Why NOT to vote Republican [Archive] - Page 6

iris lilies

11-8-22, 9:45pm

When I voted in person, there were rarely more than a few people in line ahead of me. But I've never lived in a poor or targeted area. It's not hard to find video reports of voters forced to wait for hours in voting lines because Republicans have closed many traditional polling places, which is a national disgrace.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-locations-idUSKCN1VV09J

From the article: "The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights found www.democracydiverted.org (http://www.democracydiverted.org) that states with a history of racial discrimination have shuttered hundreds of voting locations since the court ruled that they did not need federal approval to change their laws. The report did not have comparisons with polling places in other regions.

The report comes as Republican-led states impose a range of other restrictions, from shorter voting hours to photo-ID requirements. As turnout has surged in recent elections, voters in cities like Phoenix, Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia, have endured hours-long waits to cast their ballots."

And as a part of the lazy journalism of this article, it ignores significant factors. For instance, Arizona has instigated in recent years voting by mail where anybody can request a ballot. They also support early voting. That reduces the number of traditional voting places needed on election day.

frugal-one

11-8-22, 10:20pm

Things would be better if people voted for the best candidates and not a party. I have voted for republicans. We have had some very good republican governors here.

Read above WHY tHis is not a good idea in these times.

jp1

11-8-22, 10:25pm

DH had unexpected surgery for appendicitis this morning. He had a small complication and so he will not be discharged today. He will not be able to vote! I will go in later today to vote though.

Goodness. I hope he's ok and has a speedy recovery.

frugal-one

11-8-22, 10:26pm

Yes, IL hope DH is doing well!

jp1

11-8-22, 10:30pm

Nice picture, Alan! DH and I will be going soon to town hall to cancel each other's votes out.

Do you go together? My parents always went to vote individually. I'd noticed it but didn't really think about it much until after I was an adult and they were still doing it so I asked why. Mom told the story of when they went to vote together as newlyweds in the mid 50's. Dad went first. Then mom stated her name and the poll worker tried to find her in the democratic listing, so mom said "I'm registered republican". To which the poll worker responded by shouting to my dad (now in the voting booth) "Whatsa matter!? You can't keep her in line??? har har har" Even though that had been 40 years earlier, when Mom told that story she became angry remembering how she had wanted to punch that woman at the time.

jp1

11-8-22, 10:34pm

Wouldn’t think of calling you a liar bae, but I will gently suggest that you are likely just wrong about Democrats setting up “safe “seats.

If I’ve learned one thing from this forum it is that Republicans only do “gerrymandering. “ Whenever Democrats redraw voting districts it is ALWAYS a fair and balanced outcome.

I can't speak for other states but the largest blue state in the nation has a nonpartisan redistricting commission. I'm fine with that and wish every state had one because I'm not in favor of gerrymandering regardless of who it benefits. California democrats can do just fine without having their thumbs on the scale, thank you very much.

jp1

11-8-22, 10:38pm

In my state, polling places and their locations are the responsibility of the city or county in which voting takes place. Are Republicans in charge of polling stations in Phoenix and Atlanta?

Also, when it says that Republican led states are imposing restrictions, does that mean they want to roll back Covid related relaxations or something else? The quotations above seem to be lacking context in favor of a narrative.

In Georgia ballot drop boxes are limited by state law, as is the ability to vote absentee. Those are not controlled by the county.

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/27/1112487312/georgia-voting-law-ballot-drop-box-access

jp1

11-8-22, 10:40pm

But there is a piece on the CNN website where Kevin McCarthy outlines what his priorities will be when he becomes House Speaker. None of it should come as a surprise to anyone. Controlling the border, expanding energy production, possible some House hearings on Covid, Afghanistan, DOJ issues, etc., continued support to Ukraine and other such things. You’ll need to wait for specific bills to try and pick apart, but don’t worry. They’re coming.

Did he start with his list with his desire to hit Nancy Pelosi on the head with the speaker's gavel as his first act as speaker if the country is unfortunate enough to have that happen? He's even classier than people that vote for coup participants.

Alan

11-8-22, 10:55pm

In Georgia ballot drop boxes are limited by state law, as is the ability to vote absentee. Those are not controlled by the county.

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/27/1112487312/georgia-voting-law-ballot-drop-box-access
But we weren't talking about ballot drop boxes, we were talking about polling stations.

Although the story you link to doesn't say so, it would appear that it too is missing context. It would appear to be a complaint that the temporary/emergency measures put into place during covid lockdowns are no longer authorized. Considering the fact that in Georgia, as well as most other states, it's never been easier to vote considering generous early voting timelines and ease of absentee ballots, why is it necessary to maintain special considerations due to covid era lockdown and limited public gathering restrictions? All voting in Georgia ended a couple of hours ago so there's no reason to continue the Jim Crow 2 narrative any longer.

Tradd

11-8-22, 11:26pm

Here in IL, we got Jelly Bean Prickster for another term, as well as She Who Has No Leg to Stand On.

The media called it for Prickster around 6pm, I think. The polls close at 7.

Tradd

11-8-22, 11:28pm

I can't speak for other states but the largest blue state in the nation has a nonpartisan redistricting commission. I'm fine with that and wish every state had one because I'm not in favor of gerrymandering regardless of who it benefits. California democrats can do just fine without having their thumbs on the scale, thank you very much.

You should have seen the mess in IL with redistricting. When Chicago redid the ward borders, blacks and Hispanics were fighting over who got the most wards.

jp1

11-8-22, 11:29pm

jp1

11-8-22, 11:33pm

Here in IL … as well as She Who Has No Leg to Stand On.
.

I’m impressed with your ability to embrace the current Republican orthodoxy of mocking veterans and people with disabilities.

Alan

11-8-22, 11:34pm

Considering that there’s no evidence that ballot boxes and early voting is rife with fraudulence what do you have against making it as easy for legitimate voters to vote?
Just because it's not large scale doesn't mean it's not there and all efforts to diminish voting rules just make it easier to accomplish. Why would you be in favor of that?

As an example, and since you're a big fan of Jimmy Carter, do you remember when he chaired a commission on voting rights and declared that mail in voting was the greatest threat to our election system? Heed Jimmy Carter on the Danger of Mail-In Voting - WSJ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/heed-jimmy-carter-on-the-danger-of-mail-in-voting-11586557667)

Tradd

11-8-22, 11:34pm

I’m impressed with your ability to embrace the current Republican orthodoxy of mocking veterans and people with disabilities.

She mentions it ALL THE TIME. I know Dems who are fans of hers who wished she’d shut up about it.

iris lilies

11-8-22, 11:45pm

She mentions it ALL THE TIME. I know Dems who are fans of hers who wished she’d shut up about it.
I can never remember if she’s a Democrat or a Republican, but I do always remember that she has one leg.

Tradd

11-8-22, 11:50pm

I can never remember if she’s a Democrat or a Republican, but I do always remember that she has one leg.

She’s a Dem. With no legs.

jp1

11-9-22, 12:18am

Just because it's not large scale doesn't mean it's not there and all efforts to diminish voting rules just make it easier to accomplish. Why would you be in favor of that?

As an example, and since you're a big fan of Jimmy Carter, do you remember when he chaired a commission on voting rights and declared that mail in voting was the greatest threat to our election system? Heed Jimmy Carter on the Danger of Mail-In Voting - WSJ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/heed-jimmy-carter-on-the-danger-of-mail-in-voting-11586557667)

Seriously? You had to go back over 40 years to justify your irrational fear of voter fraud? Pathetic.

jp1

11-9-22, 12:20am

I guess I get it though Alan. You also are willing to believe the stupid ****s who are trying to put a bizarre angry gay lover theme on the asshole Republican attack on Paul pelosi.

jp1

11-9-22, 12:35am

She mentions it ALL THE TIME. I know Dems who are fans of hers who wished she’d shut up about it.

If I lost my legs fighting for my country I’d probably remember it on a daily basis too. And I’d probably also discount the opinion of people who didn’t serve my country when they say STFU about your no longer existent legs.

frugal-one

11-9-22, 7:17am

Alan

11-9-22, 8:39am

I guess I get it though Alan. You also are willing to believe the stupid ****s who are trying to put a bizarre angry gay lover theme on the asshole Republican attack on Paul pelosi.
I've been meaning to thank you JP for always letting me know what I think about one thing or another. I find it to be such a time saver.

iris lilies

11-9-22, 9:15am

She’s a Dem. With no legs.
Well, that makes it worse.

iris lilies

11-9-22, 9:24am

Seriously? You had to go back over 40 years to justify your irrational fear of voter fraud? Pathetic.
Kinda like how you pulled some sort of justification for Trudy Valentine’s Senate campaign from Democratic Governor Mel Carnahan’s term in office.

Carnahan has been dead for 30 years.

and speaking of Trudy Valentine‘s campaign, she lost. Everything I knew about Trudy, which granted wasn’t much, did not disturb me. But the better candidate won for Missouri. I’m hoping he will shake loose his Donald J Trump shackles and move on from that.

I remember thinking a few years ago when Cori Bush upset the long term candidate, another black Democrat of course in my city congressional district, that she couldn’t be too bad, she had to be better than what we got rid of. But I was so so wrong.

iris lilies

11-9-22, 9:58am

That is not true everywhere. Check out Milwaukee, WI where polling locations have been reduced ….

polling place consolidation reduced turnout by 8.6 percentage points, and
Black turnout was especially depressed from these closures.

But who who is responsible for reducing the number of polling places frugal-one? You have mentioned this over and over, but are you looking at who did it?

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/04/10/coronavirus-milwaukee-aldermen-want-answers-polling-places-primary-election/5127577002/

From the above article I conclude:

1.Running elections in 2020 was a shit show in Milwaukee as in every other place due to coronavirus and voting by mail was encoraged.

2. Getting poll workers was a REAL concern then. I know in my household, DH who has been an election judge for 15 years, stepped out of working all elections. Locally here, younger people who were far less vulnerable to the coronavirus did not step forward to fill the shoes of traditional oldster election workers.

3. In Milwaukee, the number and placement of polling places is determined by the Milwaukee Election .commission. I’m sure your Democratic Party leader, Kimmy Zapata ( The girl who committed voter fraud to demonstrate voter fraud) was in on that decision as #2 in command. Another poor decision on the part of Kim Zapata?

4. The Milwaukee election commission is made up of more Democrats than Republicans according to today’s information.

https://city.milwaukee.gov/election

Since your charge seems to be the Milwaukee Election Commission didn’t want Black people to vote, why did the Democrats not want Black people to vote? That seems counterintuitive in a large blue city.

littlebittybobby

11-9-22, 11:45am

Okay---Carnahan's plane went down in year 2000. Maybe I'll hike to the crash site, and explore the wreckage, sometime. Hope that helps you kids. Tell you what---30 years ago, I happened upon a rally for some gal from SL at SMS, who was running for u. s. congerss, and they had ol' Peggy Sue herself giving a rousing speech on behalf of the candy-date! But, the candy-date lost, and then died in Fla. a few years ago But yeah----Peggy Sue did give a fiery oration. Yup. Thank Mee.

iris lilies

11-9-22, 11:56am

Okay---Carnahan's plane went down in year 2000. Hope that helps you kids. Tell you what---I happened upon a rally for some gal from SL at SMS, who was running for congerss, and they had ol' Peggy Sue hereslf giving a rousing speech on behalf of the candy-date. But, the candy-date lost, and then died a few years ago But yeah----Peggy Sue did give a fiery oration. Yup. Thank Mee.

ah, 20 years then, but the info jp mentioned coild have been 30 years old since Democrat Mel Carnahan was governor in 1993. That is 30 years ago. He got the biggest check I have ever written to a politician, $1,000 back in the days when I was not disbursing $1,000 checks to politicians or charitable organizations, but there was a specific reason for that big check to Mel.

Too bad he died. I had a fondness for all of the Carnahans. His lesser son Russ was the rather weak Congressman next door for a while, I often saw Russ my neighborhood yet I have never seen, not once, our actual congressman. His cracker jack dynamite daughter, Robin Carnahan, was Missouri secretary of State.

While I think it is generally wise to not have family dynasties in politics, I liked the Carnahans.

frugal-one

11-9-22, 8:08pm

But who who is responsible for reducing the number of polling places frugal-one? You have mentioned this over and over, but are you looking at who did it?

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/04/10/coronavirus-milwaukee-aldermen-want-answers-polling-places-primary-election/5127577002/

From the above article I conclude:

1.Running elections in 2020 was a shit show in Milwaukee as in every other place due to coronavirus and voting by mail was encoraged.

2. Getting poll workers was a REAL concern then. I know in my household, DH who has been an election judge for 15 years, stepped out of working all elections. Locally here, younger people who were far less vulnerable to the coronavirus did not step forward to fill the shoes of traditional oldster election workers.

3. In Milwaukee, the number and placement of polling places is determined by the Milwaukee Election .commission. I’m sure your Democratic Party leader, Kimmy Zapata ( The girl who committed voter fraud to demonstrate voter fraud) was in on that decision as #2 in command. Another poor decision on the part of Kim Zapata?

4. The Milwaukee election commission is made up of more Democrats than Republicans according to today’s information.

https://city.milwaukee.gov/election

Since your charge seems to be the Milwaukee Election Commission didn’t want Black people to vote, why did the Democrats not want Black people to vote? That seems counterintuitive in a large blue city.

To set the record straight I do not live in Milwaukee. My point was to let Alan know his assumption was not correct.

The reason this happened is because republicans have all the power (except governor) and have been gerrymandering. I don’t believe the election commission sets boundaries.

Alan

11-9-22, 8:17pm

To set the record straight I do not live in Milwaukee. My point was to let Alan know his assumption was not correct.
What assumption might that be?

frugal-one

11-9-22, 8:19pm

What assumption might that be?

See 1272

iris lilies

11-9-22, 8:20pm

To set the record straight I do not live in Milwaukee. My point was to let Alan know his assumption was not correct.

Nothing you said shows his assumption is incorrect.

Alan

11-9-22, 8:43pm

But we weren't talking about ballot drop boxes, we were talking about polling stations.

Although the story you link to doesn't say so, it would appear that it too is missing context. It would appear to be a complaint that the temporary/emergency measures put into place during covid lockdowns are no longer authorized. Considering the fact that in Georgia, as well as most other states, it's never been easier to vote considering generous early voting timelines and ease of absentee ballots, why is it necessary to maintain special considerations due to covid era lockdown and limited public gathering restrictions? All voting in Georgia ended a couple of hours ago so there's no reason to continue the Jim Crow 2 narrative any longer.

That is not true everywhere. Check out Milwaukee, WI where polling locations have been reduced ….

polling place consolidation reduced turnout by 8.6 percentage points, and
Black turnout was especially depressed from these closures.

To set the record straight I do not live in Milwaukee. My point was to let Alan know his assumption was not correct.

What assumption might that be?

See 1272

Oh, I see now where your confusion lies. When I said "Considering the fact that in Georgia, as well as most other states, it's never been easier to vote considering generous early voting timelines and ease of absentee ballots...", you read that as "everywhere" and thought I "assumed" something not in evidence, then thought you proved me wrong by mentioning a non-contextualized claim from Wisconsin. I copied all the relevant posts so you could see your error.

jp1

11-10-22, 1:34am

I've been meaning to thank you JP for always letting me know what I think about one thing or another. I find it to be such a time saver.

Perhaps I should end my posts with "thank JPeee!" And also, for the record, Paul Pelosi isn't a damn republican. If he was then 'maybe' it would be believable that he got clobbered by some mythical gay BF. But he didn't. He got clobbered by an asshole trumper. Only sad sack trumpers believe that he might have been clobbered by a gay BF. If you want to be one of those folks that believe stupid shit like that then go for it.

frugal-one

11-10-22, 3:27am

Oh, I see now where your confusion lies. When I said "Considering the fact that in Georgia, as well as most other states, it's never been easier to vote considering generous early voting timelines and ease of absentee ballots...", you read that as "everywhere" and thought I "assumed" something not in evidence, then thought you proved me wrong by mentioning a non-contextualized claim from Wisconsin. I copied all the relevant posts so you could see your error.

I was not in error. You stated in most other states…. that is not necessarily true…WI and TX are prime examples of your error. People here in TX talk of having to sometimes drive for over an hour if they want to vote in person. That definitely is not easy. I have not (or will I) spend time looking up to give umpteen examples. If you choose to do so .. go ahead. These two I personally know to be relevant. In WI look up gerrymandering and you will find the extent of the problem there. republicans are trying to make it more difficult to vote wherever they can.

Alan

11-10-22, 7:29am

Perhaps I should end my posts with "thank JPeee!" And also, for the record, Paul Pelosi isn't a damn republican. If he was then 'maybe' it would be believable that he got clobbered by some mythical gay BF. But he didn't. He got clobbered by an asshole trumper. Only sad sack trumpers believe that he might have been clobbered by a gay BF. If you want to be one of those folks that believe stupid shit like that then go for it.
I'm curious why you keep bringing this up with me, would you care to explain?

LDAHL

11-10-22, 2:03pm

I'm curious why you keep bringing this up with me, would you care to explain?

We have two dueling myths here. On the extreme right, we hear the gay lover story. On the looney left, we hear about a Trump acolyte energized by vile humors emanating from GOP political rhetoric.

The truth seems to be that a mentally disturbed Canadian here illegally acted in a mentally disturbed way. I don’t see how any amount of speech restraint will be enough to prevent episodes like this.

iris lilies

11-10-22, 2:55pm

We have two dueling myths here. On the extreme right, we hear the gay lover story. On the looney left, we hear about a Trump acolyte energized by vile humors emanating from GOP political rhetoric.

The truth seems to be that a mentally disturbed Canadian here illegally acted in a mentally disturbed way. I don’t see how any amount of speech restraint will be enough to prevent episodes like this.

I liked what Ben Shapiro had to say about this: basically, the media didn’t ask the questions they might have/ should’ve asked. In a vacuum, people make up their own (often stupid) stories of what happened. The incident happened in the way the police chief said it did, details not elaborated, end of discussion.

I see this all the time – the official source of information doesn’t put out the facts in a press release immediately because they have to ascertain what the facts really are. Or if they put out “just the fax ma’am in bare-bones format and the details are filled in by people so that they can understand it, so that it makes sense to them.

Meanwhile, people make things up. We saw that happen with the Michael Brown/Ferguson event many years ago in St. Louis. Despite multiple investigations by law enforcement and government agencies including the United States government, there was no “hands up don’t shoot “. There was no disrespecting of Michael Brown’s body in the fact gathering effort. There was no… any one mythological idea charged against police.

And as an aside, I have to say… Wait. Mr. Pelosi’s assailant was Canadian? I did not know that. I just googled it and it appears he was here illegally. Or rather I should say that rather than he is an illegal immigrant, he is an undocumented immigrant, although it’s likely his documentation shows he is here illegally.

catherine

11-10-22, 2:59pm

Sometimes I wish we depended on the Pony Express and literal stump speeches in the town square for information to form our opinions. You and your neighbors could watch the town square debate and then go to the local pub to discuss. The "discussion" could still get rowdy after a couple of pints but at least it wouldn't spread a wildfire of misinformation spreading from sea to shining sea.

Alan

11-10-22, 4:37pm

I liked what Ben Shapiro had to say about this: basically, the media didn’t ask the questions they might have/ should’ve asked. In a vacuum, people make up their own (often stupid) stories of what happened. The incident happened in the way the police chief said it did, details not elaborated, end of discussion.

I see this all the time – the official source of information doesn’t put out the facts in a press release immediately because they have to ascertain what the facts really are. Or if they put out “just the fax ma’am in bare-bones format and the details are filled in by people so that they can understand it, so that it makes sense to them.

In this case, a lot of the information initially shared shaped the resultant narrative and it took days for officials to correct some of the invalid information initially shared. During the first day or so, all anyone knew was that Mr Pelosi referred to his assailant as 'a friend' to the 911 operator, a third person reportedly answered the door when the police arrived and the assailant was in his underwear. It made it sound more like a domestic dispute than an attempted kidnapping/assassination attempt.

So, a few folks began to speculate and it pissed off a few other folks who then began to throw shade at people who never made any comment or speculation on the subject, all in an effort to slam their perceived ideological rival due to, for some unknown reason, Trump. Weird!

bae

11-10-22, 4:42pm

Brandolini's Law is well-known, and used, by those would would divide us.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandolini%27s_law

iris lilies

11-10-22, 5:03pm

In this case, a lot of the information initially shared shaped the resultant narrative and it took days for officials to correct some of the invalid information initially shared. During the first day or so, all anyone knew was that Mr Pelosi referred to his assailant as 'a friend' to the 911 operator, a third person reportedly answered the door when the police arrived and the assailant was in his underwear. It made it sound more like a domestic dispute than an attempted kidnapping/assassination attempt.

So, a few folks began to speculate and it pissed off a few other folks who then began to throw shade at people who never made any comment or speculation on the subject, all in an effort to slam their perceived ideological rival due to, for some unknown reason, Trump. Weird!

Yes, I heard about that CBS News report that was later taken down. I suppose CBS got their information from someplace, but even if from an official source, that source talked out of turn. An assailant doesn’t preclude Pelosi from calling the intruder a “friend” to keep the guy from going ballistic.

jp1

11-10-22, 11:44pm

I'm curious why you keep bringing this up with me, would you care to explain?

Because you keep sticking with the stupid and cruel idea that he might be Larry Craig in a democrat’s clothes.

Feel free to share links where articles from actual news sites indicated at the time in any way that what happened to mr pelosi was that he was attacked by a gay lover.

Alan

11-11-22, 12:06am

Because you keep sticking with the stupid and cruel idea that he might be Larry Craig in a democrat’s clothes.

Feel free to share links where articles from actual news sites indicated at the time in any way that what happened to mr pelosi was that he was attacked by a gay lover.
It would be fitting if you were to share any posts where I've expressed any opinion on it at all prior to your two different veiled accusations.

jp1

11-11-22, 12:37am

She’s a Dem. With no legs.

Well, that makes it worse.

No kidding. I can't imagine being so heartless as to tell someone who lost her legs in service of this country that they should just get over it and STFU.

jp1

11-11-22, 1:05am

Given the millions Democrats have spent assisting some of those 300 in the primaries, how are we to take them seriously when they proclaim the end is nigh?

If republicans were decent human beings I suspect they could override any ‘democrat shenanigans’.

LDAHL

11-11-22, 10:18am

If republicans were decent human beings I suspect they could override any ‘democrat shenanigans’.

Yes, apparently they lack the moral flexibility to understand that the end justifies the means.

frugal-one

11-13-22, 11:50am

Today a report on gerrymandering… Sunday mornings with Jane Pauley … 44 states do gerrymandering of which 42 are republican! Shocking to say the least!

Alan

11-13-22, 11:56am

Today a report on gerrymandering… Sunday mornings with Jane Pauley … 44 states do gerrymandering of which 42 are republican! Shocking to say the least!
That's an interesting statistic! I was under the impression that prior to last weeks elections, only about 30 states were controlled by Republican legislatures and of those, only about 23 also had Republican governors. I wonder how they managed to gerrymander so many?

catherine

11-13-22, 11:57am

Today a report on gerrymandering… Sunday mornings with Jane Pauley … 44 states do gerrymandering of which 42 are republican! Shocking to say the least!

The other six states, one of them mine, only have a single congressional district. Gerrymandering isn't possible. I think gerrymandering is a bipartisan strategy.

iris lilies

11-13-22, 12:55pm

The other six states, one of them mine, only have a single congressional district. Gerrymandering isn't possible. I think gerrymandering is a bipartisan strategy.

Then there is New York, having trouble with lines drawn by the Democrats.

Jane Pauley‘s numbers are not adding up.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/27/politics/new-york-court-blocks-map

LDAHL

11-14-22, 10:29am

frugal-one

11-14-22, 3:54pm

On the show they showed how gerrymandering works. It is not something I can explain.

bae

11-14-22, 7:38pm

That's an interesting statistic! I was under the impression that prior to last weeks elections, only about 30 states were controlled by Republican legislatures and of those, only about 23 also had Republican governors. I wonder how they managed to gerrymander so many?

Washington State certainly engages in gerrymandering, and this is a Democrat-controlled state.

For instance, last time they redistricted here, they gave my US Congresscritter a totally safe district, whereas before he had a "competitive" district. About 30 seconds after that passed, he basically started ignoring his constituents.

Many of the new redistricting proposals in the state "accidentally" disperse and diffuse communities of shared interest. Presumably this isn't simply to make sure they don't have a voice...

iris lilies

11-15-22, 10:31am

On the show they showed how gerrymandering works. It is not something I can explain.

You are not alone.

Scientists at MIT (and other major think tanks) address the problem with computational redistricting tools. Members of the Supreme Court famously were not able to wrap their heads around the algorithmic analysis put in front of them in 2017.

In my Democratic controlled city, my neighborhood held its breath every ten years to see if we would be split up among aldermanic wards. We hated being split, and for most decades we were. It was always so weired to have to work with one Alderman for the community garden, and another one for the Park just a block away.

frugal-one

11-15-22, 11:18am

You are not alone.

Scientists at MIT (and other major think tanks) address the problem with computational redistricting tools. Members of the Supreme Court famously were not able to wrap their heads around the algorithmic analysis put in front of them in 2017.

In my Democratic controlled city, my neighborhood held its breath every ten years to see if we would be split up among aldermanic wards. We hated being split, and for most decades we were. It was always so weired to have to work with one Alderman for the community garden, and another one for the Park just a block away.

The show explained it well I thought. It had visuals, etc. I would not be able to explain as such.

catherine

11-15-22, 11:42am

Here's the segment on CBS Sunday Morning.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-gerrymandering-has-gotten-worse/

jp1

11-15-22, 11:00pm

And it’s official. Trump has announced his run for president for an unprecedented in our lifetimes third time. Let the backstabbing and mudslinging begin.

jp1

11-16-22, 7:13am

I wonder how many more horrifying stories like this we’ll have to hear thanks to the Republican radicals on the Supreme Court.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/11/15/1135882310/miscarriage-hemorrhage-abortion-law-ohio?fbclid=IwAR2XJmI0FBSq0FiCuCr3yfimR49r8Kbqqe6C vjbctgSyUtOi44AynXK7hQ0

catherine

11-16-22, 9:58am

iris lilies

11-16-22, 10:36am

My market research brain loves this study about the five types of people who voted of Trump. This study was published in 2017--it would be interesting to see if they repeat it for his 2024 campaign to see if any of those segments shift, or if new ones emerge.

https://www.voterstudygroup.org/publication/the-five-types-trump-voters

I will have to delve into this later as I know several Trump voters including those who are never spoken about: successful professional women with advanced degrees. That demographics is supposed to hate Trump and love Hilary.

gimmethesimplelife

11-16-22, 10:54am

Ay carumba, DJT is running again, even in the face of most of his hand picked election denier candidates losing - does he have any sense of change in the air? He's very vulnerable to this Ron DeSantis and he doesn't seem to get that his time has come and gone. Pass the popcorn, the issues in the GOP concerning Trump and how to minimize continued damage to the GOP brand via giving DJT one ounce of attention/election consideration should be entertaining. Rob

LDAHL

11-16-22, 12:12pm

flowerseverywhere

11-16-22, 12:37pm

I thought it was sad Trump had no family on the stage, not even a wife. What a sad life he leads.

Rogar

11-16-22, 12:45pm

One can hope it will be another opportunity to watch him lose. I half expected him to announce as an independent.

I sort of doubt that his ego allows him to think that he leads a sad life.

LDAHL

11-16-22, 1:59pm

National Review published an editorial on the announcement. The title was “No”.

flowerseverywhere

11-16-22, 3:12pm

One can hope it will be another opportunity to watch him lose. I half expected him to announce as an independent.

I sort of doubt that his ego allows him to think that he leads a sad life.

I agree. I don’t believe anyone connected to him, family or not finds much joy. As he seems to be missing the point of it all

frugal-one

11-16-22, 5:57pm

Perhaps trump thinks by running he can avoid jail.

bae

11-16-22, 6:12pm

JaneV2.0

11-16-22, 11:01pm

I just finished reading Jessikka Aro's "Putin's Trolls", and found it quite interesting, and relevant to political discussions here in the US. It also tempered my thinking about living in Finland some day :-)

https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/putins-trolls-frontlines-russias

I've been warning about the dangers of Russian trolls for some time--and mostly being laughed at. They're certainly behind much of the QAnon spew.

From the link:
"Moscow State University, where Aro studied journalism, now hosts courses taught by military officers in methods of computer propaganda. They emphasize three tactics: the rotten herring (rubbing a nasty smell onto the target), the big lie (the bigger the better), and the 60–40 method (60% plausible facts and 40% fake)."

rosarugosa

11-17-22, 7:24am

My market research brain loves this study about the five types of people who voted of Trump. This study was published in 2017--it would be interesting to see if they repeat it for his 2024 campaign to see if any of those segments shift, or if new ones emerge.

https://www.voterstudygroup.org/publication/the-five-types-trump-voters

Thanks for posting this, Catherine. I found it very interesting.

JaneV2.0

11-18-22, 3:24pm

Now that Republicans managed to gain a few seats in Congress to take control, they have announced their plans to take on several pressing issues. No, not the ones they ran on, like inflation, crime, the border...Oh no. They're going all in to punish their "enemies." So they plan hearings involving Hunter Biden (who is not and never has been a government official) and his laptop (yawn), Nancy Pelosi for something to do with the January 6th defendants ("freedom fighters" to them), Anthony Fauci (just because, I guess), and of course, President Biden, for the grievous sin of embarrassing Donald Trump. Given that so many of them are implicated in the insurrection, like "Gym" Jordan, MTG, Josh Hawley, Brian Babin, Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Paul Gosar, Andy Harris, Jody Hice, and Scott Perry*, I don't understand why they're still in office, let alone setting any agenda at all.

*https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-jan-6-hearing/

bae

11-18-22, 3:29pm

Children without supervision.

frugal-one

11-19-22, 12:08am

WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday named Jack Smith, a war crimes prosecutor, to serve as special counsel to oversee Justice Department investigations related to Donald Trump including the former president's handling of sensitive documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Things are heating up for traitor trump. Talk is he could be indicted the first quarter of 2023. We can only hope.

gimmethesimplelife

11-19-22, 9:55am

I'm trying to tone down my involvement in politics until I'm more seasoned on my job but gotta say I'd love to see Trump behind bars for instigating January 6th. One can hope. I don't believe he will be reelected and I see Ron DeSantis rising as a threat to Trump. Rob

flowerseverywhere

11-19-22, 5:04pm

I for one am sure all the investigations the Republicans have announced and lined up will solve Immigration, the budget deficit, the replacement for Obamacare, and crime they have been running on. I’m sure it will be the central theme of various politicians announced investigations into Hunter Biden, Anthony Fauchi , the January 6 investigation, the role of Biden suppressing parents who went to school board meetings to cause a ruckus, impeaching Biden and so on. Oh and trying to ban books, ban abortion, bring back Christian prayers back to public school and cut “entitlements” like Medicare and social security. Whew. They are going to be busy busy busy.

bae

11-19-22, 5:07pm

I guess I see now why they didn't bother to have a functioning link to the GOP platform on the national party website.

frugal-one

11-19-22, 5:14pm

I guess I see now why they didn't bother to have a functioning link to the GOP platform on the national party website.

Because their only agenda is to cause more chaos… and try to get retaliation for the criminal acts they inflicted.

bae

11-19-22, 5:31pm

Because their only agenda is to cause more chaos… and try to get retaliation for the criminal acts they inflicted.

Who benefits from this sort of chaos in our society?

herbgeek

11-19-22, 6:41pm

Who benefits from this sort of chaos in our society?

Trump does. When there are a lot of useless frivolous "investigations" going on, its easy to disguise yet one more, or have the public associate "investigations" as partisan politcal activities to detract from the investigations of him.

JaneV2.0

11-19-22, 6:56pm

Who benefits from this sort of chaos in our society?

Russia, for one.

LDAHL

11-19-22, 8:02pm

Well, we had the investigation into collusion with Russia, and then the investigation into the investigation. Neither yielded much. Couple of process crimes. We had a couple of gaudy impeachment pageants and any number of Congressional dress-up days. Not to mention the January 6 spectacular or all those strategic leaks from DOJ. I’d say there’s been no shortage of political theater the past few years.

Personally, I’m pretty sure the public has relegated that stuff to background noise already. It’s more for the true aficionados at this point.

Rogar

11-19-22, 9:20pm

I see it as a concocted scheme to make the transgressions of the democrats, and I'm sure there are some, look as bad as an effort to overthrow a legitimate presidential election outcome and hiding top secret national documents for unknown intentions. It's not chaos but a planned play for power and a distraction from the election deniers who haven't faired well.

I'm surprised Jim Jordan hasn't blown a cortex yet, he gets so worked up.

jp1

11-19-22, 10:20pm

Personally, I’m pretty sure the public has relegated that stuff to background noise already. It’s more for the true aficionados at this point.

True. I would imagine that even people who consider themselves "good republicans" probably voted this month for participants in the coup attempt.

I expect those same people have also applied the flawed reasoning of "since traitors didn't get elected three weeks ago to key roles like SOS in swing states the whole worry about democracy being in peril was just a big nothing burger." To do that though they probably used the same flawed reasoning as the Y2K deniers did after nothing disastrous happened on 1/1/2000, ignoring the fact that the reason nothing went wrong on 1/1/2000 was because a whole lot of people fretted about it and sounded alarms about it before hand and then the necessary resources were used to prevent disaster. I doubt you'll ever thank people like me for saving our government but "you're welcome".

LDAHL

11-20-22, 10:53am

True. I would imagine that even people who consider themselves "good republicans" probably voted this month for participants in the coup attempt.

I expect those same people have also applied the flawed reasoning of "since traitors didn't get elected three weeks ago to key roles like SOS in swing states the whole worry about democracy being in peril was just a big nothing burger." To do that though they probably used the same flawed reasoning as the Y2K deniers did after nothing disastrous happened on 1/1/2000, ignoring the fact that the reason nothing went wrong on 1/1/2000 was because a whole lot of people fretted about it and sounded alarms about it before hand and then the necessary resources were used to prevent disaster. I doubt you'll ever thank people like me for saving our government but "you're welcome".

You can wear your gaudiest bones and feathers for an ostentatious anti-dragon ritual. But if no dragons appear even though you spent $53,000,000 on dragon bait, and you demand gratitude for your magic, do you really expect people to give it to you? And to heed your next warning about the coming jabberwocky threat?

frugal-one

11-20-22, 11:48am

iris lilies

11-20-22, 12:59pm

Gobblygook again! The dragons appeared on Jan 6th…. there can be no denying!
Do you really get none of that? I think it is hilarious!

But then, I live to be entertained with words.

frugal-one

11-20-22, 4:01pm

I got it but do not find entertaining in the least.

iris lilies

11-20-22, 7:05pm

I will have to delve into this later as I know several Trump voters including those who are never spoken about: successful professional women with advanced degrees. That demographics is supposed to hate Trump and love Hilary.
I dont know that I learned much of anything important with this article, but it was an ok read.

jp1

11-21-22, 6:11am

You can wear your gaudiest bones and feathers for an ostentatious anti-dragon ritual. But if no dragons appear even though you spent $53,000,000 on dragon bait, and you demand gratitude for your magic, do you really expect people to give it to you? And to heed your next warning about the coming jabberwocky threat?

Cool story bro. And definitely timely given that republicans have announced their intentions to spend the next two years chasing after the mythical hunter biden laptop dragon. I wonder which of those exalted thinkers you admire had suggested that this is what conservatives should do if they gained power?

Alan

11-21-22, 8:50am

I doubt you'll ever thank people like me for saving our government but "you're welcome".
It often takes quite some time for biographers and film-makers to introduce heroes to the general public, but when they get around to you I'm looking forward to telling all my friends, "I knew him when...."

LDAHL

11-21-22, 10:07am

It often takes quite some time for biographers and film-makers to introduce heroes to the general public, but when they get around to you I'm looking forward to telling all my friends, "I knew him when...."

Well, after knocking down all those statues there are plenty of unoccupied plinths available.

iris lilies

11-21-22, 10:13am

Well, after knocking down all those statues there are plenty of unoccupied plinths available.
Haha.

jp1

12-3-22, 5:46pm

Now our former president, and current presidential candidate, has publicly called for discarding the constitution and installing him as dictator. It was interesting enough watching republican politicians try to distance themselves from him without actually distancing themselves from him after Kanye went so totally Hitler fanboy that even Alex Jones was appalled. It will be even more interesting to see how they try to do that with this. The terror in their eyes at the thought of being the next Liz Cheney will be hilarious.

bae

12-3-22, 7:46pm

Now our former president, and current presidential candidate, has publicly called for discarding the constitution and installing him as dictator. ....

I missed it, what did he say?

I was out at the rifle range all morning working on the 600 yard targets, as one does.

gimmethesimplelife

12-4-22, 7:34am

In Arizona there is good reason not to vote GOP. The Republican Party is the party of Kari Lake. Need more be said? Rob

jp1

12-4-22, 8:03am

I missed it, what did he say?

.

So. with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great "Founders" did not want, and
would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!

jp1

12-4-22, 8:07am

In Arizona there is good reason not to vote GOP. The Republican Party is the party of Kari Lake. Need more be said? Rob

At least her lawyers finally learned that there are consequences for filing BS cases.

gimmethesimplelife

12-4-22, 11:38am

At least her lawyers finally learned that there are consequences for filing BS cases.One of her assembled legal enterauge (sp?) is big name Alan Derschowitz (sp?) who really should have known better. Rob

jp1

12-4-22, 2:22pm

One of her assembled legal enterauge (sp?) is big name Alan Derschowitz (sp?) who really should have known better. Rob

So sad. First he stopped getting invites to all the best parties in the Hamptons because of his efforts to support and help traitor trump. Now this! Oh the tragedy.

bae

12-4-22, 3:37pm

If Trump is the GOP candidate for 2024, given his current and past behaviour, then I have no further use for the GOP. The party has mostly been taken over by unreasonable people with no interest in governance. Shame on them.

The GOP rallying behind Herschel Walker is a bit silly too.

gimmethesimplelife

12-4-22, 5:42pm

I have to say at this point I wonder if Kari Lake will become unhinged. She seems to have a tentative link to reality as she's released a few videos on YouTube to the people of Arizona. And I KNOW she has Cadillac health insurance and has no need to flee to Mexico to afford mental health care. Rob

Rogar

12-4-22, 7:41pm

I missed it, what did he say?

I was out at the rifle range all morning working on the 600 yard targets, as one does.

I think this was the extent of it that I could find, posted on his "truth" social media platform relating to the 2020 election. Some reports seemed a bit of an overreaction considering he's likely to spew anything.

“A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” Trump posted.

jp1

12-4-22, 10:07pm

I think this was the extent of it that I could find, posted on his "truth" social media platform relating to the 2020 election. Some reports seemed a bit of an overreaction considering he's likely to spew anything.

“A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” Trump posted.

Considering that he took an oath of office promising to uphold the constitution, and would have to do so again if he were to win in 2024, his statement makes him fundamentally unqualified as a presidential candidate.

Rogar

12-5-22, 8:37am

Considering that he took an oath of office promising to uphold the constitution, and would have to do so again if he were to win in 2024, his statement makes him fundamentally unqualified as a presidential candidate.

I seems to me like that that case was made well before his off the cuff remark. I though he was just running his mouth for attention, much like his twitter tweets.

iris lilies

12-5-22, 8:59am

I seems to me like that that case was made well before his off the cuff remark. I though he was just running his mouth for attention, much like his twitter tweets.
Agreed.

I never considered Donald Trump a Republican who is interested in the Constitution at any time in his presidency or prior. Even when he was a Democrat.

jp1

12-5-22, 9:21am

I seems to me like that that case was made well before his off the cuff remark. I though he was just running his mouth for attention, much like his twitter tweets.

It was clear that he was unfit for office pretty much from day one of his 2016 campaign but that didn’t stop people from voting for him. And even now his openly calling for throwing the constitution away won’t stop people from voting for him. But it will make clear to the rest of us how many ‘constitutional conservatives’ are really just a bunch of dishonest ****tards when they call themselves that.

Rogar

12-5-22, 9:56am

It was clear that he was unfit for office pretty much from day one of his 2016 campaign but that didn’t stop people from voting for him. And even now his openly calling for throwing the constitution away won’t stop people from voting for him. But it will make clear to the rest of us how many ‘constitutional conservatives’ are really just a bunch of dishonest ****tards when they call themselves that.

Trump was far from my candidate in 2016, but to say he was unfit for office at the time seems like a big stretch. It's become obvious recently. I take it that the media attention he got from his comment was playing into his hand for attention and rabble rousing from his base. Realistically, none of his political conservatives are going to disavow the constitution. It's time for everyone to stop hanging on his every syllable, just like all of the attention he got from his endless tweets.

iris lilies

12-5-22, 10:06am

LDAHL

12-5-22, 10:44am

gosh, you mean if we stop paying attention to the monster at all levels, we give him less power!!??

who woulda thought!

Seems to me jp evokes the monster more often than anyone else here.

Well, it’s early days yet and I’ve been wrong before, but it seems to me that Trump becomes less inevitable every day. At this point DeSantis seems to be gathering strength among major donors and in the polls. He also seems to be doing well in the “hate primary”, as various folks on the left begin hedging their bets on the next great Satan. Sadly, many will direct their support toward whoever upsets the condescending class the most.

But who knows? Maybe a year and a half from now jp1 will be telling us what an existential threat Asa Hutchinson is.

ApatheticNoMore

12-5-22, 5:06pm

Trump was far from my candidate in 2016, but to say he was unfit for office at the time seems like a big stretch

if unfit merely means unqualified then he was clearly obviously so. He had never held another position in government and was running for President.

frugal-one

12-5-22, 5:32pm

Rogar

12-5-22, 5:46pm

Makes one wonder what parameters are required to make a candidate unfit to run for office, seeing as how we're talking about tossing the constitution.

Rogar

12-5-22, 6:27pm

Ok, ok. So, Trump really didn't mean it anyway.

“The Fake News is actually trying to convince the American People that I said I wanted to ‘terminate’ the Constitution. This is simply more DISINFORMATION & LIES, just like RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, and all of their other HOAXES & SCAMS,” Trump wrote Monday afternoon, saying he meant that “steps must be immediately taken to RIGHT THE WRONG.”

bae

12-5-22, 6:52pm

jp1

12-5-22, 11:00pm

Trump was far from my candidate in 2016, but to say he was unfit for office at the time seems like a big stretch. It's become obvious recently. I take it that the media attention he got from his comment was playing into his hand for attention and rabble rousing from his base. Realistically, none of his political conservatives are going to disavow the constitution. It's time for everyone to stop hanging on his every syllable, just like all of the attention he got from his endless tweets.

So you think it’s reasonable that people decided that ‘grab them by the pussy’ was no big deal? Or that a presidential candidate bragging about his dick size in a debate was acceptable? Or that his mocking a disabled reporter was acceptable? Name me another presidential candidate ever in our country’s history that would have survived any of those.

We’re not ‘hanging on his every syllable’. We’re pointing out that pretty much every syllable out of his ugly ugly mouth has been appalling from day one. And that we’re appalled by the people who didn’t care and voted for him anyway.

Rogar

12-6-22, 8:27am

jp1, the point has been made that Trump runs off at the mouth and says things that are ridiculous, offensive, and politically dangerous. It's a point that gets made over and over again. I guess anymore there are times to separate the grain from the shaft, if that is a correct way to put it, and to ignore his every day shockers. I get it and a lot of it is just minor BS anymore. Call it gas lighting or playing into his hand, or what ever you like. I would suspect that your reaction to his constitutional remark is exactly what he wants and I don't go there because it's just routine. He most likely is guilty of real true crimes and that is the grain that matters to me. With a little luck the sun is setting on Donald's political career and people are tired of his every day rants, just like I am.

jp1

12-6-22, 12:47pm

Honestly I don't particularly care what he says. As you point out he's made it abundantly clear that he's just a shitty human being. What I care about are supposedly "moderate" republicans like the congressperson from Ohio that went on George Stephanopoulous this weekend and when pressed admitted that if trump becomes the nominee in 2024 that he would support trump's effort to become president again. That any member of one of our two main political parties would support a trump candidacy at this point is scary. That he is most assuredly not the only one by a long shot is downright terrifying.

iris lilies

12-6-22, 2:40pm

So you think it’s reasonable that people decided that ‘grab them by the pussy’ was no big deal? Or that a presidential candidate bragging about his dick size in a debate was acceptable? Or that his mocking a disabled reporter was acceptable? Name me another presidential candidate ever in our country’s history that would have survived any of those.

We’re not ‘hanging on his every syllable’. We’re pointing out that pretty much every syllable out of his ugly ugly mouth has been appalling from day one. And that we’re appalled by the people who didn’t care and voted for him anyway.
I really doubt that Roger thinks the pussy comment is completely acceptable.

Alan

12-6-22, 3:50pm

When Trump was a Democrat he probably admired Teddy Kennedy and Chris Dodd's adventures with waitress sandwiches, as well as their ability to not have it held against them.

bae

12-6-22, 4:46pm

When Trump was a Democrat he probably admired Teddy Kennedy and Chris Dodd's adventures with waitress sandwiches, as well as their ability to not have it held against them.

One of my favourite conspiracy theories(*) is that Trump is a deep-cover Democrat plant, sent to destroy the Republican Party.

(*) collect the whole set, it's a fun party game

frugal-one

12-6-22, 5:38pm

When Trump was a Democrat he probably admired Teddy Kennedy and Chris Dodd's adventures with waitress sandwiches, as well as their ability to not have it held against them.

Seriously? You are/were a major trump supporter. This comment makes one wonder?

Alan

12-6-22, 5:56pm

Seriously? You are/were a major trump supporter. This comment makes one wonder?
I'm not sure why you would say that, I was more of a least worst option supporter.

jp1

12-7-22, 12:21am

I'm not sure why you would say that, I was more of a least worst option supporter.

If he was your idea of least worst option I’d be curious what your idea of worst worst option was…and why you thought they were worse than trump.

LDAHL

12-7-22, 9:21am

When faced with a choice between a lying, venal, incompetent braggart and Trump, I went with the third party candidate.

iris lilies

12-7-22, 11:00am

When faced with a choice between a lying, venal, incompetent braggart and Trump, I went with the third party candidate.
Right, me too, but next time around I may have to enter a valid vote against Trump if he is the candidate (which likely will not happen anyways.) That means I will have to vote for the Democratic candidate and as a non-believer I PRAY they will give me a nonBiden choice, but time is a-wasting for that savior to emerge.

Rogar

12-7-22, 11:17am

When faced with a choice between a lying, venal, incompetent braggart and Trump, I went with the third party candidate.

Heck, I always thought Trump was indeed the lying, venal, incompetent braggart, and still is. And also a crook and cheat.

I hope the choices improve next time around.

rosarugosa

12-9-22, 6:34am

This came up on my FB memories recently as something I had posted on 11/2/16:
Today I walked by the town hall on the way to the library and I saw a sign for early voting. I realized that somewhere deep inside I'm hoping that if I wait there will be better choices, you know, like when they restock the shelves at the store or something - oh good, they just brought out a pile of green bananas, so I don't have to take the ones with the brown spots after all!

frugal-one

12-14-22, 9:06pm

Desantis is as big a moron as trump. In July 2021 he said vaccines saved many lives and now is spewing garbage. He is truly an idiot. He ranks with Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Alan

12-14-22, 9:52pm

Desantis is as big a moron as trump. In July 2021 he said vaccines saved many lives and now is spewing garbage. He is truly an idiot. He ranks with Marjorie Taylor Greene.
It's interesting watching the PR campaign against DeSantis and the effect it has on people looking for a reason to hate Republicans. If polls didn't show him handily defeating Biden in a future election, those same folks would probably not know his name.

frugal-one

12-15-22, 12:58am

It's interesting watching the PR campaign against DeSantis and the effect it has on people looking for a reason to hate Republicans. If polls didn't show him handily defeating Biden in a future election, those same folks would probably not know his name.

You got it wrong. It is not because Desantis says he is a republican. In fact, the republican party no longer exists…..Desantis is a prime example, as is/was trump. The republican party used to be considered conservative. You can see that is no longer true. These types of people are extreme and sadly only looking for power at any cost.. Jan 6th proved that.

jp1

12-15-22, 4:06am

It's interesting watching the PR campaign against DeSantis and the effect it has on people looking for a reason to hate Republicans. If polls didn't show him handily defeating Biden in a future election, those same folks would probably not know his name.

It’s interesting watching desantis’s defenders avoid actually addressing the concerns others raise about him and instead say that it’s just ‘hating republicans’. Kind of like how they did with the last traitor from Florida.

LDAHL

12-15-22, 9:44am

It's interesting watching the PR campaign against DeSantis and the effect it has on people looking for a reason to hate Republicans. If polls didn't show him handily defeating Biden in a future election, those same folks would probably not know his name.

He does seem to be leading in the hate primary at the moment. But it’s early days yet. Some new face may arise to become the worst ever, miniHitler, blood on his hands monster.

LDAHL

12-15-22, 9:48am

In fact, the republican party no longer exists

Yes. That House majority is a mere figment of the imagination.

frugal-one

12-15-22, 2:32pm

Yes. That House majority is a mere figment of the imagination.

Correction… “so-called republicans”… read 1381 above!

frugal-one

12-20-22, 5:27am

Watched the last of the hearings today. Hopefully some if the recommendations will be heeded and trump and associates get their comeuppance!

bae

12-28-22, 3:01am

George Santos and the GOP leadership's reaction to his talent for story-telling.

frugal-one

12-28-22, 4:52am

Anyone who lies on a job application should be fired. The republicans lack of censure shows how low the party has become!

jp1

12-28-22, 6:35am

I’m curious who spent $700,000 to buy a congressperson.

bae

1-2-23, 4:23pm

George Santos and the GOP leadership's reaction to his talent for story-telling.

Still crickets from the GOP leadership. So this is the new face of the GOP - power at all cost.

Alan

1-2-23, 6:00pm

Still crickets from the GOP leadership. So this is the new face of the GOP - power at all cost.What would you like the GOP to do? It occurs to me that if Congress Critters were disciplined over lying, the entire government would fall, and if the effort to criminalize lying were successful, Congress would have to convene in prisons.

jp1

1-2-23, 6:34pm

What would you like the GOP to do? It occurs to me that if Congress Critters were disciplined over lying, the entire government would fall, and if the effort to criminalize lying were successful, Congress would have to convene in prisons.

Sure there's lying. And then there's this clown. It would probably be a much shorter list to compile things he said on the campaign trail that were actually true. If the GOP cared they would at a minimum 1) find out if in fact he's a criminal from Brazil, 2) find out where the hell the he got $700k to "donate" to his campaign, and 3) figure out if in fact he is a naturalized citizen or if he is in fact not an American citizen. Given the GOP obsession with the citizenship of candidates some years back this last one should certainly be of most interest to them.

But I get it. As bae points out the GOP has become the power at any cost party and with their very slim majority in the house they will simply seat him and try to sweep this under the rug. They sold out their integrity some time ago.

bae

1-2-23, 7:26pm

What would you like the GOP to do? ...

Come now....

Teacher Terry

1-2-23, 11:42pm

Someone wrote online that if liars pants really were on fire it would be a lot more fun to watch the news:)).

ToomuchStuff

1-3-23, 12:49am

Someone wrote online that if liars pants really were on fire it would be a lot more fun to watch the news:)).

Come join the excitement, become a firefighter! We need help putting out those bedrooms, brothels, politicians and pulpits, and everything burning between. (only thing is what media would this be on, that is fireproof)

jp1

1-3-23, 1:18am

Someone wrote online that if liars pants really were on fire it would be a lot more fun to watch the news:)).

True. But liar pants trump was too stupid to use fire to his benefit. He preferred to try and flush down the toilets all the incriminating documents. Instead of setting them on fire in the 542 fireplaces that the White House has. Watching stupid **** trump try and flus everything down the toilet would be adorable.

Rogar

1-3-23, 9:57am

The Hill had a short piece of minor humor suggesting George Santos as the perfect candidate for speaker of the house. Reasoning is that he is a Trump Republican, so he should be expected to lie. Plus, he actually duped the people for a while. Another plus. And that is why the GOP has not been critical of him. George Santos for Speaker!

LDAHL

1-3-23, 1:50pm

While I am as shocked, shocked as anyone to learn we have a liar in the sacred precincts of Congress, I wonder what the process to remove one is. Has it ever happened in the past?

iris lilies

1-3-23, 3:03pm

While I am as shocked, shocked as anyone to learn we have a liar in the sacred precincts of Congress, I wonder what the process to remove one is. Has it ever happened in the past?
Yes. It’s called voting the bastards out. Thatsa how you rid yourselves of them.but you know that.

I keep waiting for my fellow citizens to vote out the incompetent corrupt city prosecutor of St.Louis out, but they love that girl.

jp1

1-3-23, 3:54pm

It’s weird how republicans don’t seem to understand the difference between small lies or even one or two big lies and literally making up an entirely fictitious life history including changing one’s parents’ religion and making up two fake death stories about their mother.

LDAHL

1-3-23, 4:38pm

jp1

1-3-23, 4:56pm

Poor dears probably got confused by all those years of Honest Joe Biden’s Multiverse of Madness.

Weird that you would say that when it’s your party whose current main policy platform is ‘the big lie’.

bae

1-3-23, 5:10pm

Weird that anyone is stepping forwards to defend Santos. But the sophistry of those who do is expected.

Is Santos really the sort of person the GOP wants in their party?

https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/digital-images/org/0b350685-5324-472d-84d9-f0cba2a03bce.jpg

jp1

1-3-23, 5:37pm

The way things are going maybe they can make him speaker. I’m sure if anyone asked he’d claim to have done the job back during the Eisenhower administration.

Rogar

1-3-23, 5:38pm

One of my previous employers had a zero tolerance rule for lying on an employment application. One of my co-workers was fired for saying he had multiple college degrees when he had none. It was early in his employment, and possibly during a probationary period. He was a hard worker and very smart. Weird thing is that it was back in a draconian period when passing a lie detector was required and involved specific questions about lying on the job application and certain details. There must be some people who believe in their fantasy world so much it becomes reality.

bae

1-3-23, 5:42pm

One of my previous employers had a zero tolerance rule for lying on an employment application.

This was the rule in the last few Silicon Valley companies I was at. We let go a VP once when his resume-padding surfaced a few months or so into his employment. Not sure why we would be willing to accept this sort of thing in an elected office.

When I was in a political office here, I was required to file lots of disclosure forms before the election, and each year I was in office afterwards, with the State paperwork-pushers, and the claimed consequences for fibbing were quite dire.

Rogar

1-3-23, 6:12pm

This was the rule in the last few Silicon Valley companies I was at. We let go a VP once when his resume-padding surfaced a few months or so into his employment. Not sure why we would be willing to accept this sort of thing in an elected office.

As I recall in my example it fell under the falsification of company records policies, and the thought was that if it happened on an employment application, it could happen with other critical records. It actually caused a bit of a stir because the guy was well liked and had nothing to do with his work. There are probably political comparisons.

Alan

1-3-23, 9:40pm

Weird that anyone is stepping forwards to defend Santos. But the sophistry of those who do is expected.

Is Santos really the sort of person the GOP wants in their party?

No he's not, and he's not the only one. The problem is he (and they) were hired by their constituents and should be fired by same.

frugal-one

1-3-23, 9:58pm

No he's not, and he's not the only one. The problem is he (and they) were hired by their constituents and should be fired by same.

No. For instance, Republicans did not speak ill of trump in public but did so in private. This shows they cannot be relied upon to do the right thing.

jp1

1-3-23, 10:16pm

No he's not, and he's not the only one.

There are other republican representatives that lied about literally every single aspect of their lives in order to fraudulently win an election?

Thinking about Santos (if that is in fact his name. Are we really sure he hasn't lied about that as well?) it would have been interesting to see how the spineless republicans reacted if all this had come out prior to the election. We'll never know, of course, but I suspect that they would have reacted about the same as they did when the Texan running for Georgia senate was found to have multiple kids that he pretended didn't exist and had paid for an abortion for a fetus he didn't want to add to the collection of unwanted children.

The problem is he (and they) were hired by their constituents and should be fired by same.

No. The problem is that the voters were lied to and made their decision based on those lies. The House of Representatives, currently (sort of) led by his party, have a duty to fix that since at this point the House are the only people who can do this according to the constitution.

ApatheticNoMore

1-3-23, 10:18pm

No he's not, and he's not the only one. The problem is he (and they) were hired by their constituents and should be fired by same.

do the constituents have the ability to do a recall election? If not it's really a moot point. I can't remember any recalls for federal office (yes I know all about recalls for state level politicians)

jp1

1-3-23, 10:36pm

do the constituents have the ability to do a recall election? If not it's really a moot point. I can't remember any recalls for federal office (yes I know all about recalls for state level politicians)

Congressional representatives can't be recalled. At this point the only people with the ability to act on the fact that he outright lied about literally everything to voters in order to get elected are the house of representatives.

That's not going to happen of course because integrity and ethics are not a strong suit of the modern republican. They will simply wring their hands and bleat "but what can we do????? The voters voted for who they thought he was and we must respect the will of the deceived voter...."

bae

1-4-23, 2:54pm

Well, the new House Republicans are certainly demonstrating their skill at governance the past few days.

flowerseverywhere

1-4-23, 4:59pm

Well, the new House Republicans are certainly demonstrating their skill at governance the past few days.

they managed to take down the metal detectors

https://www.abc4.com/news/hill-politics/metal-detectors-removed-from-outside-the-house-chamber/amp/

The Republicans allowed things to get out of hand, and now reigning in Boebert, Gaetz, Jorden etc. is not going well. I’m relieved we have nothing else to focus on like inflation, health care, the economy or immigration. Those come after Hunters laptop, if a speaker is ever elected. I think it’s round six. Embarrassing.

flowerseverywhere

1-4-23, 5:03pm

Another news story reported some republicans wanted to work with Dems to get the threshold lowered for the amount of votes needed. Can you say Merrick Garland?

flowerseverywhere

1-4-23, 6:08pm

The hits keep on coming.

https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/matt-gaetz-demands-answers-architect-capitol-mccarthy-occupying-speaker-house

Matt Gaetz demanding Mccarthy be removed from speakers office where he has already moved in and is "squatting"

bae

1-4-23, 6:30pm

they managed to take down the metal detectors
...

I never quite understood that, one way or the other.

I mean, if I had to work in that wretched hive of scum and villainy, I'd likely want to be armed. I'd also have basic concerns about the security of the premises after the events of Jan 6, and would hesitate to rely on others to protect me.

jp1

1-5-23, 12:36am

I just saw this, which seems about right:

A haiku for Kevin McCarthy

Ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha you loser.

frugal-one

1-5-23, 7:26am

Those who voted the republicans in now see what lowlifes they elected… an embarrassment to the world.

iris lilies

1-5-23, 9:23am

All of this brawling among the Republicans is not dignified.

I am here for it! I like the drama. It is lively.

frugal-one

1-5-23, 10:19am

Hopefully nothing important NEEDS to happen while the incompetents get their act together.

jp1

1-5-23, 3:24pm

Hopefully nothing important NEEDS to happen while the incompetents get their act together.

Last week, when the adults were still in charge, they got the annual budget passed. Since all the house republicans plan to do is conduct witch hunts it's really not a big deal that the "can't govern" republicans can't even elect a house leader. I haven't looked but I assume that shares in Orville Reddenbacher have gone through the roof.

JaneV2.0

1-5-23, 4:40pm

Last week, when the adults were still in charge, they got the annual budget passed. Since all the house republicans plan to do is conduct witch hunts it's really not a big deal that the "can't govern" republicans can't even elect a house leader. I haven't looked but I assume that shares in Orville Reddenbacher have gone through the roof.

Some pundit opined that Republicans were committed to proving that government is grossly dysfunctional. I guess that--plus hounding the LGBT community, immigrants, and women of child-bearing age--is their agenda.

jp1

1-5-23, 8:49pm

5062

catherine

1-5-23, 9:58pm

5062

That is perfect!!! haha!!!

iris lilies

1-5-23, 10:08pm

That is perfect!!! haha!!!
It was funny.

SiouzQ.

1-7-23, 12:33pm

Ugh, I can't stand that Matt Gaetz guy. Grandstanding, power-hungry plastic Ken doll. And Lauren Boebert. Both trying to be so damn self-important and relevant so they can go on all the right wing news shows and yakitty-yak about how important they think they are. Rant over...

frugal-one

1-7-23, 1:08pm

JaneV2.0

1-7-23, 1:25pm

Disgusting that Santos was sworn in yesterday….. and crazy that McCarthy sold his soul to be speaker. Just shows the credibility of republicans. The name boebert reminds me of the gal who castrated her husband.

It could yet happen--wasn't her husband caught exposing himself to underage girls? Lotta class in that family.

jp1

1-7-23, 3:14pm

Well, I guess we'll get to see this fall if the US Government defaulting on it's debt sets off a nuclear bomb in the global economy. Kevin gave away enough to the "blow it all up" wing of his party that this is pretty much a certainty now.

pinkytoe

1-7-23, 3:30pm

Well...someone elected these bozos.

frugal-one

1-7-23, 5:45pm

Can only hope those who voted these bozos in get more than their fair share of angst!

frugal-one

1-10-23, 10:01pm

Alan

1-10-23, 10:08pm

Seems hokey that gov records are now found when Biden was VP…. just when trump is being incriminated for his fraudulent handling of gov records. Albeit it is not a big deal for Biden since the records were immediately returned upon finding and there were just a few .. not like trump. The timing of this just seems too convenient IMO.
Oh, they've known about it for months but, the question is, why didn't anyone mention it then, and why did it take 6 years to find them?
It would appear that now the DOJ will be forced to table at least part of their desired charges against Trump rather than explain why Biden won't be charged. It seems to me to be less convenience and more inconvenience as it makes it hard to maintain a one-sided narrative.

pinkytoe

1-10-23, 11:11pm

All this biz (on both sides) about gov records being found where they're not supposed to be is somewhat tied to inefficient bureaucratic procedures. Massive amounts of paper and records getting shuffled around to different offices - some things are going to get misplaced. Not turning them over once found is odd but I sure wish our politicians would just move on and get stuff done instead.

jp1

1-11-23, 12:04am

If trump had given the docs back instead of making all the clown car arguments he made then it might have not been such a big deal involving the fbi gong to his beach house to recover the docs, etc.

frugal-one

1-11-23, 12:33am

Oh, they've known about it for months but, the question is, why didn't anyone mention it then, and why did it take 6 years to find them?
It would appear that now the DOJ will be forced to table at least part of their desired charges against Trump rather than explain why Biden won't be charged. It seems to me to be less convenience and more inconvenience as it makes it hard to maintain a one-sided narrative.

Biden did the right thing and informed the appropriate parties when the few documents were found unlike trump who purposely took MANY documents for no doubt nafarios reasons. That is the difference.

LDAHL

1-13-23, 1:21pm

Biden did the right thing and informed the appropriate parties when the few documents were found unlike trump who purposely took MANY documents for no doubt nafarios reasons. That is the difference.

I liked the way Joe tried to display his goodwill by explaining that the second tranche of lost documents was stored in the garage where he keeps his Corvette.

Rogar

1-13-23, 2:41pm

I liked the way Joe tried to display his goodwill by explaining that the second tranche of lost documents was stored in the garage where he keeps his Corvette.

I thought that was rather rude and inappropriate, too. So critical national secrets could be as important to Joe as his car? I wonder how long Merrick can avoid offering any statements about criminal activity for either Joe or Donny. News today claims that McCarthy was going to organize a Republican investigation of their own. I assume they have time on their hands between investigating Fauci and Hunter. One might guess our politicians are a bunch of crooks.

bae

1-13-23, 3:01pm

I liked the way Joe tried to display his goodwill by explaining that the second tranche of lost documents was stored in the garage where he keeps his Corvette.

He sort of lost me there, I've had to keep my Porsche in the driveway for 20 years, because my garage is consumed with bicycles, kayaks, canoes, and tools.

iris lilies

1-13-23, 3:38pm

This whole “Joe’s got stolen documents too! But his aren’t stolen!” Is just hilarious. What in the actual fk goes on with these dimwits in D.C? And by that I mean ALL of them.

frugal-one

1-13-23, 5:26pm

I liked the way Joe tried to display his goodwill by explaining that the second tranche of lost documents was stored in the garage where he keeps his Corvette.

Still seems hokey that NOW documents are found …. a little too pat a time …

Alan

1-13-23, 6:24pm

Still seems hokey that NOW documents are found …. a little too pat a time …
They weren't found NOW, they were found a week or so before the mid-terms. They're only just now letting anyone know about them.
Are you one of those conspiracy theorists who see dastardly Republicans behind every tree?

It's curious to me that I've heard no-one speculate on why he had these documents, was he hoping to sell them to the highest bidder as some of you suggested Trump intended. Why aren't some of you speculating?

iris lilies

1-13-23, 7:24pm

They weren't found NOW, they were found a week or so before the mid-terms. They're only just now letting anyone know about them.
Are you one of those conspiracy theorists who see dastardly Republicans behind every tree?

It's curious to me that I've heard no-one speculate on why he had these documents, was he hoping to sell them to the highest bidder as some of you suggested Trump intended. Why aren't some of you speculating?oh Alan, it was just a misunderstanding, a mix up by old feeble minded Joe. Nothing to see here. Except for the feeble mindedness which *IS*a concern. 6 more years of this? Ugh.

WHY are they not putting pressure on him to declare he will not run and to get someone who is not our Vice.president to run? Ugh.

Rogar

1-13-23, 7:55pm

They weren't found NOW, they were found a week or so before the mid-terms. They're only just now letting anyone know about them.
Are you one of those conspiracy theorists who see dastardly Republicans behind every tree?

It's curious to me that I've heard no-one speculate on why he had these documents, was he hoping to sell them to the highest bidder as some of you suggested Trump intended. Why aren't some of you speculating?

I may have jested about Trump selling them on eBay, but basically suspected something nefarious because he has no ethics and the whole thing seemed shady. His motivation for power might be similar to a beagle for bacon. I probably need more information to speculate on Biden. Because Trump seemed uncooperative it cast further suspicions and the nature of the documents that related to national security appeared to be concerning. I don't trust either's explanation yet, but it's a matter of degree if not magnitude.

LDAHL

1-13-23, 8:07pm

There was a heart-rending piece on the CNN site about how damned busy poor Joe and his staff were in 2017 when the documents got lost. Another “Republicans Pounce” moment, apparently.

jp1

1-13-23, 10:18pm

Rogar

1-13-23, 10:28pm

Lol. Trump ‘seemed’ uncooperative? That’s the most generous reading of the trump stolen document story I think I’ve ever read. He most absolutely WAS uncooperative. Any other interpretation of what happened is just silly Republican justifying. Kind of like the silly justifying of ‘Santos’ lies about every aspect of his pathetic life.

It seems like haggling over terminology to me, but say Trump "was" uncooperative would that make it obstruction of justice. Guilty as charged or innocent until proven guilty? Is our legal system failing us.

jp1

1-13-23, 11:11pm

It seems like haggling over terminology to me, but say Trump "was" uncooperative would that make it obstruction of justice. Guilty as charged or innocent until proven guilty? Is our legal system failing us.

We’re all aware of the timeline. Comparing what trump did to what biden did is like comparing someone who had a car accident and then left the scene versus someone who had an accident and then stopped, called the police and remained on the scene until the cops came, etc.

Trump repeatedly claimed there was no ‘there’ there as it became obvious to anyone without an R after their name that that there was a lot of ‘there’ there that he was desperately and pathetically trying to deny with multiple lies about whether a full search for docs had been done, etc.

flowerseverywhere

1-13-23, 11:27pm

flowerseverywhere

1-13-23, 11:29pm

This whole “Joe’s got stolen documents too! But his aren’t stolen!” Is just hilarious. What in the actual fk goes on with these dimwits in D.C? And by that I mean ALL of them.

I could not agree with you more. Th stupidity, pearl clutching and grandstanding is ridiculous.

bae

1-13-23, 11:33pm

At this point, the two factions have drifted apart so much that they no longer share a common reality, and thus no productive discussions can occur.

Be advised.

iris lilies

1-14-23, 12:03am

Here is another brilliant move in Missouri

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/missouri-house-tightens-womens-dress-code-requiring-covering-arms

What is the matter with lawmakers? Don't they have poverty, homelessness, crime, education policies and so on to deal with?

Telling women to cover their arms reminds me of the old days when a woman reported a rape and the first question was "what were you wearing"

A bunch of morons. Do you really think that was why you were voted into office?

i hadn’t heard of this new dress code but as I read this article, it it doesn’t concern me. Male legislators are required to have their “arms covered” meaning they are required to wear business attire, a suit and tie. The existing dress code that was not modified requirss women to wear a blazer or sweater.

The recent proposal calls for women to wear a jacket.

They are attempting to define professional attire. This alarmist article is a nothing burger.

Which doesn’t mean that the Missouri elected officials do not do stupid things, because they do.

iris lilies

1-14-23, 12:38am

I may have jested about Trump selling them on eBay, but basically suspected something nefarious because he has no ethics and the whole thing seemed shady. His motivation for power might be similar to a beagle for bacon. I probably need more information to speculate on Biden. Because Trump seemed uncooperative it cast further suspicions and the nature of the documents that related to national security appeared to be concerning. I don't trust either's explanation yet, but it's a matter of degree if not magnitude.
You mean Donald Trump acted in character and was obstreperous about his secret documents while Joe Biden acted in character and was befuddled about his secret documents?

okay.

jp1

1-14-23, 5:20am

flowerseverywhere

1-14-23, 6:59am

i hadn’t heard of this new dress code but as I read this article, it it doesn’t concern me. Male legislators are required to have their “arms covered” meaning they are required to wear business attire, a suit and tie. The existing dress code that was not modified requirss women to wear a blazer or sweater.

The recent proposal calls for women to wear a jacket.

They are attempting to define professional attire. This alarmist article is a nothing burger.

Which doesn’t mean that the Missouri elected officials do not do stupid things, because they do.

my point was there are many pressing issues they need to deal with. Recently you had a thread to point out the rampant crime rate in St Louis and Springfield MO. They need to quit wasting time on stupid crap and deal with this pressing issue.
I doubt requiring women to wear jackets is going to affect the crime rate.

Rogar

1-14-23, 8:45am

Trump repeatedly claimed there was no ‘there’ there as it became obvious to anyone without an R after their name that that there was a lot of ‘there’ there that he was desperately and pathetically trying to deny with multiple lies about whether a full search for docs had been done, etc.

To say Trump "was" uncooperative would that make it obstruction of justice. Guilty as charged or innocent until proven guilty? Is our legal system failing us. Speaking of terminology, is uncooperative and obstruction of justice the same?

No argument from me that Biden's and Trump's cases are like apples to grapes, but "may be" or "are" illegal". Both "are" wrong

Sort of makes a person wonder how many high level officials have done something similar intentionally or by mistake.

LDAHL

1-14-23, 1:49pm

I see they found a third collection of documents in Delaware. You would have thought that when his people first discovered the problem a couple of months ago they would have scoured all his usual haunts. He’s starting to look like a Johnny Appleseed of security failures.

Rogar

1-17-23, 10:44am

iris lilies

1-17-23, 1:13pm

A failed GOP candidate for the state house in New Mexico is accused of conspiring and paying men to shoot at the homes of two democratic legislators and two county officials. Apparently no one was hurt. It seems like the current mentality of the far right GOP encourages some element of irrational anger, lies, threats, and other criminality, as in Santos. Even beyond 1/6.

Another case of egregious lies seems to be developing around J. R. Majewski, an Ohio politician.

“A candidate for the state house” i.e. an average Joe Schmo nutjob since anyone can file candadicy papers.He happens to be of the RepublicN stripe (I am taking your word for it) so of course that is why you are hearing about it on mainstream media.

I guarantee you that the brothers shooting up people and houses in and around my old neighborhood were not voting Republican tickets. And then there are the actual Democratic politicians, recently jailed.
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/lewis-reed-gets-45-months-in-bribery-scheme-case/

We can play tit for tat if you like, but personally I find it to be a boring game.

Alan

1-17-23, 1:41pm

early morning

1-17-23, 1:51pm

Personally, I think it's because it's more fun to poke at those who are the biggest hypocrites. A party that is selling god, family values, and apple pie should not be surprised when being called out for violating/flouting the values they want to inflict on the rest of us.

Rogar

1-17-23, 2:01pm

I wonder why we never hear about the Democrats acting badly on these forums, or anywhere else actually? Do you remember the Democratic official in Las Vegas who killed a reporter a few months ago? Or how about the Democratic former Mayor of a California town arrested a year or so ago for sexual assault on minors?

Nope. Didn't hear about those. The Las Vegas official was apparently a county clerk, which is even more Joe Schmoe that IL's opinion of a representative in the state house. Going down to that level of officialdom does open up new avenues. Did anyone hear about Tina Peters, a country clerk and failed candidate for secretary of state here who has been charged with 7 felonies including breeches of election security. Makes one wonder about country coroners. I assume the assault on minors was not politically motivated. I don't doubt that there are crooks in both parties, it's just a matter of degree. But, I do suppose it is futile to go back and forth with the various small time political criminals. There are enough bigger fish to fry.

bae

1-17-23, 4:32pm

Solomon Peña - I guess if you don't vote for them, they get grumpy....

https://www.abqjournal.com/2565117/solomon-pena-arrested-in-shootings-targeting-new-mexico-democratic-politicians-homes.html

Alan

1-17-23, 4:59pm

Solomon Peña - I guess if you don't vote for them, they get grumpy....

https://www.abqjournal.com/2565117/solomon-pena-arrested-in-shootings-targeting-new-mexico-democratic-politicians-homes.html
Who are they? Hispanics or Republicans? Or does it matter?

JaneV2.0

1-17-23, 5:07pm

Who are they? Hispanics or Republicans? Or does it matter?

Why pick one?

Alan

1-17-23, 5:14pm

Why pick one?
Well, as someone else pointed out, if you pick one as representative of a group it's fun, but we all know if you pick the other as representative of a group, you're a terrible person. I'm curious where the difference lies.

Rogar

1-17-23, 6:24pm

Who are they? Hispanics or Republicans? Or does it matter?

I'm not sure what you're asking since you may have read the article first. My readers digest version is that the failed republican (IL's just some Joe Schmoe) paid some gangsters $500 to shoot into the homes of four elected democrats. I don't think the gangsters had a party or it's a different kind of party. Police called it a political vendetta.

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/17/1149464953/new-mexico-shooting-politicians-solomon-pena

Alan

1-17-23, 7:09pm

I'm not sure what you're asking since you may have read the article first.
I was curious about who "they" were as referenced in a previous post copied below. As you will note, the use of "them" & "they" indicates a group rather than an individual and I'm not sure which group was being disparaged, or whether it was just for fun or personal bias.

Solomon Peña - I guess if you don't vote for them, they get grumpy....

JaneV2.0

1-17-23, 7:25pm

George Santos--aka George Devolder, pathological liar; Enrique Tarrio, Proud Boy and convicted felon, Ted Cruz, widely-despised senator, etc. It's clearly a matter of context.

iris lilies

1-17-23, 8:09pm

George Santos--aka George Devolder, pathological liar; Enrique Tarrio, Proud Boy and convicted felon, Ted Cruz, widely-despised senator, etc. It's clearly a matter of context.
I like Ted Cruz.

JaneV2.0

1-17-23, 8:23pm

I like Ted Cruz.

You're apparently not the only one, considering Texas election results, but I've read repeatedly that he's a pariah in the halls of Congress.

jp1

1-17-23, 9:30pm

I like Ted Cruz.

I'm not surprised. You seem to have a thing for mean guys.

bae

1-17-23, 9:36pm

Who are they? Hispanics or Republicans? Or does it matter?

Come now.

Consider context. In a thread devoted to problematic Republicans, what category do you suppose this example of a problematic Republican falls into?

But you know. You're just "cleverly" disrupting the conversation by raising the Hispanic possibility. And perhaps even trying to throw a bit of shade.

It is transparent.

bae

1-17-23, 9:41pm

Annnnnd - speaking of Republicans, it looks like they(*) are going to give George Santos positions on the House Small Business Committee and the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

And Marjorie Taylor Greene will be on the Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. Especially funny given her 9/11 Truther and Jewish Space Laser beliefs.

They also are letting Paul Gosar step up to the plate.

Sick.

(*) The Republicans, specifically the leadership, specifically specifically the House GOP Steering Committee

Alan

1-17-23, 9:43pm

Come now.

Consider context. In a thread devoted to problematic Republicans, what category do you suppose this example of a problematic Republican falls into?

But you know. You're just "cleverly" disrupting the conversation by raising the Hispanic possibility. And perhaps even trying to throw a bit of shade.

It is transparent.
I'd counter that this is the most transparent thread ever. I'm more of a killjoy getting under the skin of the cool kids.

JaneV2.0

1-17-23, 10:44pm

"And Marjorie Taylor Greene will be on the Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. Especially funny given her 9/11 Truther and Jewish Space Laser beliefs."

So one of the instigators/fomenters of the January 6th insurrection, and the politician who recently announced "Vengeance is mine declares the Lord. God will not let evil go unpunished." is back in business. So reassuring.

iris lilies

1-17-23, 11:20pm

I'm not surprised. You seem to have a thing for mean guys.
If it makes you feel any better, I dont like
marjorie
taylor
greene.

jp1

1-18-23, 12:53am

If it makes you feel any better, I dont like
marjorie
taylor
greene.
Did I miss the point where she changed her pronouns to he/him? Otherwise she’s not like to be a mean guy like the dicks you love.

Rogar

1-18-23, 7:39am

Come now.

Consider context. In a thread devoted to problematic Republicans, what category do you suppose this example of a problematic Republican falls into?

But you know. You're just "cleverly" disrupting the conversation by raising the Hispanic possibility. And perhaps even trying to throw a bit of shade.

It is transparent.

Heck, I thought Allan's response was just the standard Republican obfuscation of the issues, or maybe that he just didn't understand correctly.

jp1

1-18-23, 12:33pm

Dang. Every day this "Santos" guy is proven to be a better and better fit for the modern republican party. The most recent scam of raising funds for a fake charity that helps pet owners and then not actually helping the pet and instead letting it die certainly takes "republican values" to the extreme. I can't wait to see the next episode of this freak show! I don't have a good enough imagination to even began to conceive of how they're going to top dead puppies.

littlebittybobby

1-18-23, 12:53pm

jp1

1-19-23, 1:16am

Okey-Dokey----Seeing as this thread has gone well past its best-by date, I'd like to suggest that it be locked, and that someone take the initiative to start a thread topic concerning Fair Play For Cuba. Yup. Then, you kids can continue the controversy over there. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.5099

How exactly do you think this thread has gone stale? I realize that even most rational republicans probably don't want to talk about dead puppies but that doesn't mean the thread is stale. It just means that republicans probably need to find better priorities than trying to justify that their politicians are pro-dead puppy.

frugal-one

1-19-23, 5:05am

trump mega raised the debt ceiling but now republicans are going to try to negotiate “demands” and threatening to let the government shut down if not met. Problem is, there are so many FAR right nutwings that would go through with it. They care nothing for the people they are supposed to represent.

https://marketrealist.com/p/national-debt-under-trump/

Rogar

1-19-23, 8:27am

Okey-Dokey----Seeing as this thread has gone well past its best-by date, I'd like to suggest that it be locked, and that someone take the initiative to start a thread topic concerning Fair Play For Cuba. Yup. Then, you kids can continue the controversy over there. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

It has gone one a little long. I'd suggest if you don't enjoy the interaction anymore , you don't have to read the thread.

Or maybe someone would like to start a new similar discussion, since people still seem interested.

iris lilies

1-19-23, 11:41am

It has gone one a little long. I'd suggest if you don't enjoy the interaction anymore , you don't have to read the thread.

Or maybe someone would like to start a new similar discussion, since people still seem interested.

I think it is fine, and even preferred, to have a designated place to park one’s complaints about the wascally wepublicans. It reduces contamination of complaints on the rest of the forum.

littlebittybobby

1-19-23, 11:42am

It has gone one a little long. I'd suggest if you don't enjoy the interaction anymore , you don't have to read the thread.

Or maybe someone would like to start a new similar discussion, since people still seem interested. Okay---Thanks for your input. Ha. It's much like the "America---Love It Or Leave It" bumper-sticker mantra, isn't it? Yet---Dems & Pubs promote these endless arguments, that don't solve anything. Doing that is prolly(probably, okay?)a smoke-screen, a distraction, to conceal what they are really doing, from the public. See? Did you know that Trump signed into law a bill that increases penalties for operating an unauthorized radio-broadcasting station? It's not small-change, either. That's just the tip o' the iceberg, in the land o' the free.. Not to blame Trump, but he mainly does what his handlers advise him to, just as Ol' Joe does.And where are the handlers recruited from? Meanwhile you kids argue over "rights" for a group on the periphery, the Alphabet People. So much attention paid to that particular small segment of citizens actually increases resentment toward them, don't you know? Just using that as an example. But yeah---Fair Play For Cuba. What's your take on that? Oswald was VERY concerned about it(like you kids are about alphabet peeps), till his life was cut short in the hands of the po-leese, by a murderous thug, after they repeatedly paraded him before a random crowd at several press conferences. Yup. That is what he got for(allegedly) shooting a policeman. See? Now you know. Thankk Mee.

iris lilies

1-19-23, 1:34pm

Okay---Thanks for your input. Ha. It's much like the "America---Love It Or Leave It" bumper-sticker mantra, isn't it? Yet---Dems & Pubs promote these endless arguments, that don't solve anything. Doing that is prolly(probably, okay?)a smoke-screen, a distraction, to conceal what they are really doing, from the public. See? Did you know that Trump signed into law a bill that increases penalties for operating an unauthorized radio-broadcasting station? It's not small-change, either. That's just the tip o' the iceberg, in the land o' the free.. Not to blame Trump, but he mainly does what his handlers advise him to, just as Ol' Joe does.And where are the handlers recruited from? Meanwhile you kids argue over "rights" for a group on the periphery, the Alphabet People. So much attention paid to that particular small segment of citizens actually increases resentment toward them, don't you know? Just using that as an example. But yeah---Fair Play For Cuba. What's your take on that? Oswald was VERY concerned about it(like you kids are about alphabet peeps), till his life was cut short in the hands of the po-leese, by a murderous thug, after they repeatedly paraded him before a random crowd at several press conferences. Yup. That is what he got for(allegedly) shooting a policeman. See? Now you know. Thankk Mee.
I think a real life problem is that “alphabet people” I.e. specifically mtf trans persons infiltrate women’s spaces. LiKe prisons.

Tell me that isn’t a problem.

Neil De Grasse Tyson was, a few years ago, talking to Joe Rogan about MTF trans men and asking why is infiltrating women’s sports really a problem? He doesn’t see it. Okay Neil, I get that you do not care about sports, good for you Mr. Science. But what about all of those female- only scholarships designed to bring women into STEM roles Do ya care about that world being infiltrated by men? Guess not.

bae

1-19-23, 1:49pm

I think a real life problem is that “alphabet people” I.e. specifically mtf trans persons infiltrate women’s spaces. LiKe prisons.
...

Come now...

catherine

1-19-23, 1:52pm

I think a real life problem is that “alphabet people” I.e. specifically mtf trans persons infiltrate women’s spaces. LiKe prisons.

Tell me that isn’t a problem.

Neil De Grasse Tyson was, a few years ago, talking to Joe Rogan about MTF trans men and asking why is infiltrating women’s sports really a problem? He doesn’t see it.

I love anyone for who they are and how they choose to identify themselves. However, I don't love laws that favor the biology of males over the biology of females. I do not think MTF trans people should participate in female sports. Why? Because their biology makes them better suited for certain physical skills. Because someone identifies as a female doesn't mean they are in every sense of the word. If this sounds like I'm betraying my progressive leftist roots, that's OK. Derrick Jensen, the environmentalist and culture philosopher, has pretty much thrown his career and credibility into the toilet because of his opinions on this, which makes him "transphobic" in the minds of some, but I think that common sense has to carry through all the implications for accommodating multiple gender scenarios--both biological and psychological--into account fairly.

iris lilies

1-19-23, 4:07pm

Come now...
Is that not happening in bae worldview?

iris lilies

1-19-23, 4:13pm

I love anyone for who they are and how they choose to identify themselves. However, I don't love laws that favor the biology of males over the biology of females. I do not think MTF trans people should participate in female sports. Why? Because their biology makes them better suited for certain physical skills. Because someone identifies as a female doesn't mean they are in every sense of the word. If this sounds like I'm betraying my progressive leftist roots, that's OK. Derrick Jensen, the environmentalist and culture philosopher, has pretty much thrown his career and credibility into the toilet because of his opinions on this, which makes him "transphobic" in the minds of some, but I think that common sense has to carry through all the implications for accommodating multiple gender scenarios--both biological and psychological--into account fairly.

There is a podcast I heard some months ago, maybe it was an NPR piece, that tried mightily to show male physiques do not really impact success at all sports anyway, but you had to really get into the weeds and lots of detail to follow it. And of course there is the real problem of hormone testing in sports because some women have super high levels of testosterone and they test out of their range and are blocked from participating. So it’s not a slam dunk by any means.

If I were Derrick Jensen, I’d stay away from the topic because it is very black and white, in the eyes of most people.

I think it is hilarious that politically super righty evangelicals who wouldn’t let their kids read Harry Potter books are aligned with super lefty trans activists who wont read Harry Potter books.

catherine

1-19-23, 4:21pm

If I were Derrick Jensen, I’d stay away from the topic because it is very black and white, in the eyes of most people.

Yeah, I think he's burned that bridge. He sides with feminists on many issues, and this becomes a feminist agenda for some. Women have fought SO hard to claim their power in different sectors of society, that infiltration by people who were male and are now identified as female can be felt to be usurpation and a theft of rights hard won.

JaneV2.0

1-19-23, 4:22pm

...

I think it is hilarious that politically super righty evangelicals who wouldn’t let their kids read Harry Potter books are aligned with super lefty trans activists who wont read Harry Potter books.

Yeah--JK Rowling is fighting a lonely battle.

bae

1-19-23, 4:24pm

Is that not happening in bae worldview?

You said "I think a real life problem is that “alphabet people” I.e. specifically mtf trans persons infiltrate women’s spaces. LiKe prisons."

- How many Trans people are there in the USA?
- How many of them "infiltrate women's spaces, like prisons"?
- What happens when they do?

Be specific.

I find it interesting that you choose to focus on this sort of outlandish outlier behaviour as a "real life problem", rather than the real "real life problems" of violence directed at trans people, barriers being constructed to restrict their ability to access medical care, and so on.

iris lilies

1-19-23, 7:43pm

You said "I think a real life problem is that “alphabet people” I.e. specifically mtf trans persons infiltrate women’s spaces. LiKe prisons."

- How many Trans people are there in the USA?
- How many of them "infiltrate women's spaces, like prisons"?
- What happens when they do?

Be specific.

I find it interesting that you choose to focus on this sort of outlandish outlier behaviour as a "real life problem", rather than the real "real life problems" of violence directed at trans people, barriers being constructed to restrict their ability to access medical care, and so on.

How many trans people or are there in the USA? Who knows because how do you define “trans? “I can think of several working definitions, but no one will agree to them.

How many of them infiltrate women’s spaces like prisons? We certainly hear about the high profile cases, and when they do infiltrate women’s sports, for instance, they often win. When they infiltrate women’s prisons, they make women pregnant. There’s not a lot of that —yet— tho this is just the beginning. I’m less concerned about the actions of trans people themselves than I am about society’s inability to exercise common sense and tell Leah Thomas “no you cannot swim on the girls team.”

As for your concern of “ barriers being constructed to restrict ability to access medical care “ I wonder what you think about the NHS stopping treatment of minors with hormone blockers? The NHS is now only prescribing hormone blockers in a research setting in controlled circumstances where they can closely monitor patients and presumably measure long term effects.