kishka Greedy!

188
DangerMan (misuser of the sarc tag)  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:42:15pm

chris cillizza, blind squirrel / acorn

The truly frightening thing about Nikki Haley’s big revelation

But what, to me, is the most important part of the story is that both of these hugely accomplished Cabinet officials, who were hand-picked for their roles by the President and who, presumably, came into the administration favorably inclined to him, so quickly and clearly assessed that the man they were working for was an active danger to the country.

And such a danger that they were in the process of actively recruiting people within the administration to help them keep the President from doing anything that would endanger the country.

189
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:45:30pm

re: #184 Backwoods_Sleuth

please share the recipe from your apparently perfect memory.

please, please, please

It’s not perfect. This is the THIRD batch I tested today. I used more baking powder and mixed in cold butter cut in cubes. The first batch was a TOTAL DISASTER!

190
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:47:36pm

re: #189 Joe Bacon 🌹

It’s not perfect. This is the THIRD batch I tested today. I used more baking powder and mixed in cold butter cut in cubes. The first batch was a TOTAL DISASTER!

well, whatever you did with that third batch is GREAT!

Share THAT one.

191
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:49:16pm

re: #190 Backwoods_Sleuth

well, whatever you did with that third batch is GREAT!

Share THAT one.

we can make this a lizard group culinary effort to perfect it

192
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:51:15pm

Grandma’s recipe was:

Ingredients
2 cups Swans Down cake flour sifted
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into cubes
3/4 cup REAL buttermilk, COLD!
THEN
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the butter into dice sized cubes
Add the cold buttermilk all at once and GENTLY form into a ball.
Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface, into a 6x9-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into thirds.
Stack each third on top of one another and roll the dough into a 6×9-inch rectangle again.
Using a 2¼ or 2½-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut 9 (maybe 10) biscuits and place them on a silicone lined baking sheet.

NOTE! Do your best to piece together the scraps and use up all the dough with the layering technique, DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH!!!!

Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom

193
Barefoot Grin  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:53:44pm

I literally put a drink to my mouth, clicked on this, and took the cup away without taking a sip. I have nothing against Deval Patrick, but really? What we need is more candidates?

194
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:54:48pm

re: #193 Barefoot Grin

OFFS.

Get it together, Dems! We need to cull this pack and unite behind a front runner to go after Trump.

195
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:55:44pm

re: #186 Backwoods_Sleuth

From the studio that brought you Wedding Crashes… get ready for:

Grave Diggers!

196
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:57:23pm

Anybody notice that there’s suddenly all these people “considering a bid” now that Biden has been basically kneecapped and Warren is seen as the frontrunner?

197
calochortus  Nov 11, 2019 • 2:58:48pm

re: #196 Targetpractice

Anybody notice that there’s suddenly all these people men “considering a bid” now that Biden has been basically kneecapped and Warren is seen as the frontrunner?

Fixed it. (Unless some other women have declared their candidacy when I wasn’t looking.)

198
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:02:02pm

re: #197 calochortus

Fixed it. (Unless some other women have declared their candidacy when I wasn’t looking.)

Fair point. Could probably go further and add in “conservative,” since I’ve yet to see anyone “considering a bid” in recent days that’s to the left of Joe in any meaningful way.

199
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:07:03pm

re: #196 Targetpractice

Anybody notice that there’s suddenly all these people “considering a bid” now that Biden has been basically kneecapped and Warren is seen as the frontrunner?

Also interesting in that there isn’t really an dissatisfaction among Democratic primary voters about their choices (other than, maybe, that there’s already too many). Undecided voters seem to be under 10%, though the way they phrase the questions may have something to do with that. And most have second or third choices. But I’m not seeing anything in the polls that suggests the Dems need a white knight candidate.

200
Decatur Deb  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:07:48pm

On 8 Nov, Alabama closed its primary entries. Isn’t there a limited time to pile into the clown car at the national level?

201
calochortus  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:08:30pm

re: #200 Decatur Deb

On 8 Nov, Alabama closed its primary entries. Isn’t there a limited time to pile into the clown car at the national level?

We can hope so.

202
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:11:29pm

re: #199 KGxvi

Also interesting in that there isn’t really an dissatisfaction among Democratic primary voters about their choices (other than, maybe, that there’s already too many). Undecided voters seem to be under 10%, though the way they phrase the questions may have something to do with that. And most have second or third choices. But I’m not seeing anything in the polls that suggests the Dems need a white knight candidate.

I’m not seeing it in the polls either, but there is a place I certainly am seeing a huge interest in such a candidate: the corporate press. Jeff Bezos and the Sulzbergers seem very interested in suggesting that the Dems are in need of a “moderate” candidate who can beat Warren.

203
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:14:30pm

re: #200 Decatur Deb

On 8 Nov, Alabama closed its primary entries. Isn’t there a limited time to pile into the clown car at the national level?

Deadline to be a recognized candidate in California is November 26. Though you can still get on the ballot with signatures as late as December 13.

204
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:14:44pm

re: #192 Joe Bacon 🌹

thanks!
We’ll be tinkering with it while it snows

205
Decatur Deb  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:17:09pm

re: #203 KGxvi

Deadline to be a recognized candidate in California is November 26. Though you can still get on the ballot with signatures as late as December 13.

Deval Patrick can’t get on the Alabama ballot now. Not that it should alter his decision much.

206
plansbandc  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:20:16pm

re: #176 Joe Bacon 🌹

Gorgeous! Would like to split one in half and put a ridiculous amount of butter on it and eat the naughty thing. NOM

207
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:21:53pm

While looking up the California deadline, I noticed there was a thing about having to submit tax returns to the Secretary of State that then get released in some fashion. That law is being challenged, and I’m 99% sure it’s going to get struck down, like similar laws have in the past. Looks like there’s a few law suits out there about it.

208
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:22:24pm

re: #206 plansbandc

Gorgeous! Would like to split one in half and put a ridiculous amount of butter on it and eat the naughty thing. NOM

My first thought was “sausage gravy and scrambled eggs”. But butter works too.

209
Decatur Deb  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:23:07pm

re: #207 KGxvi

While looking up the California deadline, I noticed there was a thing about having to submit tax returns to the Secretary of State that then get released in some fashion. That law is being challenged, and I’m 99% sure it’s going to get struck down, like similar laws have in the past. Looks like there’s a few law suits out there about it.

In Alabama you have to post your deer tag.

210
William Lewis  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:27:25pm

re: #199 KGxvi

Also interesting in that there isn’t really an dissatisfaction among Democratic primary voters about their choices (other than, maybe, that there’s already too many). Undecided voters seem to be under 10%, though the way they phrase the questions may have something to do with that. And most have second or third choices. But I’m not seeing anything in the polls that suggests the Dems need a white knight candidate.

But megacorps do. They are expecting a dem to win after the Trump fiasco and want as conservative a male dem as possible

211
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:29:48pm

Trump’s lies could be getting lazier, if that’s even possible.

212
Decatur Deb  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:32:17pm

re: #210 William Lewis

But megacorps do. They are expecting a dem to win after the Trump fiasco and want as conservative a male dem as possible

Then it’s up to us to disappoint them. Everything that paints Warren as a commissar helps with the youts.

213
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:34:07pm

re: #31 lawhawk

The Mrs has been wanting to do more vegetarian dishes, and we found a good “stew” that works as a compromise. It’s a Perisan chickpea and spinach stew with basmati rice. It totally works - there’s a bit of lemon zest and lemon juice to brighten flavors, tumeric, and a bunch of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, and dill, plus mint for garnish. I was surprised at how filling it was, since I usually need more after a vegetarian meal.

Think I’m going to make it part of my regular meal planning rotation….

Google Abgoosht. It’s a Persian chickpea stew made with (or without) lamb. I’ve made it vegetarian and it’s absolutely delicious.

214
Decatur Deb  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:39:36pm

As a kid, we were committed vegetarians the week before paydays,

215
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:41:11pm

re: #194 Eclectic Cyborg

OFFS.

Get it together, Dems! We need to cull this pack and unite behind a front runner to go after Trump.

Dems have it together. You can’t really stop people from calling themselves candidates, but we can make sure they get 0%.

216
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:44:34pm

re: #211 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Trump’s lies could be getting lazier, if that’s even possible.

The lie is the point. Even if he is personally ignorant of the applicable laws, the people around him feeding into his paranoia doubtlessly are aware of them. They’re pushing this “he said/they said” narrative for all they’re worth because the only strategy left at this point is to call the entire inquiry “into question.”

217
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:47:47pm

I need one of these.

218
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:49:58pm

Giuliani wants to do a podcast complaining about each day of the impeachment investigation: cnn.com

In the conversation, Giuliani said he hoped to have four or five episodes “to analyze the impeachment in every aspect.” Giuliani’s intention seems to be to have four episodes finished before the start of the Senate trial.

219
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:52:25pm

re: #140 Backwoods_Sleuth

BfoIA88rVfL75lCc1lNie3JNgWR6CNFmLYF/cUDMtYBiu//jJqVlqfX7CUDckHdsTtTBMEFFvP/aPpDhmQeMPhRRbfHS+XmUQY2RU0FWUJaVrU3IuqZDxS8/7RF8iGbKj01fUKtH2ThbO0xrXJh+CYM+i6kmjJxfbK/0GLABvL4KDiENcINFSEIYYUri3OA9L6mXRhvUCiCLeiAKlWsYZ8IwEopJYUmAGfyP37RFI8KJYI+4lO1JcshCm/QSWg8T

220
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:52:37pm

re: #218 Belafon

The episode about when he’s called to testify is going to be [fire emoji] [fire emoji] [fire emoji]

221
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:54:07pm

re: #211 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Trump’s lies could be getting lazier, if that’s even possible.

Just like a crook, he thinks everyone does what he is doing.

222
Eclectic Cyborg  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:54:15pm

re: #211 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Trump’s lies could be getting lazier, if that’s even possible.

Narrator: It’s definitely possible.

223
Backwoods_Sleuth  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:54:50pm

re: #219 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

7s9hG13xHPzPQKiXI5cntXc2NjdeNfOU

224
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:57:16pm

re: #215 Belafon

There are some deep issues with polity in this country that are hardly addressed at all in official speeches by elected leaders, party leaders, etc.

Namely, that a great share of the citizenry just doesn’t bother to vote, especially in elections other than Presidential elections.

It’s not hard to find videos of even highly educated people who brag about not voting.

A democracy is premised on the idea of citizens voting. If they don’t vote, then one can make an argument that the society is not really democratic. And with the role of money in American elections, one can make a case that, in the US, politics is about having money.

Trump is where he is because of America’s obsession with attaching weight to the idea of being rich. Not just for the comforts that money brings, but for the idea that being rich means some inherent superiority.

So we live in a society that would rather sit back, not be involved, and instead worship celebrity and money.

This makes our nomination processes and elections more about entertainment rather than choosing wisely and making tough decisions.

225
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Nov 11, 2019 • 3:59:09pm

re: #189 Joe Bacon 🌹

It’s not perfect. This is the THIRD batch I tested today. I used more baking powder and mixed in cold butter cut in cubes. The first batch was a TOTAL DISASTER!

Are you using buttermilk?

226
DodgerFan1988  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:02:20pm

Good riddance. For years he always went out of his way to bash fellow Canadian citizens of African, Asian, and Indigenous descent, instead of just talking about hockey.

227
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:04:29pm

Animation illustrating the dramatic changes in Arctic sea ice the past few years compared to the satellite record the past 40 years:

The age of Arctic sea ice

228
Quoth the raven, Covfefe.  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:07:23pm

Evening Lizardim from the heart of the polar vortex. How go things among the lizardfolk on this extremely cold winter night?

229
PhillyPretzel  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:09:23pm

Amazon is taking orders for “A Warning” by Anonymous. amazon.com

230
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:21:47pm

re: #192 Joe Bacon 🌹

Biscuit dough is very similar to pie crust dough.

231
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:25:53pm

re: #229 PhillyPretzel

Amazon is taking orders for “A Warning” by Anonymous. amazon.com

I’ll wait for the Twitter recaps. I have a hard time with anonymous and the lack of courage they’re displaying.

232
Dread Pirate  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:29:49pm
233
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:32:09pm

re: #232 Dread Pirate

[Embedded content]

He has no fucking idea about policy or what he is signing.

234
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:32:14pm

re: #232 Dread Pirate

[Embedded content]

Considering how few laws he’s signed in the last 3 years, you might think even his syphilis-addled brain could remember that much.

235
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:32:42pm

JFC he’s totally off the rails and over the cliff

236
plansbandc  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:34:10pm

re: #232 Dread Pirate

Piece of shit just randomly takes credit for whatever. His cultists celebrate it and the rest of us shout in the wind about who really actually did it. So fucking tired of it.

237
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:35:19pm

re: #235 The Pie Overlord!

JFC he’s totally off the rails and over the cliff

[Embedded content]

Meanwhile, there’s people right this very moment being charged, arraigned, tried, or convicted on “possession with intent to sell” based solely upon how much marijuana they were caught with.

238
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:35:55pm

re: #235 The Pie Overlord!

“they get the aid and we get nothing in return”

Dumb-ass gangster worldview.

239
gocart mozart  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:37:48pm
240
PhillyPretzel  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:38:49pm

re: #239 gocart mozart

He uses lifts which cause him to stand like that.

241
Eventual Carrion  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:39:21pm

re: #239 gocart mozart

[Embedded content]

Give him a break. Putin’s hand up his ass can’t be all that comfortable.

242
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:41:09pm

re: #240 PhillyPretzel

He uses lifts which cause him to stand like that.

And he refuses to button his coat while standing, probably to hide his gut (the same reason he buttons it while sitting)

243
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:41:17pm

According to wingnuts, if a bank robber gets caught before he gets through the front doors, he legally can’t be charged with a crime even though he was caught with tools, plans, and weapons while a getaway driver sat at the curb. In their world, not only does the intended robber deserve an apology, but the police should be investigating the informant who tipped them off for possible ulterior motives.

244
plansbandc  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:41:53pm

re: #239 gocart mozart

Because he’s got something up the butt to keep him from shitting his pants? It would be wrong for me not to speculate. Just asking questions.

245
KGxvi  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:42:21pm

re: #235 The Pie Overlord!

“they get the aid and we get nothing in return”

What we got was “not being in a war with Russia in a region of the world that has already been a kicking of point for major wars.”

246
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:54:31pm

By the way, Donny, when you argue that you can’t be charged with a crime because you failed in the commission of it, you totally undermine the other argument you try to peddle that you can’t be charged with conspiracy for lack of intent. Why? Because the former argument establishes pretty clearly you intended to commit a crime. If that’s over your head, ask Bill to draw you a fucking picture to explain.

247
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 4:55:03pm

My wife taped the Sesame Street 50th anniversary, and it has Elvis Costello singing with Kermit.

248
Targetpractice  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:01:21pm

I genuinely cannot see this shit ever going to trial in the Senate. The moment the first motion to throw it out is made, the Repubs will vote to do so because to allow the WH any chance to offer a defense will mean utter bedlam on the Senate floor. They can claim it’s about the WB (BS), that the whole thing is “unfair” (BS with cheese), and that it’s a “witch hunt” (BS with bacon and cheese), but the truth is the defense is all over the place.

I really could see Donny demanding he be allowed to question witnesses personally, just so he could indulge his own fantasy of a courtroom drama where he corners his accusers and gets them to admit the whole thing was a conspiracy against him.

249
gocart mozart  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:02:17pm
250
wrenchwench  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:04:08pm

re: #247 Belafon

My wife taped the Sesame Street 50th anniversary, and it has Elvis Costello singing with Kermit.

Kermit had good taste.

251
CleverToad  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:07:16pm

re: #97 Belafon

These are the people we are keeping the country for, the judge, the new lawyer, and her son:

[Embedded content]

He’s got the baby-jiggle down! That’s a grandpa right there.
We need folks like that on the bench.

252
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:13:29pm
253
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:15:22pm

1. Presidents who hide their tax returns are NOT “Transparent”
2. He has no idea what the word “tantalizing” means and now he has stuck it in the rotation with “incredible” “tremendous” and “bigly”

254
Dread Pirate  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:16:56pm
255
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:18:20pm

re: #249 gocart mozart

“Partially Hispanic.” Why do so many of them think being different in only one way will save them?

He’s also 21. I suspect he’ll get crushed by the established people.

256
gocart mozart  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:19:47pm
257
wrenchwench  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:20:26pm

re: #253 The Pie Overlord!

…In order to continue being the most Transparent President in history,..

‘TP 45’ for short.

258
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:22:19pm
259
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:24:27pm
260
Joe Bacon 🌹  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:26:02pm

261
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:32:54pm

It’s a couple of months old, so you might have seen it, but if not, see if you can figure it out before you click on the link:

fox13now.com

262
Dave In Austin  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:35:06pm

Annnnnnd We have ice in CenTex.

263
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:36:38pm

re: #261 Belafon

How Jesus Keeps Showing Up in Your Movies

Jonathan Decker, Latter-day Saint

yourfamilyexpert.com

264
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:36:41pm

re: #262 Dave In Austin

Annnnnnd We have ice in CenTex.

I always marvel at how Central Texas gets ice and snow more than the Metroplex.

265
Dread Pirate  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:38:17pm
266
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:41:33pm

re: #265 Dread Pirate

if you want to bring Trump’s numbers down a few notches, this will need to get through the Fox propaganda machine.

267
gocart mozart  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:43:51pm
268
Charles Johnson  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:48:38pm
269
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:49:40pm

I’m going to watch the “Suck My Balls Bob” Dancers musical production number again, just because.

270
Charles Johnson  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:50:45pm

re: #269 The Pie Overlord!

I’m going to watch the “Suck My Balls Bob” Dancers musical production number again, just because.

It’s so good! I’ve watched it 3 times.

271
Eric The Fruit Bat  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:52:47pm

re: #126 Backwoods_Sleuth

AT&T no longer offers landlines to.consumers in many states by getting the state’s public utility boards to agree to no longer provision landlines by bills passed in state houses.

More crapification of telecoms by ILECs.

272
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:56:38pm

Linda Tirado is actually reading Don Jr.’s book, which from the excerpts sounds like one of his daddy’s speech-length whines extended to book-length.

273
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:56:41pm

re: #271 Eric The Fruit Bat

AT&T no longer offers landlines to.consumers in many states by getting the state’s public utility boards to agree to no longer provision landlines by bills passed in state houses.

More crapification of telecoms by ILECs.

Which states?

274
jaunte  Nov 11, 2019 • 5:56:59pm
275
goddamnedfrank  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:00:27pm

re: #268 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

They’re not even so much the marks as they’re not getting what they want quite fast enough. They have gotten a reversal of DACA that seems poised to pass SCOTUS, a radical reduction in legal immigration and a fascist internal police system that rips refugee families apart and puts them in concentration camps. They’re just mad that they aren’t allowed to ethnically cleanse the country right now and engage in overt genocide.

276
Charles Johnson  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:00:46pm
277
DodgerFan1988  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:10:35pm
278
fern01  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:14:45pm

Anyone watching Rachael?

No-one in Ukraine could equal or exceed the graft and corruption of the trump administration. I am beginning to think every republican in Congress must be part of the deal. Rick Perry and the VP getting good mentions on the show.

279
Eric The Fruit Bat  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:22:59pm

re: #273 Belafon

Michigan for starters.

280
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:25:04pm
281
Ace Rothstein  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:31:46pm

re: #280 The Pie Overlord!

A great man. For decades, Republicans have ridiculed him and blamed him for everything imaginable. When Carter gave his address to the nation to describe a “crisis of confidence,” they have called it his “malaise speech,” though the word “malaise” was not used by Carter even once. I can’t count how many wagers I have won on this one from drunk idiots in bars (thanks, Google). Carter was just too honest for this country.

282
The Pie Overlord!  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:40:04pm
283
Hecuba's daughter  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:41:49pm

re: #278 fern01

Anyone watching Rachael?

No-one in Ukraine could equal or exceed the graft and corruption of the trump administration. I am beginning to think every republican in Congress must be part of the deal. Rick Perry and the VP getting good mentions on the show.

I usually listed to the Rachel and Chris Hayes podcasts the next day.

284
Dread Pirate  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:53:33pm
285
NO SMOCKING GUN!  Nov 11, 2019 • 6:56:40pm
286
Decatur Deb  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:01:55pm

re: #284 Dread Pirate

[Embedded content]

Yeah, but is he woke?

287
Dave In Austin  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:04:57pm
288
NO SMOCKING GUN!  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:05:31pm
289
Dave In Austin  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:06:49pm
290
Jay C  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:09:40pm

re: #288 NO SMOCKING GUN!

[Embedded content]

Wonder if The Orange Anus is pissed off that one of “his” judges didn’t automatically side with him?

Or are nasty tweets about judges so 2016….?

Funny thing about the law: even Trump Admin appointees are likelier to know more about it than him (for the most part anyway, I’m not sure about some of the latest crop).

291
gocart mozart  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:10:46pm
293
Dave In Austin  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:31:44pm
294
Belafon  Nov 11, 2019 • 7:51:34pm

re: #288 NO SMOCKING GUN!

[Embedded content]

HAHAHA. He let the Federalist pick his judges.


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