Saturday, October 19, 2019
Friday, October 18, 2019
Why Can't A Democrat Be More Like A Republican?
Every Never Trumper blissfully pretending the Republican party isn't what it is:
Democrats are irrational, that's all there is to that!
There heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags!
They're nothing but exasperating, irritating
Vacillating, calculating, agitating
Maddening and infuriating hags!
Republicans are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historic'ly fair;
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat
Well, why can't a Democrat be like that?
Why does ev'ryone do what the others do?
Can't a Democrat learn to use her head?
Why do they do ev'rything their mothers do?
Why don't they grow up- well, like their father instead?
Why can't a Democrat take after a Republican?
Republicans are so pleasant, so easy to please;
Whenever you are with them, you're always at ease
Democrats are irrational, that's all there is to that!
There heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags!
They're nothing but exasperating, irritating
Vacillating, calculating, agitating
Maddening and infuriating hags!
Republicans are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historic'ly fair;
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat
Well, why can't a Democrat be like that?
Why does ev'ryone do what the others do?
Can't a Democrat learn to use her head?
Why do they do ev'rything their mothers do?
Why don't they grow up- well, like their father instead?
Why can't a Democrat take after a Republican?
Republicans are so pleasant, so easy to please;
Whenever you are with them, you're always at ease
Deadbeats
Their hero never pays his bills, either.
A couple hundred Donald Trump fans rallied outside Congress on Thursday for the “March for Trump,” an event meant to oppose House Democrats’ impeachment investigation. According to organizers, though, there would have been hundreds more people shouting “stop the coup” in Washington’s streets if not for a liberal plot against their buses.
That’s because, as would-be rally attendees gathered across the East Coast for the US Coachways buses that the organizer had promised would take them to Washington, those buses never showed.
The no-shows provoked a wave of anger, accusations that the “deep state” had colluded to stop a show of Trump support in Washington, and negative reviews aimed at US Coachways.
But US Coachways has a simpler explanation for what happened—it was never paid for the requested buses due to a series of declined credit card payments.
The Referees
Anybody sentient knows Trump is a brain worm addled psychopath, but Democrats aren't allowed to say it because that's just Partisan and Objective Political Journalists aren't allowed to say it because all they do is type up what people tell them (this is not true but it's what they pretend), so that leaves the Wise Old Men Of Washington which is basically Henry Kissinger and some retired generals. Maybe if Mad Dog says something Mitch McConnell will have to act!!!
Hey maybe if you want some retired generals to violate some Norms perhaps all you "objective journalists" could start doing it too. No? Ok shut up then.
Hey maybe if you want some retired generals to violate some Norms perhaps all you "objective journalists" could start doing it too. No? Ok shut up then.
Wow The Marshall of the Supreme Court Is Coming For Drumpf Now
I have never understood journalist's love of "Mad Dog," even given their general professed love of The Troops, but apparently a couple of zingers at a dinner are Real Courage or something.
"lets loose."
Christ these people are broken.
Secretary Mattis lets loose “I earned my spurs on the battlefield; Donald Trump earned his spurs from the doctor”.
— Martha Raddatz (@MarthaRaddatz) October 18, 2019
"lets loose."
Christ these people are broken.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Godless
I suspect the number of true believers hasn't changed all that much, but that people increasingly don't identify themselves as culturally Christian is interesting. When I was younger, if you weren't Other (Jewish, etc.), you were default Christian, and people thought it was weird if you claimed otherwise.
The religious landscape of the United States continues to change at a rapid clip. In Pew Research Center telephone surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019, 65% of American adults describe themselves as Christians when asked about their religion, down 12 percentage points over the past decade. Meanwhile, the religiously unaffiliated share of the population, consisting of people who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” now stands at 26%, up from 17% in 2009.
Employer Tax Credits
Sometimes they propose things just to troll me.
This stuff is just free money for companies with accountants and lawyers. Not one job will be created because of them and genuinely small businesses without the knowledge of how to squeeze all the money out of the system are put at a disadvantage.
The problems vary, of course, but rural areas tend to lack appropriate infrastructure such as adequate broadband service or a decent airport. There are ways to make rural areas attractive for employers other than "free money for JAAYYUUUB CREATORS" but that's the best we can do because capitalism means government does nothing but give tax money to corporations.
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris will announce a plan to incentivize jobs in rural communities during her stop in Tipton on Thursday afternoon.
Harris, a Democratic candidate for president, said she will provide up to $10,000 a year for every full-time job created in rural areas. According to her Partnership with Rural America plan released today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would designate zones where companies would be eligible for these benefits.
To be eligible, companies have to either open a new office or factory in the community or expand an existing operation. The companies would also have to hire at least three new full-time workers, including at least one employee who lives in the community.
This stuff is just free money for companies with accountants and lawyers. Not one job will be created because of them and genuinely small businesses without the knowledge of how to squeeze all the money out of the system are put at a disadvantage.
The problems vary, of course, but rural areas tend to lack appropriate infrastructure such as adequate broadband service or a decent airport. There are ways to make rural areas attractive for employers other than "free money for JAAYYUUUB CREATORS" but that's the best we can do because capitalism means government does nothing but give tax money to corporations.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
A Noun, A Verb, Some CRIMES
Oh Rudes. Tough day.
CNN)For months, investigators looking into Rudy Giuliani's business dealings in Ukraine have dug into everything from possible financial entanglements with alleged corrupt Ukrainian figures to counterintelligence concerns raised by some of those business ties, according to people briefed on the matter.
The counterintelligence part of the investigation indicates that FBI and criminal prosecutors in Manhattan are looking at a broader set of issues related to Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, than has been previously reported.
Um, Guys?
Not sure he's ok.
Felt the need to ask WH if this is actually real and it is. pic.twitter.com/bHyIFw6cvO
— Katie Rogers (@katierogers) October 16, 2019
Don't Talk To "Me" Like I'm Stupid
One thing about doing this blog is I learned very quickly that while I am of course a super brain genius, plenty of my readers are much smarter than me generally, and literally all of you know more about some things than I do. Understanding your audience is a challenge in all communications, but you can attempt to write/speak in a way which doesn't sound as if you think your audience is stupid even if you aren't telling most of them anything new.
Most people don't say the Trump "not many people know this, but" thing out loud, but too many politicians sound as if they are. And some just lie and think "you" are too dumb to know they're lying.
Most people don't say the Trump "not many people know this, but" thing out loud, but too many politicians sound as if they are. And some just lie and think "you" are too dumb to know they're lying.
Why Me
Once upon at time the Dem centrist way was to promise liberal goals using conservative means. This stuff was offered up as being genuinely good ideas and the need/desirability to get Republican support. This hustle fell apart when Republicans made clear that they would oppose anything Obama supported. 8 years of "we will give you nothing." That it was a hustle on the Republican side, at least, should have been crystal clear before that. But now we know that "conservative means for liberal ends" are at best a bait-and-switch, and in the post-Ryan post-Trump era they're probably not even gonna bother with the bait part anymore.
All "moderates" can do now is get on stage and say "better things are not possible." Perhaps true, but "elect me because I will tell you the truth that your miserable lives are only get worse even as the richest country in the history of the planet continues to get richer" is not exactly inspiring. Trump promises bullshit, but at least he does that.
All "moderates" can do now is get on stage and say "better things are not possible." Perhaps true, but "elect me because I will tell you the truth that your miserable lives are only get worse even as the richest country in the history of the planet continues to get richer" is not exactly inspiring. Trump promises bullshit, but at least he does that.
Amy Klobuchar has been an exception to the latter, having shown throughout the race so far a gritty determination to offer the Democratic primary electorate as little as possible. This approach hasn’t worked very well, oddly enough, and at Tuesday night’s debate, her frustration with progressives boiled over in response to Warren’s suggestion that opponents of a wealth tax want “to protect billionaires.”The best we can do is party like it's 2016. One can argue that the Great and Glorious Empire under Benevolent Dictator Obama I would have been truly a wondrous thing, but it's a bit weird to argue that the best we can do is what was left at the end of Obama with 6 years of Republicans controlling the House and the magical filibuster/McConnell controlling the Senate. Roll back the Trump era! Truly inspiring.
“I want to give a reality check to Elizabeth,” she said huffily. “No one on this stage wants to protect billionaires. Not even [billionaire Tom Steyer] wants to protect billionaires. We have different approaches. Your idea is not the only idea.” Klobuchar then went on to argue for repealing Trump’s income and corporate tax cuts. “You add it all up, you got a lot of money that...helps pay for that child care, protects that dignity of work, makes sure we have decent retirement and makes sure that our kids can go to good schools. It is not one idea that rules here.”
Oh, Elon
Still have enough cash to commute by private jet.
One never knows the truth of such things but Musk is supposedly worth close to $20 billion. Sure there's always a degree of illiquidity. Can't dump all your assets at once. But...comeon.
It ain't easy being a billionaire.
An attorney for Vernon Unsworth, who sued for defamation last year after Musk attacked him on Twitter, pressed the Tesla Inc. CEO’s lawyer last month for information on all insurance policies applicable to claims made in the suit. An exhibit filed Monday shows the two attorneys sparring over information regarding Musk’s ties with AIG.
“Given Musk’s sworn testimony that he is financially illiquid, Mr. Unsworth is entitled to know whether AIG has accepted coverage of the claims, denied coverage of the claims, or has reserved its rights to contest coverage of the claims,” Unsworth’s attorney wrote on Sept. 20. Musk’s lawyer wrote back the same day that AIG had reserved rights, without elaborating.
One never knows the truth of such things but Musk is supposedly worth close to $20 billion. Sure there's always a degree of illiquidity. Can't dump all your assets at once. But...comeon.
It ain't easy being a billionaire.
Our Health Care System Is Fucked Up And Bullshit
And while reasonable people can disagree about how to fix it, anyone who doesn't accept that basic premise - along with the fact that every other comparable country does it better and *much much cheaper* - can fuck right the fuck off.
Sounds Bad, Mr. Mayor
I is disappoint.
Rudolph W. Giuliani privately urged President Trump in 2017 to extradite a Turkish cleric living in exile in the United States, a top priority of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to multiple former administration officials familiar with the discussions.
Giuliani, a Trump ally who later became the president’s personal attorney, repeatedly argued to Trump that the U.S. government should eject Fethullah Gulen from the country, according to the former officials, who spoke on the condition on anonymity to describe private conversations.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Coming For You Rudes
Scary times. I'm with you, buddy.
Ex-Rep. Sessions Subpoenaed Over Interactions With Giuliani, Giuliani Associates
Giuliani is primary focus of subpoena; Pete Sessions cooperating with prosecutors
By Rebecca Ballhaus
Oct. 15, 2019 6:01 pm ET
A grand jury has issued a subpoena related to Manhattan federal prosecutors’ investigation into Rudy Giuliani, seeking documents from former Rep. Pete Sessions about his dealings with President Trump’s personal lawyer and associates, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lock Him Up
I think the House Dems are gonna need a bigger jail cell.
President Donald's Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani told ABC News on Tuesday he is not complying with a congressional subpoena.Um I guess enforce it then?
Giuliani told ABC News “if they enforce it, then we will see what happens.”
Owning The Libs
NYT's hosting its first presidential debate tonight in 15 years — and first in Twitter age. One Times journalist suggests to @joepompeo that “the angry left blue-check-mark mob will find something to be outraged about.” https://t.co/715HSpbyaR
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) October 15, 2019
No reporter would ever suggest they would do a good job because they would be pissing off conservatives. If they did they'd likely be reprimanded.
And Democratic primary debates aren't really the place to stick it to the libs because they are for an audience of... libs.
But you do you do, garbage newspaper.
The Kids Aren't Alright
I thought we'd kicked (largely) this nicotine thing and then along came vaping.
Living through the transition from "you can smoke anywhere you want" to a world where you basically can't smoke indoors or in cars has made me realize that being a nicotine addict *sucks.* I've never been one, but watching smokers ready that cigarette for the brief walk from the cab to the destination, or similar, knowing that they've been ticking off the seconds in their minds until they can, has been eye opening. Sure I knew quitting was hard, but now I know existing as a smoker is hard.
Vaping isn't smoking but the addiction is the same. Even if there were no real health consequences to doing it, it'd still be bad to get addicted! Don't do it!
I'm sure all The Kids Today read this blog and will listen to me.
Will overcame his addiction to nicotine before the news broke this summer about some cases of severe lung illness and deaths linked to vaping. But he still occasionally vapes THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. He says the illnesses haven't made him or his friends quit, partly because vaping is a big part of teen culture — and also because they think it won't happen to them.Don't do it kids!
"I feel like, for a lot of people, that's just a chance they're willing to take," he says. "I don't think a lot of kids are thinking about the future."
Living through the transition from "you can smoke anywhere you want" to a world where you basically can't smoke indoors or in cars has made me realize that being a nicotine addict *sucks.* I've never been one, but watching smokers ready that cigarette for the brief walk from the cab to the destination, or similar, knowing that they've been ticking off the seconds in their minds until they can, has been eye opening. Sure I knew quitting was hard, but now I know existing as a smoker is hard.
Vaping isn't smoking but the addiction is the same. Even if there were no real health consequences to doing it, it'd still be bad to get addicted! Don't do it!
I'm sure all The Kids Today read this blog and will listen to me.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Plot Twist
Really didn't expect the writers to cast Bolton as the surprise hero.
Mr. Bolton instructed Fiona Hill, the senior director for Russian and Eurasian affairs, to notify the chief lawyer for the National Security Council that Mr. Giuliani was working with Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, on a rogue operation with legal implications, Ms. Hill told the investigators, according to two people familiar with her closed-door testimony.
“I am not part of whatever drug deal Rudy and Mulvaney are cooking up,” Mr. Bolton, a Yale-trained lawyer, told Ms. Hill to tell White House lawyers, according to the testimony.
Rudy The Guy Who Breaks Rocks
Wow sounds bad Mr. Mayor.
Fiona Hill, the White House’s former top Russia adviser, told impeachment investigators on Tuesday that Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, ran a shadow foreign policy in Ukraine that circumvented U.S. officials and career diplomats in order to personally benefit President Trump, according to a person familiar with her testimony.
"Rudy The Rock"
Anyone remember this? I sure don't and I am cursed with remembering all of this sort of bullshit.
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani earned the nickname, "Rudy the Rock," for his stalwart leadership after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Giuliani joined CNN anchor Paula Zahn on Monday morning to discuss his memories of that day.
What Will We Tell The Children?
If America's Mayor goes down they will lose all faith in the Heroes of America as anointed by cable news.
Daddy, why is the rotting corpse of Nosferatu in handcuffs?
Daddy, why is the rotting corpse of Nosferatu in handcuffs?
Uber'd
Still laughing that people believed (or claimed to believe) that self-driving tech was the key to Uber taking over the world. Even if you believe the tech will work any day now, it's not clear how that tech would really lower costs. Also, too, there's a weird obsession with removing any employees who actually do the work while keeping around amazingly large staffs? I have no idea why Uber has so many non-driving employees. What do they do?
Uber has laid off about 350 employees across several teams within the organization, including Uber Eats, the company confirmed Monday. Shares of Uber climbed 3.2% following the news.I am dumb and I'm not saying there is no need for these employee, but none of them actually do the work that gets the revenue.
...
Other teams affected by the announcement include Uber’s performance marketing segment, recruiting, its advanced technologies group and safety units, as well as several of its global rides and platform units. The layoffs amount to roughly 1.5% of Uber’s workforce, which spans 22,263 employees, according to FactSet. Uber reported that it had 26,799 employees as of June 30, 2019, but hasn’t disclosed an employee headcount since then.
I'd Be A Quality Rich Person
I suppose the only way to test that out is for you to give me all your money, but I think I'd do it well. I'm not even promising to be a good rich person, though I do promise that if I do become a very charitable rich person I will not decide I am the expert on everything and condition my philanthropy on everyone doing what I say. But I think I would live a quality not very ostentatious life and sprinkle some money around to actual expert dogooders and at the very least not devote my life to making other people miserable. Also I don't think I would be doing crimes.
You First
A problem with too much internet politics exposure is that one sees too many people expressing "WHY AREN'T WE OUT ON THE STREETS" or "WE NEED TO HAVE A GENERAL STRIKE" or similar.
If there's an organization or organizations you think should be helping to organize such things, lobby them. Otherwise get a sign and get out there. There are probably existing if small regular protests near you right now!
It's reasonable to want people who have power to use that power to organize or anything else, but a diffuse nonspecific "we" is mostly a call to action on yourself. Do and inspire! Maybe some people will join you.
If there's an organization or organizations you think should be helping to organize such things, lobby them. Otherwise get a sign and get out there. There are probably existing if small regular protests near you right now!
It's reasonable to want people who have power to use that power to organize or anything else, but a diffuse nonspecific "we" is mostly a call to action on yourself. Do and inspire! Maybe some people will join you.
Standing Up For Themselves
It never gets mentioned but one thing that Trump White House did early on that has had major ripple effects was to get rid of the visitor logs. We would know right away how many times Rudy was in the building or, for that matter, if Parnas and Fruman ever stopped by.
— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 14, 2019
"The Press" does freak out about what it sees to be its institutional prerogatives at times. They can turn the story of a Breitbart "reporter" being turned off of Air Force 1 into a week long story about tyranny and the threat to democracy if they, collectively, choose to. White house visitor logs? Press briefings? Who cares.
And I suspect it's because the top tier political press - the agenda settings ones - get their text message gossip stories and are happy.
Usually when I'm discussing "the press" in this context I mean the political press, the kind that hang out waiting for press briefings (when they existed) or run around the Senate offices with a camera following Lindsey Graham. Not all journalists, of course.
Civilitude
Wow apparently Trump and his supporters love glorifications of violence against the press and other entities they don't like?
This is a new thing we just learned and not something present in [checks transcripts] comments from the president himself in every rally appearance for the last 4 years.
This is a new thing we just learned and not something present in [checks transcripts] comments from the president himself in every rally appearance for the last 4 years.
What's It All About Then
Some things are above my pay grade and the Trump/Syria/Kurds thing is one of them. And don't say "Putin!" which is not the complete story.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Rudy
As I (and he!) said, Rudy neither works for the administration nor is he usually working in the capacity of the president's personal lawyer. I'm not sure why keeps saying that but he does. He's at the center of it all and has no plausible legal arguments for not testifying. Lock him up!
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