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Thursday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 02:12:13 PM EST
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I can't wait until Donald Trump is no longer headline news. I'd also like to believe that there will come a day when those over 65 are released from COVID-19 house arrest.

Here is a new open thread, all topics welcome.

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    Thursday Open Thread | 169 comments (169 topical)

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    60 minutes (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 07:32:41 PM EST
    Trump followed up with the threat to post the interviews early.

    If you have the stomach.  It's pretty gruesome.

     I agree with this

    Dan Pfeiffer: "One annoyingly persistent element of Trump era political analysis is pundits attributing strategic acumen to Donald Trump's media strategy despite all of the available evidence to the contrary."

    "This tic reared its incorrect head once more when Trump decided to release the unedited footage of an interview with Lesley Stahl scheduled to air on Sunday during 60 Minutes. A number of Democrats and media-types wondered `what's the secret plan?' Some speculated that Trump was trying to pre-but the story. Others suggested it was an attempt to fire up his base by attacking the media."

    "None of that is correct. There is no plan. There is no strategy. Trump is not a marketing genius or a media mastermind. He is a moron with the strategic sense of a temper tantrum-prone toddler. The release of the 60 Minutes footage is just more evidence of that fact."
    Agreed. (none / 0) (#14)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 08:07:25 PM EST
    I watched the unedited "60 Minutes" interview in its entirety this morning. Why would anyone think this is at all beneficial to Trump's cause? Far from playing ogre to Trump's victimhood, Leslie Stahl's sharp but fair questioning instead elicited the ill-informed musings of a pompous and thin-skinned asshat.


    Parent
    The toll on my mental health (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 06:15:26 PM EST
    over the last 4 years of this monstrosity is really incalculable. I feel like the constant anger and stress, added to the other normal life stress, has been so debilitating,  Not sure I will know how much until it is over.

    I'll be 63 in January and am still limiting my trips outside the house. I have to go into the office a few times a month, but they are taking good precautions so it feels safe there.  I have gone to friends' houses a couple of times, but worry about it. Living by myself I feel like I have to take a chance now and then to get out and see people, but then I see what happens to people like Chris Christie after months of being careful - it only takes once.

    It's just all so depressing. I hope the shadow lifts in a week and a half.

    This! (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by vml68 on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 09:05:29 PM EST
    The toll on my mental health over the last 4 years of this monstrosity is really incalculable. I feel like the constant anger and stress, added to the other normal life stress, has been so debilitating.

    Honestly, I feel like I have been in a rage ever since Tr*mp won. I don't think I have muttered as many obscenities in my entire life as I have in the last four years.


    Parent

    It is like (none / 0) (#27)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 06:59:31 PM EST
    having a national bully. The gas lighting, the constant stream of lies and his minions add to all of this. It's like being back in elementary school and getting picked on every single day and dreading what is going to happen today in school. When I get up and look at the news it's the same feeling from the elementary school bully.Then you add covid and it just makes everything that much worse. My husband and I have been scouring ex-pat locations. Nobody in Mexico complains about wearing a mask.

    Parent
    Exactly. The stuttering-based bullying of Biden (none / 0) (#28)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:04:34 PM EST
    was like a kick in the gut to me. I knew it would come eventually even before I knew  Biden had ever dealt with stuttering. A bully gets around to everyone eventually, his supporters just don't realize it will be their turn at some point.

    Parent
    I really think he has decided (none / 0) (#31)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:08:04 PM EST
    to do as much damage and cause as much chaos and death as he possibly can on the way down.

    He had a super spreader event today in the largest retirement community in the country.

     

    Parent

    The states could stop him if they wanted (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:32:37 PM EST
    Criminal behavior up and down the line. Today is the highest number of new cases recorded in this country since the start of the pandemic.

    Colorado just toughened the restrictions to gatherings of at most 10 people. I don't know how they enforce anything, but it does serve as a warning at lest that things are BAD. Meantime the two largest wildfires in CO history are going on right now, 10 miles apart. Part of Rocky Mtn National Park is burning.  We're having snow this weekend so maybe that will help.  Ugh.

    Parent

    Glenn Kirshner (none / 0) (#35)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 08:12:04 PM EST
    of the WaPo said that Trump can be charged with negligent homicide. The more of these rallies he has and the more deaths that are traced from the rallies the higher the criminal counts can go.

    I guess though when you're already subject to campaign finance fraud charges and who knows what else what's some negligent homicide charges.

    Parent

    He has his whole cult (none / 0) (#50)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:32:08 AM EST
    Ready to run out and crowd into the lines and polling places maskless just as we are getting to 100,000 infections a day.

    The whole thing does seem criminal.

    Parent

    It will (5.00 / 2) (#62)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 11:21:44 AM EST
    be interesting to see how many are masked or not to Monday when I hope to vote. It's actually scary to venture out to vote in person in a 65/35 R district like mine but I will tell the unmasked to get away from me and stand back.

    Parent
    I have a friend who's husband has dual UK and (none / 0) (#30)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:06:42 PM EST
    Canadian citizenship, and they just got Canadian passports. They said there is some sort of sponsorship thing they'd be willing to use for me too  - I will definitely look into it if things go wrong on the 3rd. I can't take it anymore.

    Parent
    Hang in there old pal... (none / 0) (#98)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 09:50:17 AM EST
    I know exactly how you feel...only with the benefit of not living alone and socializing more than I probably should with Covid.  

    It's all so exhaustingly depressing, the past 7 months and the last 4 years...may the sun shine again soon for you and for all of us!  

    Parent

    I'm watching Borat (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 09:53:42 PM EST
    It's crazy and funny and I'm not even to the Rudy stuff yet. The actress playing Borat's daughter is so good.

    Maybe there's something wrong with me (5.00 / 2) (#40)
    by Peter G on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 11:13:44 PM EST
    but I don't get Baron Cohen at all. Ridiculing and embarrassing people just doesn't seem funny to me.

    Parent
    Maybe there is something wrong with me (5.00 / 2) (#55)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 10:05:29 AM EST
    but totally ok with embarrassing and ridiculing Rudy and his ilk.

    As far as funny, his movies are not really intended to be funny.  Rudy grabbing his junk in a hotel room with a 15 yo is not funny.   Cohen just wraps it in absurdity because that's easier, and more fun, for the average person to process

    Parent

    Agreed. "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" (5.00 / 2) (#63)
    by KeysDan on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 01:49:55 PM EST
    is timely, sort of Lincoln Projectesque. Although Rudy's trouser caper was disgusting, I found the earlier hotel interview where he fawns over the nervous young Tutar (Borat's daughter)to be even more revelatory of his bankrupt character.

    And, the most tragic, if not now, essentially, criminal of the scenes, was the actual recorded words of Pence (aka Vice Premier Pence). In Borat's attempt to provide Pence the gift of Tutar as his child bride, he goes to the CPAC meeting last February in Maryland.

    Borat manages to get into the Republican conference by dressing up as a KKK member, hood and all, claiming he was Stephen Miller.  That worked.

    And, then, a second costume change--into President "McDonald" Trump. With Tutar over his "Trumpy shoulders" he yells at Pence (who was giving his speech) that he has a girl for him.  Of course, they were ejected by security.

    But, the camera dwells, mostly, on Pence saying, in his speech: that the Trump Administration had the Coronavirus under control--- at a time that the country had 15 reported cases, and that was pretty much it. No need to worry, after all they were not clowns like Borat.

    Parent

    Does the 24-year-old actress playing (none / 0) (#64)
    by Peter G on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 03:51:05 PM EST
    Borat's journalist daughter tell Guiliani when requesting the "interview" that she is 15? And what, that she wants an interview for her high school paper? Which he agrees to and then arranges to do in a hotel room? I guess I don't get the set-up. Trying to make "sense" of it. I guess it is too reminiscent for my taste of the right-wing video "setup" attacks on Planned Parenthood.

    Parent
    I have not seen the new movie (none / 0) (#65)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:11:29 PM EST
    Truth be told I have never seen any Borat movie all the way thru.   You know why?  I don't really like them that much.

    I have seen many clips and I love them.  But my attention span would definitely not hold for two hours.  Even in shifts.

    But

    I think he is a genius at what he does and I absolutely support his movies because I think they are as important as anything on VICE news.   They are documents that will be viewed by, and damn us in the eyes of, history.

    And not because he played mean jokes.  Because he used humor to expose some of the worst people and aspects of this country.  Because he wants to change those things.  Which is important.   If you think he did that Rudy scene in the hotel room because he thought it was something to laugh at you really don't get the setup.


    Parent

    Of all the many reasons to despise (none / 0) (#70)
    by Peter G on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:51:08 PM EST
    the vile Giuliani, I would not think that responding flirtatiously to a (faked) come-on from a twenty-something actress pretending to be a sycophantic right-wing journalist would be one of them.

    Parent
    Trivia (none / 0) (#71)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:51:51 PM EST
    He has a 13 yo daughter.

    And two other kids.

    Parent

    I missed the set up (none / 0) (#68)
    by KeysDan on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:35:22 PM EST
    for the Rudy interview, my attention sort of drifted as I initially saw him, but picked up when the interview started and thereafter. The Rudy scene began near the end of the "moviefilm"  which was dragging a bit by that time.

    Hard to believe that Sacha Baron Cohen, as Borat, was the same person as the Mossad agent in the Netflix mini-series "The Spy".  Based on a true story of a spy for Israel who infiltrated  the Syrian government in the 1960s. A really good thriller espionage story.

    Parent

    Agreed (none / 0) (#76)
    by jmacWA on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 04:46:51 AM EST
    Hard to believe that Sacha Baron Cohen was the same person as the Mossad agent in the Netflix mini-series "The Spy".

    He was also really good as Abbie Hoffman in the Trial of the Chicago 7.

    Parent

    Cohen was also very good.. (none / 0) (#83)
    by desertswine on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 04:52:47 PM EST
    in Martin Scorcese's "Hugo."

    Parent
    Cohen is a talented actor. (none / 0) (#116)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 05:05:22 PM EST
    He was good in The Spy, Hugo and other productions. But I just don't get Borat. I don't see the humor in humiliating people. Even people you don't like.

    Parent
    Is it really humiliation... (5.00 / 1) (#138)
    by kdog on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 08:10:47 AM EST
    or just some much needed & deserved public shaming?  

    Politicians and power brokers are fair game, sometimes when he mocks the common yokels it can go to far.  Low hanging fruit and all.

    But it's a comedians job to toe the line and inevitably step over sometimes.  I'm cool with it.

    Parent

    True. The first Borat film (none / 0) (#150)
    by Towanda on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:15:05 PM EST
    was 14 years ago, I read. That amazes me.

    It showed us the Trump base today. Maybe we shouldn't have been amazed by what we saw Cohen expose then.

    Parent

    I enjoyed his first Borat film (none / 0) (#54)
    by McBain on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 09:43:38 AM EST
    until I thought about what he was doing to people. Some of his Ali G stuff is good but I mostly agree with you.  

    The Todd Solondz film, Storytelling, addresses the genre of films/shows where the laughs are at the expense of people who don't get the joke.  

    Parent

    It depends (none / 0) (#67)
    by CST on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:31:54 PM EST
    He is at his strongest when taking on the power structure.  Sometimes when he is aiming at culture rather than power he crosses a line.  Sometimes it's a line that needs crossing, I'll never forget watching an entire bar full of Americans singing and clapping along to "throw the Jew down the well".  Other times it just exposes his own prejudice or takes a shot at people just going about their lives for laughs. That's where he rubs the wrong way.

    But ridiculing and exposing power for what it is will always have a place in comedy, IMO.

    Parent

    It's getting very good reviews (none / 0) (#69)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:41:59 PM EST
    WaPo

    Are you simultaneously sick of and addicted to the daily drumbeat of bad news? All those stories about the politicization of mask-wearing? About the latest coronavirus misinformation to seep out of the White House -- a White House whose current occupant seems to tacitly (if not explicitly) sanction White supremacy and anti-Semitism; who has boasted about the sexual assault of women; and who uses social media to play on fears and ignorance as a tool of division? Could you use a good laugh?
    Then have I got a movie for you.

    It's also, at times, sniggeringly puerile, head-spinning in what Cohen gets away with and fueled by an anger that gives even its silliest bits a bite that draws blood, leaving a sting on the psyche that smarts long after the closing credits. It's a comedy of outrage and horror that elicits laughter not as a cure for what ails us, or even a temporary balm, but a close cousin of the feeling you get -- sharp pain followed by relief -- when a Band-Aid has been ripped off an open wound.

    Is Cohen's brand of "Candid Camera" the "moviefilm" we need right now? Only time will tell. In the 14 years since the original came out, things have only gotten worse. This is great news for Cohen's brand of corrosive comedy but a terrible state of affairs for the human race.



    Parent
    Let's talk (5.00 / 3) (#72)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 06:07:20 PM EST
    Sacha Baron Cohen responded on social media Saturday to Donald Trump's assessment that the actor is creepy, phony and not funny.

    "Donald -- I appreciate the free publicity for Borat! I admit, I don't find you funny either," wrote Cohen on Twitter. "But yet the whole world laughs at you.

    I'm always looking for people to play racist buffoons, and you'll need a job after Jan. 20. Let's talk!"



    Parent
    What's with McConnell.... (5.00 / 3) (#41)
    by desertswine on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 11:19:28 PM EST
    It looks like he's decomposing.

    You mean this (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:07:29 AM EST
    Is This a Photograph of Mitch McConnell's Bruised and Discolored Hands?
    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell became a topic of speculation after photographs seemingly showed his hands looking bruised and discolored.

    It looks pretty bad

    Parent

    Yes, I'm expecting to see him.. (none / 0) (#66)
    by desertswine on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 04:17:56 PM EST
    start shedding body parts soon.

    Parent
    His hand looks terrible but he has bruises on (none / 0) (#73)
    by vml68 on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:52:32 PM EST
    his face, too.

    Parent
    Someone should (none / 0) (#78)
    by KeysDan on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 09:17:37 AM EST
    move that patio furniture Moscow Mitch  seems to keep tripping over. Or, smear it with some of Trump's day-glow orange face paint.

    Parent
    Rachel Bitecofer (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 05:57:22 AM EST
    called Trump's rallies traveling leper colonies. LOL.

    The WH plague keeps on spreading (none / 0) (#75)
    by MO Blue on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 10:50:10 PM EST
    Pence chief of staff Marc Short tests positive for coronavirus


    Parent
    I love this (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:39:11 AM EST
    Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner sent a cease-and-desist letter to The Lincoln Project demanding that the anti-Trump group take down billboards in Times Square criticizing the White House's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The couple threatened to sue for "enormous compensatory and punitive damages."

    Yeah, that will work.

    I guess (none / 0) (#53)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:44:40 AM EST
    they mean these



    Parent

    "Nuts!" (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 10:25:12 AM EST
    the Lincoln Project replied, an allusion to commander Anthony McAuliffe's response when German forces demanded the U.S. 101st Airborne Division surrender during the Battle of the Bulge.



    Parent
    Had the terrible misfortune... (5.00 / 3) (#95)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 09:33:30 AM EST
    of getting stuck in the middle of one of those god damn Trump caravans yesterday afternoon.  Deeply disturbing.  

    All The Dude ever wanted was to grab a burger from my favorite burger joint on the way home from playing ball on a beautiful fall day...instead I'm stuck for an hour to drive 2 miles to escape to the parkway surrounded by mouth-foaming sh&theads.  

    A right wing protest I could at least understand and support (in total disagreement)...anti-abortion, pro-pig, anti-food stamps, pro-corporate welfare...whatever tickles your fascist fancy of grievances.  But simple idol worship of a piece of human-garbage? C'mon Man!!! There was no discernible protest message...just one big circle-jerk for their f*ckin' fuhrer.  Mind boggling and sad.

    This stuff (none / 0) (#97)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 09:41:53 AM EST
    is worse in your neck of the woods because he's literally been grifting you guys for decades. At least the idiots here in GA only know him from the apprentice and refuse to listen to people who have been grifted by the Trump family.

    Parent
    The NYC Tr*mpsters are nothing like (none / 0) (#99)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 10:34:27 AM EST
    the rest of his "base." (Although they are equally base.) These are ultra-Orthodox Jews who live in insular communities and care only about their own parochial concerns -- such as support for a "Greater Israel" and government support for private (including sectarian) schools. They do not respect or believe in American democracy or law. They are at least as "fundamentalist" under their version of the Torah (first five books of thee Old Testament) as the Evangelical Christians are about their interpretation of whatever version of the Bible they fetishize.

    Parent
    The caravan I witnessed... (none / 0) (#100)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 11:17:44 AM EST
    are a different breed than Trump's ultra-orthodox support in parts of NYC and Westchester County.

    These are ultra-conservative suburban white mostly catholic or christian Yankees who care only for low taxes (guess they didn't Trump effectively raised their taxes as part of his "blue state f*ck you" property tax reduction thing), keeping white people a leg up on minorities, anti-immigration, pro-police right or wrong, and "owning the libs".  As far as I can tell.

    Parent

    The news coverage I saw (none / 0) (#102)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 12:02:17 PM EST
    did not reference any "caravan" like that, only the ultra-Orthodox. Thanks for clarifying.

    Parent
    Must have been some kind of coordinated effort... (none / 0) (#107)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 01:53:30 PM EST
    to hold them all over the country this past weekend.  DeAndre Hopkins of the AZ cardinals ran into one on his way to work.

    If it wasn't so creepy I would feel sorry for these people with nothing better to do than burn fossil fuel and pollute our eyes and ears.  

    Parent

    The NYPost would not do this (none / 0) (#137)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 07:59:33 AM EST
    if they didn't know they had readers who want it



    Parent

    Peggy Noonan is a ridiculous joke part infinity (5.00 / 1) (#115)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 04:08:28 PM EST
    Why Is Kamala Harris Being Criticized For Dancing?

    "Embarrassing"

    Chuck Terd will absolutely have her on his show, he loves her, to say it live.

    Evidently (5.00 / 1) (#132)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 10:11:03 PM EST
    Noonan did not see Trump dancing. Now that was "embarrassing."

    Parent
    Terrible Supreme Court ruling tonight (5.00 / 1) (#130)
    by MKS on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 09:46:04 PM EST
    invalidating ruling regarding Wisconsin vote counting procedures. Big concern about footnote in concurring opinion suggesting Supreme Court might toss votes in other states received after Nov. 3.

    This and other voter suppression here (5.00 / 1) (#151)
    by Towanda on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:24:10 PM EST
    makes me wary of the polling of Wisconsin. Kavanaugh wants our vote counting of mail and early to stop the same day yat we only start counting.

    The postal service slowdown also targeted Wisconsin, so there are ballots in the mail before this ruling that may not arrive in time to be counted.

    I have seen estimates that this ruling could cost us more than 100,000 votes in Wisconsin -- as many as Bernie Sanders, Jill Stein, and Gary Johnson cost us, and we know how that went.

    Parent

    Of all the evil stuff (5.00 / 1) (#152)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:31:36 PM EST
    his flying monkeys have done what Dejoy has done to the Post Office, to me as a amateur observer, seems like the easiest to prosecute.

    Seriously, the mail is in the constitution.  What he has done is so blatant and obvious.  Like other stuff they have done it makes you think they really really thought they were going to be able to steal this election so there would be no consequences.

    Boy I hope he is wrong.  

    Parent

    Must count the vote only on election day (5.00 / 2) (#153)
    by MKS on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:45:25 PM EST
    That is the Catch 22 they are trying to set up.

    And Trump's appointees on the Supreme Court are willing bag men.

    Parent

    Regarding Kavanaugh concurrence. (none / 0) (#168)
    by MO Blue on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 06:01:21 PM EST
    VT's Election Chief Asks SCOTUS To Correct Error In Kavanaugh Opinion

    Experts: Justice Kavanaugh's `sloppy' opinion is an embarrassing mess riddled with errors

    Parent

    I'm 61 (none / 0) (#1)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 04:01:31 PM EST
    and have been under house arrest since February. My sister in China warned me it was coming. (funny how I knew but the US government did not).
    They Knew (none / 0) (#2)
    by RickyJim on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 05:08:09 PM EST
    From Rage by Bob Woodward
    The virus now appeared to be spreading like crazy. On January 24, Chinese scientists finally published a report in The Lancet, perhaps the world's most respected medical journal, stating "evidence so far indicates human transmission" of the coronavirus.

    Alex Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services, called his counterpart, Ma Xiaowei, the Chinese health minister the morning of January 27. Pottinger was on the call. Nearly a month had passed since the first reports from China.

    Can we send our guys in? Azar asked. Let us do it. We've got experts. We can provide support. We can help. Let's share samples. World Health Organization rules required that samples be shared. Just you say it, they're ready to go. Their bags are packed.

     At a Jan 28 Oval Office meeting
    "What do you know?" Trump asked Pottinger.

    For the last four days, Pottinger said he had been working the phones calling doctors in China and Hong Kong he had maintained contact with and who understood the science. He'd also been reading Chinese social media.

    "Is this going to be as bad as '03?" he had asked one of his contacts in China.

    "Don't think SARS 2003," the expert replied. "Think influenza pandemic 1918."

    Pottinger said he had been floored. The so-called Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide with about 675,000 deaths in the United States.



    Parent
    Good idea? (none / 0) (#3)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:19:07 PM EST
    Doesn't seem like a bad idea

    Sen. Bernie Sanders is hoping to be a part of Joe Biden's potential administration and has expressed a particular interest in becoming Labor secretary, two people familiar with the conversations tell POLITICO.

    No. (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by Towanda on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 12:36:50 AM EST
    Bernie does not work well with others, even of equal stats aka other Senators.

    He would be a terrible manager.

    Parent

    Well, he's (none / 0) (#4)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:24:20 PM EST
    not in great health and instead of waiting for him to pass away in the senate it might be a good idea to go ahead and give him something to get him out. As far as what position it doesn't matter to me other than he shouldn't be HHS.

    Parent
    Who would replace him (none / 0) (#5)
    by Jeralyn on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:25:21 PM EST
    in the Senate?

    Parent
    Biden would (none / 0) (#6)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:35:28 PM EST
    appoint someone?

    Parent
    The (none / 0) (#7)
    by FlJoe on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:53:55 PM EST
    Governor of Vermont would name a replacement, I think
    state laws vary on if and when a special election will be held.

    Parent
    I knew that (none / 0) (#9)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:56:32 PM EST
    🤢

    Parent
    Heh, Trump would (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by MKS on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 07:12:14 PM EST
    try to appoint Bernie's successor....

    Parent
    Did you see this from Obama? (none / 0) (#77)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 08:29:59 AM EST
    `Florida man' wouldn't even do this stuff. Why are we accepting it from the president of the United States?"



    Parent
    Governor of Vermont (none / 0) (#8)
    by BGinCA on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 06:55:45 PM EST
    would appoint an interim Senator, A special election must be held within 6 mos to permanently fill the term. Governor of Vermont is Republican Phil Scott.
    Not likely that Bernie would give up that seat.

    Parent
    The story say he wants it (none / 0) (#12)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 07:13:03 PM EST
    He was quoted with a non denial.

    No idea if that's true but this kind of story is usually not accidental.  Maybe he's tired of the senate and wants to do something else

    Parent

    How about spending time with the grandchildren? (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 06:58:45 PM EST
    Or doing grassroots organizing for some progressive institutions? Why does it have to be a government job?

    Parent
    Thing is you would think (none / 0) (#32)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:12:01 PM EST
    After all these years of being obstructed and frustrated he would want to me in the majority for what will probably be a historic congress.  I expect to see congress do some big stuff.

    Parent
    In the Last Poll for Governor of Vermont (none / 0) (#10)
    by RickyJim on Thu Oct 22, 2020 at 07:08:44 PM EST
    Sept 22, incumbent Republican Phil Scott leads Democrat David Zuckerman by 31%.

    Parent
    Homelife (none / 0) (#16)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 10:48:06 AM EST
    Yesterday my septic tank caved in.  Or started caving in.  Blowing leaves I noticed a dip I never noticed.  Exploring I found it had no bottom.  That I could reach at least.  

    Freak.

    My house was built in 1963.  I'm sure the tank is original.  And they are all metal from the period I'm told.  Amazing it lasted 57 years.  Anyway, I call a couple of guys.  One of them just stopped by.

    We were inspecting the damage along with his assistant who looked like one of the Duck Dynasty guys when the assistant just dropped.  Like a trap door.  Up to about the waist.  
    I thought he took it pretty well.

    So now I figure out how to pay for a new septic tank.

    bet the assistant wishes (5.00 / 3) (#17)
    by leap on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 11:39:35 AM EST
    his Daddy had been a banker.

    Parent
    It doesn't smell (none / 0) (#18)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 01:06:14 PM EST
    I was very surprised.  I asked why they said you get the smell when they are not working properly and mine is working just without a roof.

    He said when they dig it up it will smell.  Something to look forward to.

    Parent

    Get ready for thousands of cockroaches (none / 0) (#22)
    by fishcamp on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 05:02:15 PM EST
    When they dig up your septic tank Captain.  This problem happened to me both in Aspen and down here.  The first house I lived in down here in the keys just had a bore hole.  You couldn't flush the toilet or wash dishes during night tide.  Ghastly.  Good luck.

    Parent
    I'm frankly (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 06:54:01 PM EST
    surprised that septic tanks are allowed at all in the keys.

    Parent
    The septic tanks in the keys (none / 0) (#44)
    by fishcamp on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 05:37:23 AM EST
    are finally disappearing now that they are completing sewer systems throughout the entire length of our long chain of islands.  They had the bond money secured over ten years ago, but failed to act until recently.  We call it the keys disease.  Workers simply don't show up for work.

    Parent
    There is not a choice in (none / 0) (#47)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:04:14 AM EST
    rural areas.  Here there is a system but it's only in the more populated areas around the lakes and for the several sets of townhouses.  

    I will be locked and loaded for the cockroaches.


    Parent

    Check carefully that whatever you do (5.00 / 1) (#59)
    by Peter G on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 10:58:10 AM EST
    to protect against a cockroach attack is not dangerous to your dogs.

    Parent
    Fortunately (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 11:18:36 AM EST
    The dogs do not have access to the area.

    Parent
    Fortunately (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 11:19:12 AM EST
    For many reasons

    Parent
    Sounds (none / 0) (#29)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:04:40 PM EST
    better and better

    Parent
    Captain, pick up a couple of those (none / 0) (#46)
    by fishcamp on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 06:04:12 AM EST
    hornet spray cans, the ones that shoot spray about twenty feet.  If you do have a horde of cockroaches they move out extremely fast.  They are not like the solo ones that pause and look at you when you turn the kitchen light on in the middle of the night.  And, of course, the septic tank type run directly toward your house.  It's a true horror show.

    Parent
    When my son (none / 0) (#49)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:26:11 AM EST
    moved back to GA from SC he put his stuff in our garage and he had roaches. So we used that barrier spray in the garage which meant any roach that had made it into the house was dead. I wonder if you could coat the ground between the septic tank and the house with that kind of spray. I would also think you would still need the spray you are describing. I have to say thousands of roaches running towards your house does sound like something you would see in a horror movie.

    Parent
    Build a moat. (none / 0) (#74)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 09:19:53 PM EST
    Float it with petrol.

    You can do this!

    Parent

    Sorry to hear this. (none / 0) (#19)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 02:15:26 PM EST
    I had neighbors that simply had to have new lines dug and it was expensive. We had septic in our last house and when we went to look for another house if it had septic it was automatically eliminated from consideration 0

    Parent
    I just put in (none / 0) (#36)
    by MKS on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 08:39:13 PM EST
    an anaerobic septic system with drain field.   I think I got those words right, but I have not much idea what they mean....

    Having your own utilities is a cool idea. We'll se how it works in practice.

    Parent

    We're on a sewer line. (none / 0) (#42)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 01:03:19 AM EST
    But when our house in Hilo was originally built in 1959, it had a cesspool / septic tank system, which was disconnected but remained in place when the county installed the sewer line on our street in 1992. It caused some serious drainage problems in our yard during periods of heavy rains, to the point where I feared flooding each time we had a downpour. But we had it all filled in a few years ago when we re-landscaped the property. Expensive, but worth it. I'm glad we had that work done before Hurricane Lane in 2018.

    Parent
    May wanna check this out (none / 0) (#122)
    by ragebot on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 06:18:59 PM EST
    In 2012 I bought my current boat which had a composting head.  It was my introduction to that technology and I have to say I have been more than impressed.  No odor, simple to maintain, and on a fast multihull like I have light weight.  The only real issue on a boat is the limit on the number of people who can use it; but since I only have a single admiral on the boat I captain that is not an issue.  

    There are lots of off the shelf options for use in a boat so poorly constructed and run aground so hard it is pointless to try and refloat it; something many folks call a house.  There is a large and active community on line of folks who discuss DIY composting toilets.  I had first become aware of composting toilets when I visited a friend in New Mexico who had an Earth Ship; a house where composting heads are the only real option.  While I don't have experience with a composting toilet while living on dirt I am in this facebook group.

    Parent

    I have an off the grid friend here (none / 0) (#124)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 06:47:29 PM EST
    Who has a composting toilet.  I'm old fashioned.  I like flushing my stuff away.  Plus a new septic system here, in this place, makes your house MUCH easier to sell because there are so many houses here built in the same era as mine who's system is collapsing

    My guy said they have one or two a week.  A correctly installed system is not ecologically unfriendly.

    Parent

    Captain, be sure to buy (none / 0) (#134)
    by fishcamp on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 06:16:12 AM EST
    at least a 1,000 gallon septic tank.  After they instal the leach field have them blow out any sediment prior to using the system.  Dirt and sediment often fills the little holes in the plastic leach field.  They say a septic tank only needs to be pumped out every three years, but I had mine in Aspen pumped every year, and the leach field blown free and clear each time.

    Parent
    Politico (none / 0) (#20)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 03:08:33 PM EST
    The federal judge presiding over the criminal case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn has ordered the Justice Department to conduct an unusual review of its filings in the case and certify by Monday whether any have been manipulated.

    The order is a signal of intense distrust between the judge, Emmet Sullivan, and the department, whose filings are typically accepted at face value. In this case, DOJ has already acknowledged that two documents it previously filed -- handwritten notes taken by former FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe -- were altered "inadvertently" to include inaccurate dates.

    Wow, I had not heard that news yet (5.00 / 3) (#24)
    by ruffian on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 06:19:34 PM EST
    Sullivan has definitely had it. He knows the plea deal was to much lesser charges than what Flynn actually did, and then to have it withdrawn under these blatantly political circumstances....I think he is delaying as much as he can until a new AG is installed.

    Parent
    Prosecutors will retry Scott Peterson for (none / 0) (#21)
    by McBain on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 03:44:01 PM EST
    the death penalty but I'm not sure why?
    California has not executed anyone since 2006, and Gov. Gavin Newsom has a moratorium on executions for as long as he is governor.

    A better idea would be to have a new trial for his current life sentence.
    There is also a possibility that the whole trial itself will be done over again in San Mateo County. Last week, the state Supreme Court ruled a San Mateo County judge must consider whether Peterson's murder convictions should be tossed out due to juror misconduct.


    In case you missed it (none / 0) (#33)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 07:15:14 PM EST
    The U.S. confirmed at least 83,010 coronavirus cases on Friday, the country's highest daily total since the pandemic started
    Wow, that just means (5.00 / 2) (#37)
    by MKS on Fri Oct 23, 2020 at 08:40:09 PM EST
    we are doing really, really well in testing so many people.

    We are doing just great.

    Parent

    We're obviously turning the corner and ... (none / 0) (#43)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 01:22:07 AM EST
    ... no doubt, we'll be comin' around the mountain when we come.

    This has been a very painful year, and will likely be the first time for many of us that we can't gather with family for the holidays. I just learned Wednesday that my brother had a mild heart attack in July, which he didn't tell anyone about. But we've just learned about it now because he's scheduled for triple bypass surgery next month, and I can't visit him. And I'm both sad and angry about that.

    :(

    Parent

    When you (5.00 / 2) (#56)
    by KeysDan on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 10:21:26 AM EST
    are going in circles you round a lot of corners.

    Parent
    I think I'm getting (none / 0) (#51)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 08:36:45 AM EST
    one of these

    Parent
    I already have one! (5.00 / 2) (#57)
    by leap on Sat Oct 24, 2020 at 10:22:18 AM EST
    In purple.

    And sent one to one of my brothers and to one of his granddaughters for her 10th birthday. She loves giving the finger to azzholes and also often mutters, "2020 sucks." So this is a perfect birthday gift for her!

    Parent

    I hope the people of South Carolina (none / 0) (#79)
    by vml68 on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 01:29:35 PM EST
    are listening.
    Fox host Lou Dobbs says 'I don't know why anyone' would vote for Sen. Lindsey Graham

    My older niece, a freshman in college in NC has registered to vote there and has been texting my republican brother in SC telling him he has to vote for Jamie Harrison.
    My younger niece (16 years old) has told him that if he votes for Tr*mp, she is not going to speak to him as long as she lives.
    He has never been able to say no to them and this is one of those instances where it make me very happy.

    Well, bless their (none / 0) (#80)
    by Peter G on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 01:35:01 PM EST
    little hearts!

    Parent
    I hope there are a lot more (none / 0) (#169)
    by vml68 on Fri Oct 30, 2020 at 11:57:03 AM EST
    daughters talking to their fathers about not voting for Tr*mp.

    Parent
    Is this the one (none / 0) (#81)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 03:28:29 PM EST
    that voted for Trump in 2016?

    Parent
    Honestly, I have no idea if he did or not. (none / 0) (#96)
    by vml68 on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 09:37:28 AM EST
    I did not ask. And, he is not the kind to volunteer information on whom he votes for.
    I took every opportunity I had before that election to beg him not to vote for Tr*mp. I even turned on the waterworks one time. That got his attention because I am not a very emotional woman. I don't know if it worked.

    My nieces were 12 and 15 at the time, they were at the stage where they were interested in whom every one in the family was supporting but not into politics enough to be passionate about it like they are now.

    Parent

    How odd was that? (none / 0) (#90)
    by MKS on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 08:11:10 PM EST
    Maybe Harrison can put that in an ad.

    Parent
    This is interesting (none / 0) (#82)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 04:25:35 PM EST
    MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that he saw nothing criminal in Hunter Biden's past business ties with Ukraine or Russia, marking out his disagreement with one of Donald Trump's attack lines in the U.S. presidential election.

    Can the pee tape be far behind?

    He is laying the groundwork (none / 0) (#85)
    by Peter G on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 06:12:09 PM EST
    for the relationship he will have to forge for the coming years.

    Parent
    So is Bebe (none / 0) (#86)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 06:55:57 PM EST
    Netanyahu dodges Trump's invitation to slam Biden on conference call



    Parent

    His reaction to this (none / 0) (#87)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 06:59:37 PM EST
    was pretty great

    I wish we could see the reaction to the Putin comment.

    Parent

    They are counting (none / 0) (#84)
    by MKS on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 06:04:19 PM EST
    the received mail-in ballots in California, if I read the info correctly, as they are received.  And there are a lot of mail-in ballots already received.

    Not that anyone will hold their breath about California on election night, but they should be able to announce a winner here just as the polls close.  And the House races in Orange County will be interesting to watch.  They all swung from GOP to Democratic last time.      

    Only 4 states (none / 0) (#88)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 07:02:20 PM EST
    Do not count the votes before Nov 3rd.

    The Times had a little interactive bit about this.

    Unfortunately 2 of the 4 are Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

    Parent

    If only the election were (5.00 / 3) (#89)
    by MKS on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 08:10:33 PM EST
    this Tuesday.  We have another week of this madness.

    Parent
    Let's all hope (none / 0) (#91)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 08:35:53 PM EST
    There is only one more week of madness.  And that the real madness doesn't start on the 3rd.

    Parent
    Speaking of madness (none / 0) (#92)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 08:40:22 PM EST
    In an interview Sunday afternoon with CNN's Ana Cabrera, investigative journalist and author Carl Bernstein reported that there are currently "6, 8, 10 Republicans in the Senate who are talking with each other about how to restrain what they regard as an out-of-control, almost madman... who is determined to do anything to hold on to office regardless of its legality."



    Parent
    Wisconsin'slow count will not matter (5.00 / 2) (#93)
    by Towanda on Sun Oct 25, 2020 at 10:49:30 PM EST
    unless the total EC count is terrifyingly close and headed to the courts.

    Wisconsin really was not the tipping point that media claim it was in 2016.:After all, Wisconsin only has 10 EC votes.

    Pennsylvania has twice as many EC votes, 20,:so really could make the difference, so its slow count is the problematic one.

    Michigan could matter with 16 EC votes and, thankfully, starts counting the day before Election Day. But planned militia disruptions at the polls could make a mess of the count, if sites have to be evacuated or locked down, as its state capitol didl

    For all of these reasons -- late counts, gun crazies, etc. --I really am hoping that one of the coastal states in the South that close first -- Florida, Georgia -- flips blue fast.

    Parent

    This is why (5.00 / 2) (#94)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 04:44:44 AM EST
    I have seen the big push to flip Florida and make sure every Biden voter shows up in Florida. If Florida flips blue then it will take the pressure off of PA and WI and basically end the election. However with DeSantis at the helm that could be a dicey proposition. I hope it's not going to be a long night but I have a sad belief that it is.

    Parent
    On cable news (none / 0) (#101)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 11:43:03 AM EST
    armed white men and armed black men showed up at polling places over the weekend. Fairly sure it was in Michigan but I can't find an article on it. Michigan governor banned firearms at polling sites but some sheriffs are on record that they will not enforce the ban.

    A president who incites armed violence is beyond criminal.


    Parent

    I am confident that orange doofus (none / 0) (#118)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 05:14:21 PM EST
    will not win PA again. Just from my observations of Biden support around my part of the conservative south central PA. Orange doofus barely won this state in 2016 (less than 45,000 votes).

    In 2016, it was nearly impossible to find a Hillary sign around here. Orange doofus were everywhere. The area was inundated. I don't get out much these days, but every time I do, I see more and more Biden yard signs. Nearly even with the other guy. I'm even feeling good about the PA 10 House race. I see more DePasquale sign than Perry. Pasquale has good name recognition since he is currently State Auditor General. We have never had a candidate (since I've been here) with that high a profile.


    Parent

    Four years ago, in our very liberal area (none / 0) (#125)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 07:11:20 PM EST
    There were a few Hillary signs and a couple of Tr*mpies. This year it is a sea of Biden signs of all sorts, and one Tr*mp. Nice folks, actually. Mainstay of the local Boy Scout troop, son is a sophomore at West Point. Large wooden structure in front yard featuring two TRUMP 2020 signs on each side, flanking an equally large "BIDEN in the Basement" on one side and "BIDEN for Senate 2020" on the other, each with BIDEN in the campaign's official colors and typography.  Can't argue too much with semi-humorous advertising that prominently features your adversary's name and logo.

    Parent
    We got snow.. (none / 0) (#103)
    by desertswine on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 12:09:49 PM EST
    We got wind..
    We got cold..
    I can't wait for Spring.

    I've been enjoying having fires (none / 0) (#111)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 03:21:45 PM EST
    I brought the plants in yesterday.

    Also, rain.  All week.  Which means no new septic tank till it stops.

    Parent

    We got sunshine... (none / 0) (#117)
    by vml68 on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 05:09:19 PM EST
    We got humidity...
    93F...
    Feels like 104  :-(!

    Parent
    Coal magnate Bob Murray dies.. (none / 0) (#104)
    by desertswine on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 12:24:35 PM EST
    Mega Trump supporter, billionaire coal magnate, fighter of regulations and benefits that protected his workers, unless it benefited him personally has passed at the age of 80 from complications from black lung disease.
    Trump has taken (none / 0) (#105)
    by KeysDan on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 01:23:08 PM EST
    North Carolina's plan to count mail ballots that arrived after Nov. 3. to the Supreme Court. In a 12-3 decision the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals last week denied the Trump bid to halt the tallying of ballots post-marked by Nov.3 and arrive by Nov. 12.

    Last week the Supreme Court deadlock 4 (Roberts, Kagan, Sotomayor, Breyer) to 4 (Alito, Thomas, Kavanaugh, Gorsuch), whether Pennsylvania must count ballots postmarked Nov 3 and received within the following 3 days. The deadlock means the lower court, in this case, the State Supreme Court ruling in favor of the three-day extension stands.

    In the Penn case it was curious that the general practice of a cryptic notice of finding gave way to both identification of the Justice's votes and the Alito Four stating that they would have granted the application.  

    Soon, the fringe nominee, Judge Amy Barrett will be joining the Court. Will the freshly minted Associate Justice be so conspicuous and cheeky to join the Alito Four on the heels of the Republican power play to get her confirmed? Trump expects no less, and my bet is on the Handmaiden going home with the ones who brung her. And, for the next 40 years.

    Now, let's talk about Court reform, including expanding the number of Justices. Why would the Republicans care? The Supreme Court just calls balls and strikes, right?

     

    We will see about that (none / 0) (#106)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 01:40:48 PM EST
    "A lot of what we've done over the last four years will be undone, sooner or later, by the next election," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday after the 51-48 procedural vote against Democratic objections. "But they won't be able to do much about this for a long time to come."

    -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

    also, got gotta love this

    Playbook: "The White House is actually considering holding a large-scale event on the South Lawn this evening to honor Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court. A source told us the guest list is not small."

    The unveiling Barrett's nomination at the White House turned into a superspreader event for the novel coronovirus with even President Trump getting sick.

    Barrett is likely to be confirmed to the Supreme Court in a 7:25 p.m. ET vote.



    Parent
    Superspreader 2.0 (none / 0) (#108)
    by KeysDan on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 01:57:41 PM EST
    will be a harbinger of the harm the Handmaiden will do to the American people.

    Parent
    Clarence the Impaler (none / 0) (#110)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 03:19:37 PM EST
    to administer the oath.  Because, of course he is.

    Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will not officiate the swearing in of soon-to-be confirmed Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett Monday night. Instead, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, whose wife is a close Trump ally, will do the honors.



    Parent
    Ted Cruz (none / 0) (#113)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 03:57:14 PM EST
    and a bunch of other Republicans beg to differ.

    Parent
    If she attends a celebration at (none / 0) (#114)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 04:01:13 PM EST
    the White House, I will be very surprised. She cannot appear to acquiesce in the relentless and over-the-top efforts to politicize her appointment, particularly where the "President" draws no distinction between the official and the partisan. Once confirmed she must appear to rise above it. At least, that would be my prediction.

    Parent
    She is being sworn in (none / 0) (#120)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 05:48:17 PM EST
    at a White House Party on the south lawn.

    Parent
    Or that is the plan at this hour (none / 0) (#121)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 05:58:01 PM EST
    According to the nooze

    The common reaction being I can't believe we are doing this again.   Apparently very few if any Republican Senators will be there.  Including Mitch.

    Parent

    I have no problem with her being sworn in (none / 0) (#127)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 07:15:36 PM EST
    at the White House (other than her being sworn in at all). I have a problem with her attending what is functionally a campaign event after that, if she does.

    Parent
    Here you go... (none / 0) (#131)
    by vml68 on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 10:08:55 PM EST
    Pres Trump escorts Justice Barrett up the South Portico steps to the balcony outside the Blue Room as invited guests applaud on the South Lawn beneath.

    Parent
    A very inauspicious beginning (none / 0) (#133)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 10:24:20 PM EST
    to show such bad judgment and lack of judicial independence. John Paul Stevens, upon being confirmed, told President Ford that he was welcome to come on over to the Supreme Court building if he wanted to see the new Justice sworn in. Justices Kagan and Sotomayor took the same approach with President Obama. That is in fact the correct attitude. Nomination and confirmation are necessarily part of the political process. But the moment a judge or justice is confirmed, their participation in -- or appearance of participation in -- the political process should end.

    Parent
    They really think they have done it. (5.00 / 1) (#135)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 07:28:57 AM EST
    Checkmate.

    It appears they really do not believe Democrats will have the spine to do what needs to be done.  Expect a huge focused and very well financed campaign to stop the expansion of the court starting the day after the election.   Threatening anything and everything including blood in the streets if they try to do it.

    "On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld an appeals court decision that blocked extending Wisconsin's deadline for absentee ballots by six days. In his notes explaining his decision, Justice Brett Kavanaugh delivered a very Trumpian warning that any votes that came in after Election Day could be viewed as illegitimate."

    Wrote Kavanaugh: "States want to avoid the chaos and suspicions of impropriety that can ensue if thousands of absentee ballots flow in after Election Day and potentially flip the results of an election."

    Justice Elena Kagan dissented while rebuking the Trump appointee: "There are no results to `flip' until all valid votes are counted. And nothing could be more `suspicious' or `improper' than refusing to tally votes once the clock strikes 12 on Election Night."

    DB

    we should absolutely plan for an equally well financed operation to make it happen.  And it looks like that is already under way.

    Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Twitter last night after Amy Coney Barrett was sworn-in to the Supreme Court:

    "Expand the court... Republicans do this because they don't believe Dems have the stones to play hardball like they do. And for a long time they've been correct. But do not let them bully the public into thinking their bulldozing is normal but a response isn't. There is a legal process for expansion."

    Playbook: "This kind of rift should not be overlooked, because it will come to dominate governance should Washington turn all blue. AOC is seen as one of Schumer top potential primary challengers.

    link

    Personally I would LOVE to see AOC challenge Mr Nose Glasses.

    Parent

    PS (5.00 / 1) (#136)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 07:46:51 AM EST
    and Katie Porter challenge DiFi if she is clueless enough to run again.

    Both are up in 2 years.

    Parent

    Schumer is most pathetic (none / 0) (#145)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 01:36:16 PM EST
    When he is trying to sound tough.

    He said in a statement

    "Blah blah if you do this you will have forfeited the right to tell us how to run our majority"

    Wait, WHAT?

    When AND WHY did they EVER have the right to f'ing tell you how to ruin the majority??

    Seriously.  WTF

    Parent

    The quote (none / 0) (#146)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 01:44:58 PM EST
    Schumer, however, warned on Monday night that Republicans may have long-term regrets about their strategy.

    "The Republican majority is lighting its credibility on fire. ... The next time the American people give Democrats a majority in this chamber, you will have forfeited the right to tell us how to run that majority," Schumer said.



    Parent
    Ruin (none / 0) (#147)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 02:10:38 PM EST
    was a typeo  or Freudian slip

    Parent
    I will bet a thousand quatloos (5.00 / 1) (#139)
    by leap on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 10:02:09 AM EST
    that, if and when Biden/Harris are sworn in, among the groups fighting court expansion will be the fü¢king "Lincoln Project" people. Remember, they are NOT our friends, not liberal, not progressive. They are Reagan/Bush era operatives.

    Parent
    I'll take that bet (none / 0) (#144)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 11:50:40 AM EST
    I have quatloos to burn

    Parent
    What Kavanaugh wrote is dumb and scary (5.00 / 1) (#142)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 10:32:43 AM EST
    but was a concurring opinion for himself alone. Not even Gorsuch agreed with him, much less Alito or Thomas or Roberts. Gorsuch wrote a separate concurrence that is dumb but not scary, which Kavanaugh joined, but not Alito or Thomas (or Roberts). Roberts' separate opinion appears to have the most support, and typically is the most modest. He explained why they would stop a federal court (in Wisconsin), applying the federal Constitution, from modifying the state's election rules, but not stop the state court (in Pennsylvania) from doing the same, applying the state's own Constitution. Kagan's dissent (for herself, Sotomayor and Breyer) eviscerates all of them.

    Parent
    The spectre (none / 0) (#143)
    by KeysDan on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 11:31:56 AM EST
    of expanding the Supreme Court, unlike the apparent outcome in 1937, has emboldened rather than chastened the reactionary Justices.

    -The Wisconsin case in which the Supreme Court has rejected the extension for counting ballots in the face of the pandemic is an example of things to come.  Even more terrifying when thought is given to Justice Kavanaugh's extensive footnote citing Rehnquist in Bush v Gore.  An opinion, at the time, that was not even joined by Sandra Day O'Connor and Kennedy.

    Now, with a Trump indebted Barrett as an ally, the reactionaries will be on a tear.  A Biden Administration and Democratic Congress will have no choice but to reform the judiciary.  The fact that every Democratic senator voted against the Handmaiden is encouraging.  And, if Senator Feinstein is moved, once again, to play kissy face with Lindseybelle, if he is still around, she would make an excellent Ambassador to Liechtenstein.

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    I really hope they do (none / 0) (#148)
    by jmacWA on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 02:45:10 PM EST
    A Biden Administration and Democratic Congress will have no choice but to reform the judiciary.

    However, my feeling is that Biden has still not learned that there are NO republicans that are your friends.  It's like he must have been asleep when Gingrich started the whole war.

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    I don't really disagree (5.00 / 1) (#149)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:10:46 PM EST
    But I also think he has no idea of the kind of pressure he is going to get to do this.

    He will do it.  Or he will be hammered every minute of every day.  And not just by the usual suspects.  Do it or don't even consider running again because you might not finish this one if you don't remove your hear from your azz.

    What Mitch has done has radicalized many senate democrats.  Many who you would not expect to get radical from.

    Biden has caved and agreed to his lame "commission".  He might think that is the way to bury it but it will not be.

    IMO

    I think it will happen.   And fairly soon.


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    Agreed. (5.00 / 1) (#154)
    by KeysDan on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:53:57 PM EST
    In an interview, Senator Chris Coons (D.DE) spoke of how Barrett would shift the balance on the Court with "profound implications".  It seemed Coons was amenable to judicial reform---of some significance since Coons holds Biden's former senate seat and is viewed as an emissary for Biden.

    But as you note, there will be pressure, and Biden seems responsive to input.    And, the reactionaries on the Supreme Court can be counted on to do their part by over-reaching.  Alito and Thomas are dusting off all those wacky dissents for their new majority opinions.  Much damage will be done until the bleeding can be staunched.

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    Coons (5.00 / 1) (#155)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 03:58:46 PM EST
    Whitehouse, Sherrod Brown, Angus King and others.

    Not wild eyed radicals.

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    The vote (none / 0) (#128)
    by KeysDan on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 08:08:17 PM EST
    to confirm Barrett was 52/48.  All Democratic senators voted against; only one Republican Senator, Susan Collins, was troubled and voted against Barrett.  Now Barrett is off to the White House one week before the election for a Trumpapoloza.  Tomorrow, she will be ready to go to meet her assignment, other reactionary Justices will, surely, be beside themselves.  Just in time for election cases.

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    Could the Supreme Court Declare Unconstitutional (none / 0) (#109)
    by RickyJim on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 02:00:52 PM EST
    a law passed by Congress that would give the later body the power to vote again if the SC declared a law unconstitutional?  If Congress passed it again, the law stands. Why should the opinion of a small group of politicians be more important than that of a much larger group?

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    Do you really know this little about the (none / 0) (#112)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 03:56:45 PM EST
    American system of government and the role of the courts (including the Supreme Court in particular) in that system? The number of political actors who support legislation does not determine its constitutionality. Your description of the Supreme Court as "a small group of politicians" puts the rabbit in the hat, I would say.

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    You Really Didn't Understand What I Was Asking? (none / 0) (#119)
    by RickyJim on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 05:21:16 PM EST
    Can Congress pass a law saying from now on, any Supreme Court decision that a law is unconstitutional can be voided by Congress passing the law again?  This would be like what happens in Great Britain when the House of Lords votes down an act of the House of Commons.

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    Congress does not decide (none / 0) (#123)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 06:19:18 PM EST
    what is or is not constitutional. That is what the court is for. Congress cannot make unconstitutional law no matter how many times they pass it.

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    That Doesn'[t Answer the Question (none / 0) (#126)
    by RickyJim on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 07:13:45 PM EST
    According to current practice, what you say is so.  However, there is nothing explicit in the Constitution on who decides what is constitutional.  

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    I understood your question perfectly, (5.00 / 2) (#129)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2020 at 09:04:41 PM EST
    as your responses to me and to ChuckO demonstrate. You do not appear to understand (or at least not to accept) our Constitution or our constitutional system, as it has developed over the past 225 years or so. If you have not studied Marbury v. Madison (or The Federalist Papers) on the meaning of Article III, section 1's reference to "the judicial power," and want to start over from scratch, you are welcome to try to convince the rest of America of your own interpretation, but I don't think you'll have much success. The Constitution is not written like an IRS or EPA regulation in the precision of its wording; it is not even written like a statute ... and deliberately so. You will not find "explicit" wording on almost any point, not "the freedom of speech," not "due process of law," and not "the judicial power." And yet, a court can (and must) ascertain, apply, and enforce the meaning of those terms in all sorts of situations, some quite fundamental.

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    Of Course I Don't Accept the Status Quo (2.00 / 1) (#140)
    by RickyJim on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 10:13:14 AM EST
    What I see happening if it continues is Supreme Court enlargement each time the other party takes control of both the Senate and Presidency and gridlock unless it also controls the House.  It amazes me that liberal lawyers can be so accepting of vaguely worded 130 year old scriptures and their interpretation by the High Priests.  And yes, I have been through the Federalist papers and Marbury and since I come from a scientific background I dismiss them as BS. It's time for a convention to draft a new constitution that takes into account what has been learned during the time the last one was written.  Ratification should be by a majority of the population, not states.  

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    Political theory and jurisprudence (5.00 / 1) (#141)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 10:22:48 AM EST
    are not a branch of science. The same methods of reasoning do not work in both. It is fallacious to try to critique one by the methods of the other.

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    Mr Obama (none / 0) (#156)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 04:05:19 PM EST
    is just having way too much fun doing this

    The rural Covid wave (none / 0) (#157)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 04:23:15 PM EST
    has come to my hunting grounds.   One of the schools is closed because of an outbreak.  The real estate company that sold me my house and two local restaurants are closed because of multiple cases.

    This is all just in my teeny tiny village.  All within 5 miles from where I sit.

    Our public schools reopened (none / 0) (#158)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 06:55:43 PM EST
    about three weeks ago under parental pressure. Today, one of the elementary schools had to be shut down because of infection in the staff.

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    I just discovered (none / 0) (#159)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 09:03:02 PM EST
    The EPIX series Britannia.  Not sure what took me so long.  There's two seasons with a third coming.  It's very good.

    "Britannia': 10 Ways the New Ancient History Drama is Amazon's Weirder, Psychedelic `Game of Thrones'

    PS (none / 0) (#160)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at 09:10:23 PM EST
    It has the greatest theme music ever.  It makes me want to watch the titles every time

    Right from the top, it takes an obscene amount of confidence to use "Hurdy Gurdy Man"

    And it's the original Donavon classic not some lame millennial cover.

    I was reading about this.  Apparently not everyone agrees with me.  I read a funny whine fest on Reddit.  But someone finally explained it makes perfect sense because of Donavan's Celtic roots and influences.

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    I really (none / 0) (#161)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 11:24:23 AM EST
    really want one

    Makes me wish I was still making all that money.

    Anonymous (none / 0) (#162)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 12:34:59 PM EST

    Tweet

    George Conway
    @gtconway3d
    ·
    1h
    I had an amazing conversation this morning with ... Anonymous.  

    Anonymous is a true patriot.

    We'll all be hearing a lot more from this person very, very soon.
    Very, very soon? (none / 0) (#166)
    by vml68 on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 02:12:34 PM EST
    We are 6 days away!
    In my county 52% of registered voters have already voted. In 2016, we had a 77% voter turnout, if the rate stays the same, there's only about 1/3 left to influence.
    Anonymous might want to hurry it up a bit if he/she wants to have an effect on the election.

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    If that was the main goal (none / 0) (#167)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 02:16:11 PM EST
    it would probably have already happened.  Not saying I know what the main goal is.  But many are curious.  Maybe it's more organic.

    BREAKING

    jake tapper is just now saying who it it.  

    Miles Taylor.

    Wait, WHO?

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    It's (none / 0) (#163)
    by FlJoe on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 12:44:48 PM EST
    Kushner's turn in the Woodward barrel
    There were three phases. There's the panic phase, the pain phase and then the comeback phase. I do believe that last night symbolized kind of the beginning of the comeback phase. That doesn't mean there's not still a lot of pain and there won't be pain for a while, but that basically was, we've now put out rules to get back to work. Trump's now back in charge. It's not the doctors. They've kind of - we have, like, a negotiated settlement.
    Other peoples pain of course, who needs a Doctors when you have businessmen in charge.

    And this has to be one of the greatest "look in the mirror" statements of all time

    "The most dangerous people around the President are over-confident idiots"


    I liked the part when he discusses (none / 0) (#164)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 01:15:49 PM EST
    after they got rid of all the pushy know it alls it was all good because they replaced them with others who knew their place.

    Or something like that.  

    Any time Kushner or his voice are in the news it's good for democrats.  

    Parent

    The (none / 0) (#165)
    by FlJoe on Wed Oct 28, 2020 at 01:32:04 PM EST
    term arrogant pr!ck, comes to mind. I don't now how those "manly" tRump supporters can abide by it.

    I bet some GOP heads are exploding about this

    Kushner was also dismissive of party politics, calling the Republican Party, "a collection of a bunch of tribes" and describing the GOP platform as "a document meant to, like, piss people off, basically." Kushner went on to tell Woodward that Trump did a "full hostile takeover" of the Republican Party when he became its presidential nominee.


    Parent
    Thursday Open Thread | 169 comments (169 topical)

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