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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

This blog will pay for itself.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

If you are in line to indict donald trump, stay in line.

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

As long as McCarthy is Speaker, the House will never be in order.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

I wonder if trump will be tried as an adult.

Come on, man.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

Trump’s legal defense is going to be a dumpster fire inside a clown car on a derailing train.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Republicans in disarray!

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Thursday Evening Open Thread: TFG’s (Predictably) Fake ‘Union Autoworkers’ Audience

by Anne Laurie|  September 28, 20235:44 pm| 2 Comments

This post is in: 2024 Elections, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Show Us on the Doll Where the Invisible Hand Touched You, Trumpery

i figure if the Biden campaign did something like this we might be getting 24/7 but what do i know

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 28, 2023

… A lot of coverage noted that Trump’s visit wasn’t really “at the strike,” as a number of reports had it, but at a non-union auto parts manufacturer, Drake Enterprises. What’s gotten much less attention is that a substantial number of the “auto workers” and “union members” in the audience appear to have been phonies produced by the Trump campaign…

It's unclear how many auto workers attended Trump's speech.

A person in the crowd with a "union members for Trump" sign acknowledged she wasn't a union member.

A person with an "auto workers for Trump" sign said he wasn't an auto worker. https://t.co/yWziQmqUSG

— Craig Mauger (@CraigDMauger) September 28, 2023


Craig Mauger seems to have been the first reporter to point this out:

show full post on front page

… About 400 to 500 Trump supporters were inside a Drake Enterprises facility for the speech. Drake Enterprises employs about 150 people, and the UAW doesn’t represent its workforce. It wasn’t clear how many auto workers were in the crowd for the speech, which was targeted at them.

One individual in the crowd who held a sign that said “union members for Trump,” acknowledged that she wasn’t a union member when approached by a Detroit News reporter after the event. Another person with a sign that read “auto workers for Trump” said he wasn’t an auto worker when asked for an interview. Both people didn’t provide their names…

"The proof is in the pudding. His actions in office went to enrich the very elite few while the working class of America stagnated. This stunt is another ploy to pull the wool over the eyes of the working class. Again!”#StandUpUAW https://t.co/h7Rx6JDcDK

— UAW (@UAW) September 28, 2023

The UAW’s lead negotiator in contract talks with General Motors on Wednesday issued a scathing assessment of former President Donald Trump hours before Trump was due to speak in Detroit.

UAW Vice President for General Motors Mike Booth sent the Detroit Free Press a profanity-laden email about his thoughts on Trump’s trip to Michigan.

“Let me be blunt. Donald Trump is coming off as a pompous (expletive),” Booth said in an email. “Coming to Michigan to speak at a nonunion employer and pretending it has anything to do with our fight at the Big Three is just more verbal diarrhea from the former president.”…

Booth said Trump’s visit to Detroit is disingenuous given his past. In a video about plant closings that the union released Wednesday morning, 2017 footage shows Trump promising autoworkers in Ohio he would save their jobs. But in 2019 GM closed its Lordstown Assembly plant in northeast Ohio, displacing thousands of workers there and helping lead to the union’s 2019 strike against GM.

“Where were his rallies for striking workers when we were on the picket line in 2019? Where are the jobs he promised to return to the U.S. while on the campaign trail in 2015?” Booth said. “The proof is in the pudding. His actions in office went to enrich the very elite few while the working class of America stagnated. This stunt is another ploy to pull the wool over the eyes of the working class. Again!”…

Goes to Michigan. Gives boring speech at non-union facility. Gets in public spat with UAW president. Then dismisses UAW’s efforts to secure fair wages.

“Courting working class voters” seems to be going great. https://t.co/H5ExdqnbRw

— TJ Ducklo (@TDucklo) September 28, 2023

Thursday Evening Open Thread: TFG’s (Predictably) Fake ‘Union Autoworkers’ AudiencePost + Comments (2)

Let’s Hear It for the Young Pups in the House!

by WaterGirl|  September 28, 20233:39 pm| 84 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

h/t to Aaron Rupar for collecting all of these in his twitter feed!

I completely missed Crockett’s “in the shitter” line. Classic. https://t.co/NjpVNJPvvJ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 28, 2023

⭐️

Frost uses his questioning time to highlight the timeline, specifically how McCarthy went from saying a vote was needed for impeachment to changing his mind about that in under 2 weeks

He also says “Mr Turley is stopping here on the way to his next Fox News hit” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JknUENtnmO

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 28, 2023

⭐️

🔥 from Summer Lee pic.twitter.com/8xMAYsBbWt

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 28, 2023

⭐️

Crockett: “If they would continue to say ‘if’ for Hunter and we were playing a drinking game, I would be drunk by now.” pic.twitter.com/VDi2fBQ8e4

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 28, 2023

⭐️

Not sure that Goldman is a young pup, but he is a freshman, so I’m gonna call it close enough.

Let’s Hear It for the Young Pups in the House!Post + Comments (84)

Mortality and education disparities

by David Anderson|  September 28, 20231:33 pm| 86 Comments

This post is in: Anderson On Health Insurance

Just saw this graph and it is making me say WOW

Mortality and education disparities in the United States for Age 25 adults

Case and Deaton are looking at the life expectancy of Americans at age 25 over time. They stratify on a single variable — does a person have at least a 4 year degree.

AND WOW!

Americans with at least a 4 year degree look pretty much like citizens of most rich nations. In 1990, these folks would be expected to live about 54 years longer and in 2019 (pre-COVID) the expected life span is about 59 more years, for a gain of 5 years. 2020 was a bit rough due to COVID with what looks to be visually bigger drops because the US got bored with social solidarity and public health by May 2020. But overall, in a 30 year time frame, Americans with college degrees have life expectancy trajectories that look a lot like the average (mostly non-degreed) international peer comparisons.

Folks without degrees in the US always lived less than folks with degrees. A 25 year old without a degree could expect to make it to ~76 in 1990. This slowly rose to about 78 in 2010 and then it flatlined and declined to 2019, with probably 6 to 12 months of less life expectancy. This cohort got wrecked by COVID in 2020, giving up 3 years of post-25 life expectancy.

I don’t know what to say or do about this beyond think deeply.

Mortality and education disparitiesPost + Comments (86)

Open Thread (Mendacious Menendez and More)

by WaterGirl|  September 28, 202311:53 am| 169 Comments

This post is in: National Security, Open Threads, Politics

Until this morning, I was only aware of two of the five items on this list from Just Security..

How Dangerous is Menendez to Our National Security?

Short answer? VERY>

Let us count the ways…

  1. Disclosing the United States’ Staffing Blueprint in its Egyptian Embassy
  2. Providing Advance Information on U.S. Military Aid
  3. Ghostwriting a Letter Requesting U.S. Military Aid from the Government of Egypt
  4. Providing a Heads-Up on Questions U.S. Senators Intended to Ask of Egyptian Officials
  5. It’s Impossible to Know How Much Leverage Egypt Continues to Have Over Menendez

Surely his girlfriend – now his wife – who was in the middle of all these things, must have been pivotal in his recruitment.  That’s just my opinion, but it’s hard for me to see otherwise.   Not just in their pocket; definitely in bed with them.

Read the whole thing.  (Just Security)

Also, the polls that we probably won’t hear much about in the media:

I’d be willing to bet this isn’t reported on anywhere near as extensively as the “OMG TRUMP LEADING BY 10 POINTS!!” hysteria that we were subjected to last week.

Anyway, fuck polls. Just vote. https://t.co/akNpVsDDSU

— Angry Staffer 🌻 (@Angry_Staffer) September 27, 2023

Also, I cannot believe that a formal dress code for male senators passed unanimously today.  Seriously?

Open thread.

Open Thread (Mendacious Menendez and More)Post + Comments (169)

Thursday Morning Open Thread: But Seriously…

by Anne Laurie|  September 28, 20238:00 am| 239 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Open Threads, President Biden, Republican Venality, Republicans in Disarray!

You know, I agree with Mitch here. Why the House Republicans would want to defund Border Patrol is beyond me. https://t.co/qJrJQUYG9o

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 27, 2023

… these are *not* serious people.

As the Senate marches ahead with a bipartisan approach to prevent a government shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is back to square one — asking his hard-right Republicans to approve their own temporary House measure to keep the government open. https://t.co/vVpSH1sXDe

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 28, 2023

Doesn’t mean they’re incapable of f*cking up a lot of innocent peoples’ lives, though:

Scoop: WH budget office instructs US agencies to notify federal employees Thursday morning on status of government funding, sources say

Unclear exactly when employees will be notified if they are being furloughed – that planning is well underwayhttps://t.co/AYT7zkDSPN

— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) September 27, 2023

show full post on front page

Biden talked about the government shutdown again, saying it would be “disastrous.”

“The fact is that I think that the speaker is making a choice between the speakership and American interests,” he said at a fundraiser in San Francisco.

(Photo from earlier today.) pic.twitter.com/Z9qhVh5ftE

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 27, 2023

Also today, James Comer starts his latest attempt another 15 minutes of unearned attention:

It's not an actual impeachment anything because it was never voted on. Rather than keep the government open, they're staging GOP masterpiece theater, loser edition.

Turley lolhttps://t.co/NsevD1Z0Dd

— Gayle Dourn Plantz (@plantz3610) September 26, 2023

His fellow Repubs figure if they can conflate President Biden with That Uppity Black Fella, it’ll move more Fox viewers to actually show up at the polls next November…

Basically, the other high crime and misdemeanor is that Biden's private citizen son and brother PLUS a bunch of other people made far less money than Trump lied about his property values for, using FAR MORE shell companies.

And that should ALWAYS be reported as such.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) September 28, 2023

Welcome aboard, Cheri — plenty of room in this lifeboat:

Glad more people are seeing that there’s only one choice now and for the foreseeable future. Straight ballot Dem for a long ass time, folks. https://t.co/HZf5gQKTtZ

— Jean-Michel Connard 🎃 (@torriangray) September 28, 2023

The UAW has gone right past RINO into full-on libtard https://t.co/oPwULK6Ylo

— Centrist 🤝Madness (@CentristMadness) September 28, 2023

Thursday Morning Open Thread 11

(Jack Ohman via GoComics.com)

Thursday Morning Open Thread: <em>But Seriously…</em>Post + Comments (239)

On The Road – way2blue – Valparaiso, Chile [1 of 2]

by WaterGirl|  September 28, 20235:00 am| 15 Comments

This post is in: On The Road, Photo Blogging

way2blue

We got up before the sun our last day in Torres del Paine for the 4-hr drive back to Punta Arenas.  Accompanied by a spectacular sunrise that seemed to go on forever.  Long flight to Santiago (Chile is a very long country), arriving in the evening.  We’d originally planned to stay in Santiago for three nights, visiting the historic parts of town. 

But our niece, who’d spent a college year abroad in Chile, told us her favorite Chilean city was Valparaíso.  Founded by the Spanish in 1536, Valparaíso thrived as a port stop along the trade route that circumnavigated Cape Horn. Large parts of the city were rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1906 only to be sidelined as a major port stop after the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914.  Many buildings were heavily damaged in the 1971 and 1985 earthquakes, and then more recently in 2010.

On The Road - way2blue - Valparaiso, Chile  [1 of 2] 9
VALPARAíSO, CHILE

After a fair amount of Google sleuthing while in Torres del Paine, I found room in the Alegre Barrio (within the historical area which had been deemed a World Heritage Site in 2003).  An old stately home that had been converted to a small B&B.  Our lodging had a terrace on the first floor overlooking the harbor from up high.  Great breakfast spot.  Here, looking toward the south end of the harbor.

On The Road – way2blue – Valparaiso, Chile [1 of 2]Post + Comments (15)

Dank Grey Dawn Open Thread: The Repubs Debate in Loma Linda (Early Reports)

by Anne Laurie|  September 28, 20234:35 am| 56 Comments

This post is in: 2024 Elections, 2024 Primaries, Republicans in Disarray!

Couldn’t agree more. https://t.co/JAENVM3NhT

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 28, 2023

Stop calling it #GOPDebate.
Call it what Trump calls it: Henchmen-Con. pic.twitter.com/2LtWOatStl

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) September 28, 2023

Damn Joy Reid didn't just say the #GOPDebate felt like a Student Council Debate 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/FphK7eOSaS

— I Plead the GIF 🖐🏾 (@lilwaltjr305) September 28, 2023

The clip I’m betting will define the evening:

Ron DeSantis shuts down Fox's #GOPdebate gimmick about voting someone off the island:

"I'll decline to do that… We're happy to debate. I think that that's disrespectful to my fellow competitors… Let's talk about the future of the country!" pic.twitter.com/PJrQQfXHzI

— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) September 28, 2023

show full post on front page

Dead candidate walking…

Pretty sure he made it a felony for men in Florida to wear that much makeup. pic.twitter.com/HaRAZ376Gs

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 28, 2023

Chris Christie, running to increase his bookings as the Anti-TFG:

“You’re not here tonight because you're afraid to defend your record. You’re ducking…We’re going to call you Donald Duck.” #GOPDebate #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/yed9vozOwU

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 28, 2023

Nikki Haley, (still) running for the 2028 Did I Not Warn Y’All? candidacy:

“Honestly, every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber from what you say.” 😂 #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/jsODUHFpM4

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 28, 2023

There’s something fascinating about two people yelling at each other to become the leader of a party that doesn’t care about either of their demographics at all..#GOPDebate #RepublicanDebate pic.twitter.com/LNmC4q7xgK

— jordan hanhil (@jordanhanhil) September 28, 2023

considering who she was talking to, she was admirably restrained https://t.co/QWEVIKYL3R

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 28, 2023

Makes you wonder where Haley would stand today in this race if she hadn’t decided to sell out and be in the Trump administration in the first place https://t.co/l03PSxFU37

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 28, 2023


(Makes *me* wonder if, before the end of this campaign, she’s gonna stomp across the stage and actually punch another candidate — preferably Ramaswarmy, IMO.)

Vivek Ramaswamy, reputed anchor baby:

“I favor ending birthright citizenship for the kids of illegal immigrants in this country.”

“Now, the left will howl about the Constitution and the 14th Amendment. The difference between me and them is I've actually read the 14th Amendment. #VivekRamaswamy #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/h1bYatwEMb

— Creativelyai (@creativelyai) September 28, 2023

He’s decided to run full-throat for the TFG vice-presidency…

Vivek Ramaswamy: "I will respect Donald Trump and his legacy because it's the right thing to do."#GOPDebate #VivekRamaswamy #Trump pic.twitter.com/1zrPyaKOOX

— ThePressBeat (@thepressbeat) September 28, 2023

So, it’s not just me thinking this…

someone must be running a book and who on the stage is going to walk over and punch vivek in the face first

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 28, 2023

OPINION | So much for killing them with kindness. In the first debate, Vivek Ramaswamy came looking for a fight. He found it. This time around, he thought he could use his charm to calm things down. But his rivals simply refused to cooperate. https://t.co/qdR3K3iH9j

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) September 28, 2023

We are 90 minutes into this GOP primary debate, and not one question about abortion.

But they did spend a whole segment about the made-up epidemic of kids surgically transitioning without their parent's consent or knowledge.

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 28, 2023

I don't doubt the reporting. But it shows the level of denial GOP operatives, donors are in about this. https://t.co/DOjE7SSGUS

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 28, 2023

Dank Grey Dawn Open Thread: The Repubs Debate in Loma Linda (Early Reports)Post + Comments (56)

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  • japa21 on Thursday Evening Open Thread: TFG’s (Predictably) Fake ‘Union Autoworkers’ Audience (Sep 28, 2023 @ 5:54pm)
  • Jeffro on Let’s Hear It for the Young Pups in the House! (Sep 28, 2023 @ 5:53pm)
  • Baud on Thursday Evening Open Thread: TFG’s (Predictably) Fake ‘Union Autoworkers’ Audience (Sep 28, 2023 @ 5:53pm)
  • dnfree on Dank Grey Dawn Open Thread: The Repubs Debate in Loma Linda (Early Reports) (Sep 28, 2023 @ 5:52pm)
  • pb3550 on Let’s Hear It for the Young Pups in the House! (Sep 28, 2023 @ 5:51pm)

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