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November 20, 2020 10:22 PM UTC

Weekend Open Thread

  • 72 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

–C. Northcote Parkinson

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72 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread”

  1. Let the word go out among the nations.  Trump stinks.  Trump is a stinking loser.  A losing stinker.  He is foul and malodorous.  He stinks.  Great God Almighty, Trump stinks!

     

      1. Trump’s Rocky Whore Picture Show will soon begin:

        President Trump still falsely claims he won in public, but behind the scenes he has told advisers that he could announce a presidential campaign before the end of this year.

        Trump also has been exploring ways to make money for relatively little work, such as paid speeches to corporate groups or selling tickets to rallies. In addition, he may write a score-settling memoir of his time as president and appear on television in some capacity.

        Somehow, I don’t think it’s going to work out quite as well as he thinks.  Too many ambitious con men and shysters await their turn to screw over the rubes and anxious to make their own attempt at the golden ring.

        Nobody likes a loser.

         

        1. No, he’ll have some grubby little corner of the right wing media scene, possibly subsidized by foreign “friends”, in which to propagate conspiracies and plot revenge. Ideally, he’d also be under house arrest and wearing an ankle bracelet. 
           

          His niece thinks we need to “lock him up”. “No pardons. No immunity.” I concur. Of course, the “law and order” crowd will agree, right? 
           

          Right? 

          1. Wouldn't it be gratifying to see the whole clan face the music and be held accountable for the reprehensible things they have done (and continue to do) ? It is hard to believe it will happen.

              1. I am throwing my energy that direction.

                Somebody needs to go after Bannon. The influence he has on the pernicious activity behind the Orange King is hard to overestimate. The Whitest House is running silent as far as I can tell.

                Something's gotta give…

                1. The only risk of bannon skating is that dump throws SO many of his sycophants, enablers, collaborators and manipulators under the bus that he gets lost in the mob.

                    1. 7 scheduled stops: France, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia 

                      What interest does Bannon (the disruptor) have in any of those?

                      He got his butt kicked in France.

                    2. Given that Bannon has been indicted for fraud, I don't think he's traveling abroad.  At least, not that I've seen.  He's out of jail with a $5 million bail, and agreed to additional conditions

                      Bannon’s travel will be restricted to the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York (effectively meaning Manhattan and Brooklyn)–as well as Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and certain portions of Connecticut for work.

                      No international travel will be allowed–and he must surrender his travel documents such as his passport.

                      The agreement also states that Bannon will not be allowed to use private travel services like airplanes or boats without prior approval.

                      As of November 5, he was making outrageous claims — bad enough to have his legal counsel petition to withdraw.  The judge agreed to a delay requested by Bannon to retain new counsel (and agreed to by the prosecution) until early December. 

  3. Senate Republicans are setting an impossible standard for Biden's nominees:

    “I can assure you that there will not be one set of rules for Donald Trump and, should Joe Biden take office, another set of rules for him,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said this week on the radio show of Hugh Hewitt, a conservative host.

    Apparently, unless Biden can find a bunch of Democrats that are grossly unqualified political toadies willing to ignore the law and deliberately destroy the departments they are charged to lead, GOP Senators will refuse to confirm them.

    1. Good, snarky point, but unfortunately, not all of Trump's appointees were incompetent. 

      Stephen Miller was very competent at putting children in cages.

      Industry lobbyists were very competent in getting favors for their industries.

      "FOTs" (Friends of Trump), were very competent in getting their slops from the pig trough.

  4. As I have been reading the news this morning, I have come across an increasing number of writers wondering why the GOP and the ODs' base keep hanging tough.

    A while back there was a quote that said, "It is stupid to stop in the middle of committing a crime". Something in that, I think.

    It also occurs to me that a significant number of Trumplican© voters just can't face the fact that the whole thing is a grift…and they are the marks. They just can't admit it.

     

    1. I think the term is "epistemic closure."

      They live in a bubble. Rural and small-town America is completely dominated by RW billionaire media – Fox, Sinclair, Anschutz, etc.

      Maybe we will see a split as Murdoch tries to thread the needle between Trumpism and respectability. With Fox News seen as insufficiently loyal, the hardcore activists are moving to Bannon's Breitbart and Epoch. Facebook is purging the Russian bot-networks, a lot of right-wingers are looking for a safe space – Parler.

       

      1. Saw a comment which points out the backers of Trump are not in a bubble … they are smothered in foam.  A single bubble would be able to be burst with a single epiphany.  Foam…. not so much.

      2. And right-wing radio. There many thousands of miles you can drive in this country and find NOTHING on the radio except right-wingers or religious stations. And I’m not talking about average fiscal conservatives or constitutionalists (though they’ll pretend that’s what they are). I’m talking about foaming-at-the-mouth extremists. (Fits with JohnInDenver’s foam theory, too.) 

        I don’t know what else to call today’s right-wing radio and TV except propaganda. It’s been that way for years and it’s not going away. 

    2. Years from now, we may find out who, among $rump’s supporters, was threatened by disclosure of “kompromat”, and/or just plain threatened. Whatever $rump didn’t learn from years of associating with organized crime lords, he picked up from Putin. 

  5. WOTD from the NYT: "In All 50 States, Deaths Are Now Higher Than Normal"

    Deaths identified with Covid are above 200,000, and will be at 3,000/day by Christmas. However, "deaths above normal" are at 326,000, and you can observe in a series of clear graphs how the pattern follows the seasonality of Covid infections from New York in the Winter (indoor crowded rooms) to the South in the Summer (air-conditioning), and the Midwest in the Fall (indoor-heating).

    Cause of death is not always identified, and not all excess deaths may be directly caused by Covid. Maybe Covid triggered an asthma attack, or a diabetic reaction.

    It does go to show that health insurance and delivery system based on individualism and who can pay, is ill equipped to handle a pandemic.

    1. Ezra Klein is one of the smartest, young media people in the business. He's a good journalist and not polemical. Vox does a lot of high-quality longer-form articles, notably on the transition to renewable energy. 

      Josh Marshal at Talking Points Memo is another. Left-liberal orientation, but always sticking to real journalism and vetting of sources. He's a historian, which I alway have felt was the best foundation for being a journalist. Well, aside from being a sports writer like Mike Littwin.

      1. Even broader —  Melissa Bell, Co-founder of Vox and now Publisher, Vox Media wrote

        This is a big day of transition at Vox: Today, Lauren Williams, Vox’s Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, and Ezra Klein, Co-founder and Editor-at-Large, announced to the Vox team that they’ll be moving on to exciting new roles and projects in the months ahead.

        Two leaving — and announcing they will be adding 10.  And there was a teaser of new outlets:

        you’ll see our television ambitions grow with partners that include Netflix and YouTube Originals, as well as HBO. In audio, we’ve got a new slate of podcasts planned for 2021, including a new science show and a history show. We’ll be hiring to create and develop those shows, as well as roles to support the reach of Today, Explained and The Weeds and to launch a new interview show.

    1. BS. Are you going to claim it was the ‘progressive koolaid’ too?

      Downticket Miami elected an AOC-style progressive environmentalist and economic justice warrior to be mayor.

      The congressional seat was won by a massive misinformation campaign waged in part by the Proud Boys hate group. Are you joining that cause now?

      BS

      1. Yes, it was all that crap. And more.

        If you want to piss away our House majority on a teaching moment trying to enlighten a lot of stupid people low-information voters into the differences between Nordic socialism and Latin American or Asian socialism, have at it. But when Kevin McCarthy is speaker and Lynne Cheney is majority leader, don’t come crying to me.

        By the way, there are many different shades of socialism, some benign and some toxic. But I would not waste my time or energy having some kind of abstract debate with people many of whom: (a) do not believe climate change is real, (b) that cigarettes are carcinogens, (c) that evolution is real, or (d) that Biden won the election.

        Remember, there are still 72 million who voted for Trump, even after COVID-19. 

        PS While we are talking about the LWNJ Squad, AOC saw fit to trash Claire McCaskill as a “loser.” She did lose in 2018. But she also won four out the six statewide races she ran in Missouri.

        A geranium with “D” next to it can win a US House seat in the Bronx but it takes someone with some ability to win most of the races they ran in a competitive venue.

        1. I missed the "nutty" part. Please explain.

          Socialist Security, perhaps?

          Medical insurance for everybody?

          Oh, I know, I know… AOC borrowed designer clothes for a photo shoot.

          Actually, the bigger threat AOC offers to Republican concerns is the socialist idea of reducing the power of the wealthy via progressive taxes and bootstrap support to the lower incomes. 

          I agree that you could call that socialist, but it still isn't nutty. You might hate improving the wealth and income balance in the US, but I'm very much in favor of it.

        2. PS. Stop spreading the misinformation. AOC called Claire out on her "for her use of the terms “transexual,” which some transgender people find offensive and outdated, but for also using LGBTQ+ rights and other issues as a scapegoat" which later apologized for … kind of gave AOC credit for correctness, doncha think? 

          Joining the misinformation brigade and not defending human rights regardless of race, gender or religious preference is not going to keep mccarthy and cheney away from the cookie jar.

          With AOC the Ds got a real boost with a winning candidate who is able to think outside the box that the party machine wants to lock them into. Crowley was nothing if not beyond stale and power-hungry.

           

           

          1. AOC is in a district rated by the Cook Political Report as Plus 29. That means a Dem candidate there should win by around 29 points. AOC has no clue as to what is needed for a Dem to run in a more centrist district, like those of Reps. Spanberger (VA), Slotkin (MI), and Lamb (PA). Listen to what those Reps had to say about the election instead of worshipping at AOC’s feet. For those centrist Dems who lost, AOC’s response was they “didn’t campaign hard enough.” Clueless.

            So what if Miami elected a progressive mayor? The main action is in Congress. As for that mis-information campaign ran by the Rs in south Florida, whatever it was cost the party two seats, not one. Since AOC knows so much, what might her answer be? She’s not a dummy despite what Rush and Hannity say. But how would she solve this problem?

            The challenge to Dems is to know how best to talk with, not talk down to, blue collar workers. If this can’t be solved, then, yes, you should prepare for Speaker McCarthy in 2023. 

            1. So all the Ds have to do is find a progressive from the springs to tell them how to campaign and win.

              Misinformation and lies are what carries dump's party. They can't win w/o it and any other form of cheating they can imagine.

            2. Obviously you didn't read the article on: "Inside the bungling of Florida … and how to fix it before Election Day 2022"

              It is really insightful, and while you may agree or disagree, you need to take it up with someone who is on the front lines in Florida.

              Stacey Abrams has the formula in Georgia, and similar turnout-oriented electioneering worked in Wisconsin.

              Rachel Bitiecofer has a great thread on twitter: "But like I said, the DNC has the Ds using strategy invented by people who are running as if it's 1992 & the game is cribbage."

            4. AOC ( and all of the Squad) are perfect for their districts. They all were re-elected with comfortable margins. She got elected in the first place because she was a working class person herself, spoke directly to folks in her district who had never voted and didn’t think Dems gave a  crap about their issues. 
               

              Perhaps you can watch this clip of her calling out McConnell et al, and explain exactly how she is “talking down” to anyone? 
               

              As far as the Dems’ screwup with Miami Cubans in Florida, AOC had nothing to do with it. Others have posted links to articles that show she thought Dems should have distinct strategies for different cultural Latinx populations, not lump every Spanish-speaking group together, knock on more doors, have a better digital campaign, and counter the Trumpian “Biden is a socialist” narrative with examples of “socialist” reforms that everyone wants and needs, e.g. universal health care.

    2. I call BS also. Florida voted for $15 minimum wage by a wide.

      If you look at AOC’s proposals one by one, (for example, the Green New Deal) they are extremely popular. The Republican propaganda machine is effective because it never mentions policy – it only repeats labels.

      Miami Cubans are convinced that Biden is a commie socialist libtard, and AOC had nothing to do with that. If it wasn’t AOC, it would be Kamala Harris, who is black and probably wasn’t born in the US. EVERY Democrat is a commie socialist libtard.

      3. Here is a good article from a Florida organizer about the 2020 races: "Inside the bungling of Florida … and how to fix it before Election Day 2022"

        Yet as shameful and inexcusable as these shady practices are, they don’t absolve the mistakes made by Florida Democrats. As I mentioned before, the voters may choose red candidates, but they are NOT regressive Republicans. In fact, they are very keen on Democratic ideas. This cycle’s $15 minimum wage question passed with more than 60% of the vote.

        Unfortunately, the Florida Democratic establishment refused to endorse it. Consultants told Democratic challengers not to run on it. In fact, they were told to run from it.

        How’d that work out?

    1. I'm mailing #Trump a 60-day eviction notice this weekend, and will mail him a 30-day eviction notice in December. We're evicting him from the people's house. 

          1. I have come to believe that T***ps' impossible mission doesn't rely on the success of any one lawsuit in any state.

            I think he is trying to advance any case he can appeal all the way to the SCOTUS. Once before the high court, he will present the case that the multitude of lawsuits he has filed indicates the presence of widespread fraud.

            He expects (his) justices to provide his remedy. Delusional or not, that is where he is going with this.

            1. "multitude of lawsuits he has filed indicates the presence of widespread fraud."

              Mathematically, that would be like proving that 

              n*0 =1 as n approaches infinity

            3. Somehow I don't think the SCOTUS will buy an argument that widespread fraud exists as proven by all his frivolous lawsuits. Even Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito will be hard pressed to assign that thinking any credibility.

              1. I didn't say I buy it. I agree, they won't even take the case. I think he has convinced himself that Alito, Thomas, and HIS three justices will side with him and throw out the election.

                He is delusional I think, and believes many unsupportable things.                                 

                  1. Trump isn't a svelte young thing like Alice or as active as the Queen.  I suspect he practices believing impossible things over an expansive breakfast … which may include two scoops or a slice of "the most beautiful chocolate cake."

                2. I know what you said. And I’m agreeing with you.

                  2nd best news for me by spring, besides vaccines for COVID, will be news that Trump has been indicted for bank fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud.

              2. Yeah SCOTUS sometimes surprises.  Not often.

                And in this case, not unless.

                But it's his 'plan'
                It's also a continuation of the infantile obstruction number one objective is make sure the Ds get screwed , even if it means bad news for everyone

                1. Of course, once he’s out of office, who will he be vengeful on? His is the power of ultimate negativity. But eventually most normal and sane people (which many of his frothing-at-the-mouth supporters aren’t) move on to more positive and fun stuff.

                  I wonder what the betting odds are in Vegas & Macau that Melania will divorce him in 2021?

                  1. Once he's out of office his aim will be reduced to nonsupporters of every stripe.

                    but if this does get to the SC and they turn him down, unless they keep that decision under wraps until 11:59:59 AM on 1-20-21 his targets only broaden from where he is now. 

                    Hopefully they've take the football away from him already or they've disabled it.

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