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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2012 / Monday Evening Open Thread: The Paulistas Are Revolting!

Monday Evening Open Thread: The Paulistas Are Revolting!

by Anne Laurie|  March 19, 20124:58 pm| 121 Comments

This post is in: Election 2012, Excellent Links, Open Threads, Republican Stupidity

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Looks like the Ron Paul REVOLutionaries may have tipped their hand too early:

The Missouri caucuses may have marked Ron Paul’s most successful day of the 2012 campaign, as anecdotes from across the state indicate a strong showing.
__
To varying degrees, proceedings grew contentious between Paul supporters and local GOP officials. The gist of the disputes: GOP organizers said the Paul backers were boisterous and obstructive. Paul backers wanted to be heard.
__
While speculation has been noted on a national level that Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are somehow colluding in the 2012 race, anecdotal evidence from Missouri suggests some cooperation: In counties where Paul supporters showed well, Romney supporters and Paul supporters appeared together on mixed delegate slates. Local GOP officials said they couldn’t say, one way or another, whether Paul and Romney backers seemed to be cooperating in any organized way at individual caucus sites…

Cooperation does not seem to have been much in evidence, given that ABC reports arrests, dueling caucus chairs, the arrival of a police helicopter, and (worst of all) a charge that GOP officials “severely butchered Robert’s Rules of Order.”

As Charles Pierce gleefully explains:

You have to give the Republican party credit. Faced with a down economy and a vulnerable incumbent, the GOP has managed to put together not only an incredibly mediocre field of candidates, but also a nominating process that seems to have been designed by angry ferrets on crystal meth. It is an altogether remarkable parlay…
__
Everyone who designed this fiasco now has to own it. The one thing about Ron Paul’s supporters is that they can fashion a legal and constitutional argument to fit almost every circumstance. They can come up with the 10th amendment argument for jelly doughnuts over chocolate frosted at every caucus site. They are bred for this kind of legalistic mischief and the Republicans have devised a process uniquely and hilariously open to it. Anybody who thinks this will stop at the local level, and that the Paul forces are not gearing themselves up for the biggest show of all in Tampa, is kidding themselves. You want a brokered convention? Look to Missouri. That’s what you had over the weekend.

Apart from legalistic mischief and hilariously open processes, what’s on the agenda tonight?

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Previous Post: « Why Won’t These Awful People Just Go Away?
Next Post: Some Common Sense From the Court »

Reader Interactions

121Comments

  1. 1.

    joeyess

    March 19, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    Romney/Paul 2012.

    A Mormon and a goldbug.

    Taking Mormon mythology into account, it kinda makes sense.

  2. 2.

    Zifnab25

    March 19, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    Apart from legalistic mischief and hilariously open processes, what’s on the agenda tonight?

    Math homework I’ve been procrastinating to avoid, mostly.

  3. 3.

    Thoughtcrime

    March 19, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    what’s on the agenda tonight?

    Pancakes! Giant pancakes! Pancakes the size of Puerto Rico!!

    abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/romney-compares-puerto-rico-win-to-massive-pancake/

  4. 4.

    lamh35

    March 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Going to see my friends new baby Gabriel. Then back home to catch up on some sleep. I’m on day 8 of an 18 day straight days of work. I’ve been working everyday since last Monday. I’m not officially off again until next Thursday & Friday…boo hoo.

    BTW, found this video of Obama throwing up gang signs: Gang Signs???

    No wait, sorry, that ASL, I was thinking like a winger for a moment.

    Enjoy the day.

  5. 5.

    khead

    March 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Open thread?

    Gracie kitteh.

    In my bed.

    Coming to steal your space, soon.

  6. 6.

    Linda Featheringill

    March 19, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    Maybe we can have violence at the convention? Cool!

  7. 7.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    The thing about Paul as VP is that the Constitution makes the VP the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. If you’re Romney, would you trust Paul with that power?

  8. 8.

    Yutsano

    March 19, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    @Baud: Depends on which Paul. I can’t see Ron backing down from anything but the Big Chair because his grift depends on that delusion of power. But Paul the Lesser, who is a total moron…

  9. 9.

    Martin

    March 19, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    @Thoughtcrime:

    Pancakes! Giant pancakes! Pancakes the size of Puerto Rico!!

    Jesus. Is there no way Romney can find his way out of uncanny valley?

    Gave Mrs Martin the go-ahead to replace the wood floors. My evening will be consumed with negotiating my time in that project. There is nothing in my life which is not work.

  10. 10.

    Roger Moore

    March 19, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    @lamh35:

    BTW, found this video of Obama throwing up gang signs: Gang Signs???
    __
    No wait, sorry, that ASL, I was thinking like a winger for a moment.

    Quick. Can you imagine any current Republican candidate doing something like that? Ever? Good God is that man a talented politician.

  11. 11.

    Martin

    March 19, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    BTW, I fully support Ron Paul in this effort. This is how the process is designed to work, because the party wants to be able to influence the results. They can go piss up a rope if they’re upset that someone else is influencing them for their own gain. If they want a straight-up election, nobody is preventing them from designing it that way.

  12. 12.

    JGabriel

    March 19, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    In an earlier thread, Judas Escargot said he half expects “the Occupy kids to pull a 1968 at the Dem convention.”

    I think someone’s gonna pull a ’68, but this post confirms my suspicion that it’s gonna be Teabaggers and Paulistas at the GOP convention.

    .

  13. 13.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    The GOP has the best anarchist wing, evah. Which is all kinds of mind fucking delicious, being they are also the party of law and order, personal responsibility, and all that kind a shit. They not only have an anarchist wing with the Paultards, but throw in the tea tards as the nihilist wing , and the entertainment is off the chart. And if that isn’t enough, mix a little religious liberty nuttery of the Santorum wing, and you got King of Hearts meets Apocalypse Now.

    Our nuts on the center left are booooring, in comparison. Usually found sucking their thumbs when not screaming OBOT!!

  14. 14.

    Larv

    March 19, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    The Paulistas Are Revolting!

    You said it. They stink on ice. Pull!

  15. 15.

    JGabriel

    March 19, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    @lamh35:

    Going to see … baby Gabriel.

    [Perks up alertly, looks back & forth]

    Someone call me?

    .

  16. 16.

    kwAwk

    March 19, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    Who would have thought that having a large block of inflexible literalists in your party would cause problems.

  17. 17.

    Anoniminous

    March 19, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    Not that I’m counting on it, mind you, yet with a wee bit of luck the GOP will go into Tampa as one party and come out as four:

    Frothy Fundie Lovers
    Robo-Mitt, Inc.
    Teh Coots in teh Gold Suits
    The Corporate Wing

  18. 18.

    Jewish Steel

    March 19, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    Speaking of libertarian mischief, wha’happen ED Kain? He posted a couple of dull-as-dishwater thoughts a few weeks back and POOF! Gone again.

  19. 19.

    lamh35

    March 19, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    @JGabriel: it’s a boy I always want to call him Gabe cause with my NOLA accent, Gabriel comes out “Gab-bre-elle” like the girls name…lol

  20. 20.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 5:22 pm

    So Romney said this:

    “Those people who don’t think that Latinos will vote for a Republican need to take a look at Puerto Rico,” Romney said from a suburb north of Chicago.

    It’s worse than that, though. So far, 100% of the Latino vote in every Republican primary has been cast for a Republican. Of course, if you only get your news for the lamestream librul media, you wouldn’t know that.

  21. 21.

    Mark S.

    March 19, 2012 at 5:22 pm

    @Thoughtcrime:

    That might be the first time Mitt Romney had a good line.

  22. 22.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    March 19, 2012 at 5:23 pm

    what’s on the agenda tonight?

    Work. Once again, too much stuff, due too soon. Oh well.

  23. 23.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    @Baud:

    Apparently, Mitt hasn’t got the read of the last Fox Latino poll, where he trails Obama by 354%, give or take.

  24. 24.

    Bubblegum Tate

    March 19, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    So, uh, did anybody else watch Frozen Planet last night? Some of the shots they got are mind-boggling.

  25. 25.

    mdblanche

    March 19, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    It looks like Santorum and Gingrich aren’t the only candidates who’d been having issues qualifying for important primaries. Apparently the only reason Romney is on the ballot in Illinois tomorrow is because the Santorum camp dropped their challenge to Romney’s improperly certified signatures in exchange for Romney not challenging Santorum’s. Really, state election laws are so arcane. You’d have to be like the state treasurer or something to avoid making a potentially fatal mistake. Oh, wait…

    2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/romney-santorum-deal-allowed-both-to-appear-on-illinois-ballot.ph…

  26. 26.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    March 19, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    @JGabriel:

    I think someone’s gonna pull a ‘68, but this post confirms my suspicion that it’s gonna be Teabaggers and Paulistas at the GOP convention.

    If they actually pull off a full fledged Chicago 1968 type scene, complete with a nomination brokered in smoke-filled rooms, a police riot, teargas in the convention hall, reporters being arrested on-camera, and of course Pigasus, then we may finally achieve Peak Popcorn.

  27. 27.

    Mouse Tolliver

    March 19, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Mitt Romney gets a key endorsement from Michael Lucas, a conservative producer of gay fart porn. And no that’s not a typo. I put those last three words together on purpose.

  28. 28.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    @Bubblegum Tate: I saw it. The photography was amazing, but I wasn’t thrilled with how they edited it. I saw Planet Earth when it first came out, and I thought it was a more compelling production.

  29. 29.

    BGinCHI

    March 19, 2012 at 5:28 pm

    @ThatLeftTurnInABQ: It’s FL, though, so subtract culture from the mix.

    More readily available citrus and fresh fish though.

  30. 30.

    Roger Moore

    March 19, 2012 at 5:28 pm

    @Baud:

    It’s worse than that, though. So far, 100% of the Latino vote in every Republican primary has been cast for a Republican.

    I don’t know about that. I’m pretty sure some of it has gone to that notorious RINO flip-flopper, Mitt Romney.

  31. 31.

    dogwood

    March 19, 2012 at 5:29 pm

    @Mark S.:

    That might be the first time Mitt Romney had a good line.

    In one of the 08 debates where the group was bashing Hillary, Mitt quipped something to the effect – I don’t know about Hillary, but the thought of Bill Clinton roaming around the WH with nothing to do is pretty scary. It was a cheap shot, but I did chuckle.

  32. 32.

    WereBear

    March 19, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    @Mouse Tolliver: I don’t want to know. Honest.

  33. 33.

    BGinCHI

    March 19, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    Must-read K-thug from earlier today:

    krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/political-malpractice-deficit-edition/#more-29831

    Chilling conclusion:

    I have to say that the various accounts of what went wrong are converging on a very depressing picture, in which White House political “experts” actually believed that trying to please the Washington Post editorial page was a winning political move.
    __
    And I worry that they’ll double down on this mistake in an effort to prove that they were right all along.

  34. 34.

    Patricia Kayden

    March 19, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    They can blame Michael Steele for this fiasco.

    mediaite.com/tv/michael-steele-on-msnbc-the-gop-has-no-message-it-is-talking-through-its-rear-end/

    Although angry ferrets on meth sounds hilarious.

  35. 35.

    Tonal Crow

    March 19, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    Paulites, did you know that Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, *and* Newt Gingrich have routinely trafficked in documents bearing the official insignia of the Illuminati and the inscription “New Order of the Ages”? And that they want to force you to do the same? Why are you sitting there while thundering herds of RINOs stomp your liberty into dust?

  36. 36.

    BGinCHI

    March 19, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    @Patricia Kayden: I’d much rather blame Preibus.

    What a douche that guy is.

  37. 37.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    In the next two weeks, the SCOTUS will hear oral arguments on the ACA constitutionality, so wingers are upping the anti HCR blather, accordingly.

    (CNN) – As the two year anniversary of President Barack Obama’s health care law approaches, the already-popular object of Republican scorn looks to become even more prominent on the campaign trail and in political ads.

    I wonder, after two years of the law being in effect, and the sky not falling, if they’ll get the kind of traction as in 2010, when the law was freshly minted into law.

    And added, that the core of the reform, won’t begin for another 2 years with the mandate and subsidized care for the uninsured. But either way, I think the ACA, or “obamacare” is about to snatch the news cycle into an orgy of bullshit, as republicans see how many lies the public will swallow at this stage of things.

  38. 38.

    Tonal Crow

    March 19, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    @Jewish Steel: Oh-oh. You just spoke the words that must not be spoken, and have summoned…oh, you know exactly who.

  39. 39.

    Anoniminous

    March 19, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @Baud:

    And every AA voter in a Republican primary has gone to a Republican. And every woman vote in a Republican primary has gone to a Republican, every 30 year and younger voter in a Republican primary has gone to a Republican, every 31 to 65 voter in a Republican primary has gone to a Republican …

    Hard to see the point of even having an election in November, when you think about it.

  40. 40.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero): I think Obama is planning a major push in support of health care reform during this time also.

  41. 41.

    les

    March 19, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @Baud:

    The thing about Paul as VP is that the Constitution makes the VP the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. If you’re Romney, would you trust Paul with that power?

    Idiot ideology spouting aside, Paul’s a reliable repub vote in the Senate.

  42. 42.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    @Anoniminous:

    Hard to see the point of even having an election in November, when you think about it.

    Elections: Another wasteful Democrat spending program. /GOP

    @les:

    I was thinking of Ron as VP–I agree that Rand does seem to be more of a team player.

  43. 43.

    mdblanche

    March 19, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    @Tonal Crow: It’s worse than that, they’ve already got you carrying them around.
    Wake up sheeple!TM

    (Also too, where’s your evidence Romney handles these documents? Doesn’t he have subordinates to handle such mundane by his standards papers?)

  44. 44.

    Thoughtcrime

    March 19, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    I think Mittens’ trying a new approach to appeal to the snake handlers – faith healing:

    sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/n/a/2012/03/17/international/i111823D06.DTL&object=%2Fc%2F…

  45. 45.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    March 19, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    @les:

    I think the comment in question was re: the loose cannon potential of Paul pere, who currently serves (if you can call it that) in the House, not the Senate. It is Paul fils who would be changing seats but not chambers if, God forbid, he was elected VP.

    And yes, I realise that it gets difficult keeping all the lunatics sorted out, and worse yet when they share last names.

  46. 46.

    Suffern ACE

    March 19, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    Packing for Rome. If I catch the pope out on a stroll, I’ll give him a peice of my mind. But apparently he will be in Mexico, avoiding me as usual.

  47. 47.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 5:50 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Yea, well, Krugman doesn’t have a clue about politics, let alone “political malpractice”, and he continues to conflate rhetoric with actual “austerity level” cutting. Very little has been cut, and that that has doesn’t begin until 2013, and not for safety net bennies, but for the military, medicare providers, and other stuff. And at the same time has neutralized the GOP meme he isn’t interested in balancing the budget, while at the same time enjoying a recovering economy. Which BTW, is also keynesian in a recovering economy, dealing with long term deficits. That is more like political masterstroke to me.

  48. 48.

    Roger Moore

    March 19, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    @Suffern ACE:
    So you’re packing a piece in case you meet the Pope? No wonder they made the Popemobile bulletproof.

  49. 49.

    redshirt

    March 19, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    I’m still hoping Mitt somehow becomes Catholic and Snake Handlin’ Protestant, depending on the audience of course. There’s some votes there Mitt!

  50. 50.

    Schlemizel

    March 19, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    I spent a blissful weekend not thinking about politics even once. Saw great hockey game as the Gopher Women took the national championship 4-2. Partied with the team & parents after. Was late getting home & really had a tough day on short sleep – don’t want to think about the clown car cavalcade rolling through poor innocent Illinois today.

    I thought a few weeks ago when Willards folks floated the trial balloon that they had some deal with the racist goldbug. Last week or so when they responded in kind I thought little Ayn Paul will get the VeeP nod. That makes my head hurt

  51. 51.

    Citizen_X

    March 19, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    “I’m looking forward to getting one of these pancakes. Can I get one of these on the way out? Not the super big one, I can’t fit that in the vehicle, all right,” Romney joked.

    Oh, Mitt, Mitt. I can’t even finish the joke; too fish-in-the-barrelly.

  52. 52.

    scav

    March 19, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    So, the Rombot is busy reassuring the collar counties of the importance of the Latino vote (slight break for hysterics and maniacal chartling) and then “Shaking hands with voters and offering to help them eat their breakfast plates” downstate (cheap bastard). As an aside, who do these Charlie people think they are, ham in a horseshoe? ! Only worse crime was the place in Macomb that stuck in tomatoes, I mean vegetables into one. Harumph.

  53. 53.

    Yutsano

    March 19, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    @Citizen_X: Note to Willard: Don’t go to Holland. Some of the Dutch pancakes rival the size of large US pizzas.

  54. 54.

    geg6

    March 19, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    @ThatLeftTurnInABQ:

    That would be so awesome, I’d probably piss myself. Pigasus! Damn, haven’t thought or heard of ol’ Pigasus in years! And he’s still so apropos, especially for GOPers.

    I’m hanging out, hopefully having a nice, quiet evening. I expect to be very busy at work the next few days and with John starting to heal and move around a bit better, I am in severe need of a nice, quiet evening.

  55. 55.

    dogwood

    March 19, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero):

    I know the ACA goes before the Court this week, but when can we expect to get a decision? June?

  56. 56.

    shortstop

    March 19, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    I go to vote in the a.m. not having heard Mitt refer to “Honest Abe” once! Not once! I yam pissed.

    However, this thread is highly entertaining. Thanks for the laughs, y’all.

  57. 57.

    Roger Moore

    March 19, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    @geg6:

    Pigasus! Damn, haven’t thought or heard of ol’ Pigasus in years!

    Is Pigasus the source of Porkulus? Enquiring minds want to know.

  58. 58.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    @dogwood:

    Yea, June, before the summer break.

  59. 59.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    March 19, 2012 at 6:01 pm

    @Schlemizel:

    Last week or so when they responded in kind I thought little Ayn Paul will get the VeeP nod.

    It would be typical of the quality of strategic thinking on display in the GOP if they used the VP nod to nail down those all important electoral college votes in Kentucky, because Lord knows, Obama is going to put that state in play this year.

  60. 60.

    Ash Can

    March 19, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    @Schlemizel: I appreciate your sentiments, but Illinois isn’t entirely blameless. Downstate and the western suburbs have their share of horse’s asses. They made the gubernatorial election in 2010 too close for comfort (although the spectacle of a tea party doofus governor getting his sorry ass kicked all over Springfield by a Democratic General Assembly and Rahm & Co. for a few years might have been entertaining).

  61. 61.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    @dogwood:

    Though it is quite possible, they punt the decision to 2014, because there is a law that says new taxes can’t be litigated until they actually begin. which is or is not what the mandate is.

  62. 62.

    The Other Chuck

    March 19, 2012 at 6:04 pm

    @Yutsano: Is that bacon?

  63. 63.

    Mike E

    March 19, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    Not working as much as lamh or Martin, but working all the time, seemingly, as well, also. Will be watching the Walking Dead finale as soon as I am done typing this. Too.

    Oh, and…GOP. Blow. Me.

  64. 64.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero): I can see them punting. If the Republicans win, they will no doubt repeal the law, and the Supreme Court will never have to address the issue.

  65. 65.

    David Koch

    March 19, 2012 at 6:07 pm

    Test

  66. 66.

    redshirt

    March 19, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    @Roger Moore: A redshirt on the Meatship Porkulus?

  67. 67.

    David Koch

    March 19, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    oNlY rOn pAuL hAs dA cOuRaGe tO bRiNg bAck dA gOlD sTaNdArD.

    pAul/gLeEnN 2012

  68. 68.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    March 19, 2012 at 6:10 pm

    @lamh35:

    I fully expect the Breitbrats next “explosive” video to be of Michelle greeting guests at the White House and while greeting a deaf visitor “signing” hello and a couple of other words, with the headline “EXPLOSIVE MICHELLE OBAMA COMMUNICATING IN GANG SIGNS TO WHITE HOUSE VISITOR – EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN BY ADMINISTRATION” With twenty pages of comments from the wingnuts confirming that those indeed were gang signs and Michelle is obviously the leader of the Crips.

  69. 69.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    @Baud:

    Could be, but wingnut SCOTUS’s might also see it as a way to join in on the effort to keep Obama from winning, by shitcanning his signature achievement right before his reelection. The mean little wheels are all turning, and it’s not like the same, mostly, SC hasn’t injected itself into another election of recent memory. I don’t even try any more making sense of what is going through movement conservatives minds these days, as they are like cornered animals, and near total unpredictable.

  70. 70.

    Schlemizel

    March 19, 2012 at 6:12 pm

    @ThatLeftTurnInABQ:
    I see Ayn as an attempt to get the young moran vote – lard knows there are a ton of young morans out there who think Grandpa is the shits and would fall for these fools. Those are vote Willard couldn’t get handling out $100 bills & he can assume the hard core tards have to settle for him.

    @Ash Can:
    That was sort of a joke because of the constant bashing the state gets for it shady politics.

  71. 71.

    David Koch

    March 19, 2012 at 6:15 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    EXPLOSIVE MICHELLE OBAMA COMMUNICATING IN GANG SIGNS TO WHITE HOUSE VISITOR – EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN BY ADMINISTRATION

    they already did that in 2008 when they said fist-bumps were in reality secret terrorist signals.

  72. 72.

    Gex

    March 19, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    You really can’t take disparate groups like theocrats and libertarians, form a party that fights to the death rather than compromise their ideology and not have these kinds of problems. I’m only sorry it took so long for it to come to blows.

  73. 73.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    Apart from legalistic mischief and hilariously open processes, what’s on the agenda tonight?

    Recovering from a cold. Will probably listen to a couple of podcasts I’ve stored up.

    Even though Disney is preparing to write down some big losses from John Carter, I really enjoyed this Sci Fi Party Line podcast. Generally, this crew enjoyed the movie. I also found it interesting that one of the podcasters had read a lot of SF, but never knew about the Carter stories.

    Some serious discussion of the TV show The Walking Dead also, too.

  74. 74.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero): I don’t disagree with that possibility. The key question is, are the wingnut justices confident that striking down the law would hurt rather than help Obama. The mandate is probably the least popular thing Obama has done, and if it goes away, it will be more difficult for Romney to campaign on it.

  75. 75.

    BGinCHI

    March 19, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero): That’s a very generous reading of Plouffe’s reaction to that sort of polling. I get that they have to play to a crazy as fuck opposition and an American public dragged into the mud by Fox and assorted friends, but changing the narrative has to be part of the longer term calculus.

    Which is what I think Krugman is really trying to do here: push open the narrative to facts so that the WH doesn’t have to choose lesser evils in terms of economic policy. There need to be more Krugmans doing this, but the pundit class is filled to bursting with idiots and, worse, cowardly idiots.

  76. 76.

    Yutsano

    March 19, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    @The Other Chuck: Ham I think. Either way me want!

  77. 77.

    Ash Can

    March 19, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    @Schlemizel: Whoops! Serves me right for not paying attention. :)

  78. 78.

    Gex

    March 19, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    @Anoniminous: They’ve achieved the permanent Republican majority in the GOP.

    @ThatLeftTurnInABQ: Throw in Paul Ryan and it’s getting such that I have a PTSD reaction to the name Paul.

  79. 79.

    muddy

    March 19, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    I planted seeds today that I would ordinarily not plant for 6 weeks from now. Apparently it is summer. My neighbor yelled at me and said I would make it snow.

  80. 80.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    March 19, 2012 at 6:23 pm

    @Baud:

    The thing about Paul as VP is that the Constitution makes the VP the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. If you’re Romney, would you trust Paul with that power?

    If I am Romney do I actually comprehend how the Federal government works or do I assume the VP of the United States of America is the same as a VP at an investment firm? Self absorption and an inability to empathizes with others seems to be a major trait in Mittens.

  81. 81.

    Bubblegum Tate

    March 19, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    @Baud:

    Yeah, pretty much all these productions are standing in the shadow of Planet Earth (and while I like Alec Baldwin, in what way is he superior to David Attenborough at this? C’mon!) but there were still several sequences at which I stared in wide-eyed wonder.

  82. 82.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 6:26 pm

    @Gex:

    You really can’t take disparate groups like theocrats and libertarians, form a party that fights to the death rather than compromise their ideology and not have these kinds of problems. I’m only sorry it took so long for it to come to blows.

    And yet, the libertarians were willing to complacently rollover for Bush and Cheney, and pretend that everything these guys offered was compatible with libertarian ideals.

    @Jewish Steel:

    Speaking of libertarian mischief, wha’happen ED Kain? He posted a couple of dull-as-dishwater thoughts a few weeks back and POOF! Gone again.

    Reminds me of a quip about British TV personality David Frost.

    She: Hmm. I see David Frost is interviewing Richard Nixon.
    He: David Frost? I thought he disappeared without a trace.
    She: No worries. He rises without a trace, as well.

  83. 83.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    @Baud:

    The key question is, are the wingnut justices confident that striking down the law would hurt rather than help Obama

    That is the key question, and I don’t know if it would or would not hurt Obama more or less. But my sense is, it would play more into the strength of the current GOP, with their formidable message apparatus/wurlitzer, that they can spin about anything that happens in to a meme for their side. In this case, that Obama did something unconstitutional, according to the Supreme COurt of the land.

    But the matrix is complicated, and John Roberts as chief justice cares about the legacy of HIS court, and there is also the fact that pulling the mandate thread on the mandate as related to the commerce clause, would likely open a Pandora’s Box of legal hell, for all sorts of laws passed under it. So who knows what they will do, I sure don’t.

  84. 84.

    Gex

    March 19, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    @Brachiator: Yeah, well we all know that libertarians think money and business are the only measure of freedom. W. was the perfect candidate to marry the business and godbothering factions of the party. So I suppose these groups are fighting for the new direction for the party. Both directions suck, I’m not sure which one I would prefer.

  85. 85.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 6:33 pm

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    If I am Romney do I actually comprehend how the Federal government works or do I assume the VP of the United States of America is the same as a VP at an investment firm?

    It’s all about giving Americans the business, uh, I mean, running America like a business.

  86. 86.

    Jay in Oregon

    March 19, 2012 at 6:33 pm

    @mdblanche:

    “I filed that challenge and they eventually asked me to withdraw my challenge in exchange for them withdrawing theirs,” Santorum’s Illinois state director Jon Zahm said. According to Politico’s account, Rutherford then went to the Romney campaign and asked them to withdraw the challenges to Santorum’s petitions. From there, both campaigns agreed to withdraw their respective challenges in what Zahm called a traditional Illinois “don’t ask, don’t tell policy.”

    CHICAGO POLITICS! /wingnut

  87. 87.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 6:36 pm

    @Jewish Steel: Crap, faulty memory on a previous quip reference. Original pithiness restored.

    Reminds me of a quip about British TV personality David Frost.

    She: Hmm. I see David Frost is interviewing Richard Nixon.
    He: David Frost? I thought he disappeared sank without a trace.
    She: No worries. He rises without a trace, as well.

  88. 88.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    but changing the narrative has to be part of the longer term calculus.

    There really isn’t a longer term calculus for Krugman’s keynesian push for more stimulus/government spending. As once the private economy reaches a level of recovery, that is moot, and the narrative, according to the keynesians, switches to long term deficit control, and not more government spending. We aren’t quite at that point, but signs are looking for it to be that fairly soon.

    More government spending as a permanent narrative and reality, is not keynesian, that is only in recessions. To stimulate the economy, and it’s private industry/jobs. Not as a long term means of creating wealth and jobs.

    I’m not going to rag on Krugman more than my original comment, making the point he is clueless about politics, and not always as forthright as he should be, about the broader economic theory he believes in.

  89. 89.

    ericblair

    March 19, 2012 at 6:40 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero):

    But the matrix is complicated, and John Roberts as chief justice cares about the legacy of HIS court, and there is also the fact that pulling the mandate thread on the mandate as related to the commerce clause, would likely open a Pandora’s Box of legal hell, for all sorts of laws passed under it.

    IANAL, but I understand that the ACA was pretty much booby-trapped against these attacks for specific justices as well. I’m guessing they’ll punt.

    @BGinCHI:

    Which is what I think Krugman is really trying to do here: push open the narrative to facts so that the WH doesn’t have to choose lesser evils in terms of economic policy.

    Meh. When I want economic strategy, I’ll listen to the Nobel prizewinner in economics. When I want political strategy, I’ll listen to the black guy from a single-parent family with a funny name that managed to make himself President of the United States.

  90. 90.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 6:43 pm

    The Pentagon belabors the obvious (courtesy NY Times)

    Pentagon Finds Perils for U.S. if Israel Were to Strike Iran
    __
    A classified war simulation exercise held this month to assess the American military’s capabilities to respond to an Israeli attack on Iran forecast that the strike would lead to a wider regional war, which could draw in the United States and leave hundreds of Americans dead, according to American officials….
    __
    The results of the war game were particularly troubling to Gen. James N. Mattis, who commands all American forces in the Middle East, Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia, according to officials who either participated in the Central Command exercise or who were briefed on the results and spoke on condition of anonymity because of its classified nature. When the exercise had concluded earlier this month, according to the officials, General Mattis told aides that an Israeli first-strike would likely have dire consequences across the region and for United States forces there.

    I look for Newt to talk about how a US adventure against Iran would be over in a day, and for Mittens to declare that he would have a war won within 24 hours of any first strike.

  91. 91.

    Martin

    March 19, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    @Brachiator:

    I look for Newt to talk about how a US adventure against Iran would be over in a day, and for Mittens to declare that he would have a war won within 24 hours of any first strike.

    Don’t forget how blowing shit up in Iran will lower gas prices to $2.50/gal.

  92. 92.

    JPL

    March 19, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    Justice John Roberts worked for the Reagan Administration as a lawyer. Since Reagan passed emtala which mandates medical treatment in emergency rooms, I’d be surprised if he bought into mandates being a problem. hahaha…can’t believe I just typed that. He’ll do what he wants.

  93. 93.

    dogwood

    March 19, 2012 at 6:45 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero):

    John Roberts as chief justice cares about the legacy of HIS court,

    Some of this depends on Roberts’ ego and whether his long-term legacy is as important as serving his corporate/Federal Society masters. I don’t know if Roberts could have predicted that Citizens United would be so loathed by the public. But did he really think we would enjoy watching negative SuperPac ads nonstop? There might be some short term benefit to overturning the ACA because people think they don’t like it. But down the road, people are going to figure it out when more and more of them are left without insurance. Drum’s got a chart up today showing that in 2001 nearly 70% of Americans had employer provided insurance. In 2010 it was 53%.

    Anyway, maybe we should be more worried about what Anthony Kennedy thinks about his legacy.

  94. 94.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    March 19, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    @Schlemizel:

    I see Ayn as an attempt to get the young moran vote

    Yeah, I see that too. I’m just not convinced that voting block is large enough to justify throwing away the traditional VP role as a regional favorite son in a swing state. Meanwhile, KY currently has a term-limited Democratic governor. The question I’m wondering about is, is KY one of the states where the Gov. gets to pick somebody to fill an vacant Senate seat? How funny would it be to see Aqua Buddha give up his Senate seat to run as VP and then have a Dem appointed to that seat as a result?

  95. 95.

    Jewish Steel

    March 19, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    @Tonal Crow: come to think of it, I haven’t heard her dulcet tones in a while either.

    @Brachiator: ha! Or maybe I should say haw!

  96. 96.

    PurpleGirl

    March 19, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    @khead: Aaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww. Fuzz ball.

  97. 97.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    March 19, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    @dogwood:

    But down the road,

    All of my sense of where the mentality of the con movement types are these days, tells me they are not thinking that much down the road, but more about keeping power in the here and now, and taking it away from OBama and dems. I don’t know if this mindset will extend to Roberts, or Kennedy on the supreme court with all its world changing authority, but I don’t think these people are thinking seriously about down the road.

  98. 98.

    Martin

    March 19, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    @dogwood:

    But did he really think we would enjoy watching negative SuperPac ads nonstop?

    I think it’s safe to say that in order to get to the high court, you probably don’t find much time to watch Glee.

  99. 99.

    Baud

    March 19, 2012 at 6:53 pm

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero):

    they are not thinking that much down the road

    What they think is that they can make their own roads.

  100. 100.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 6:54 pm

    @Martin: RE: I look for Newt to talk about how a US adventure against Iran would be over in a day, and for Mittens to declare that he would have a war won within 24 hours of any first strike.

    Don’t forget how blowing shit up in Iran will lower gas prices to $2.50/gal.

    I had a conversation with a co-worker who favors a military intervention. I asked what would happen if there were to be a nuclear exchange that made access to the oil fields impossible or which rendered the petroleum unusable.

    Strangely, no reply.

  101. 101.

    dmsilev

    March 19, 2012 at 6:55 pm

    @ericblair:

    When I want economic strategy, I’ll listen to the Nobel prizewinner in economics.

    You mean Milton Friedman, right?

  102. 102.

    Judas Escargot, Your Postmodern Neighbor

    March 19, 2012 at 7:03 pm

    @JGabriel:

    I think someone’s gonna pull a ‘68, but this post confirms my suspicion that it’s gonna be Teabaggers and Paulistas at the GOP convention.

    “Both sides do it!”

    (I kid, I kid. I like your scenario way better than mine).

  103. 103.

    brettvk

    March 19, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    @muddy: Me too. Here in SW MO we usually plant our potatoes on St. Patrick’s day, but I threw caution to the 78F wind and put out parsley, oregano and catnip seed as well. I’m planting only containers this year because our warm dry winter has me anticipating a drought summer. OTOH, I’m about to go downstairs to prepare my rubble-walled cellar for the forecast of 4-8″ of rain and subsequent flooding we’re to get tonight and tomorrow. I love my Ozarks home, but the climate is why hillbillies developed their characteristic existential angst (and keep driving into low-water bridges during flash floods).

  104. 104.

    dogwood

    March 19, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    @Martin:

    No doubt. I met a woman a few years ago (friend of a friend) who dated John Roberts a few times when she was in college and he was in law school. She said he was socially dull, but he had a sense of humor that was quick and often mean.

  105. 105.

    Suffern ACE

    March 19, 2012 at 7:14 pm

    @brachiator-if we drop bombs big enough to reach the oil, Im fairly certain most of Asia would die from the fallout.

  106. 106.

    Tonal Crow

    March 19, 2012 at 7:18 pm

    [Deleted. Wrong thread.]

  107. 107.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    March 19, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    vulnerable incumbent

    I know we like to say “There are things Obama has done that I disagree with” and “vulnerable incumbent” but, you know what: If he were truly vulnerable we wouldn’t be dealing with Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, and Paul, we would be dealing with Christie and Daniels.

  108. 108.

    muddy

    March 19, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    @brettvk: I’m in VT, it’s just ridiculous!

    Last year I gave away my above ground pool, and built a giant box out of the wood from its deck. It’s a couple feet high, so I can sit on the edge of it instead of getting down to the ground. Since the wood was pressure treated (altho very old) I lined it with plastic on the sides, held in place with the decking planks I wlll sit on. It is open to the pool’s sand underneath. I’m planning to put viney things by the edge and let them trail over onto the sand, I hope this will foil some bugs. I had a delivery of 1/3 topsoil mixed with 2/3 MooDoo dumped into it.

    My old garden space had gotten too shady due to trees on the south, sadly not on my property. The pool area is the only fully sunny spot in my woody/boggy yard. Great for olds like me, and there are not yet any weed seeds in it, nor yet squash and potato bugs. Heaven.

  109. 109.

    Brachiator

    March 19, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    @Suffern ACE:

    if we drop bombs big enough to reach the oil, Im fairly certain most of Asia would die from the fallout.

    First of all, the oil ain’t that deep. More importantly, if the area near and around the oil fields, the roads, the equipment is contaminated, this is problem enough. And this is before you get to the horrible human toll, and outbreaks of disease and chaos which also would disrupt everything.

    As far as I have seen, nobody has plans to use nukes initially. I’m assuming here that shit gets crazy, and things spin out of control.

  110. 110.

    SiubhanDuinne

    March 19, 2012 at 7:31 pm

    @Zifnab25:

    Math homework I’ve been procrastinating to avoid, mostly.

    Just don’t forget to carry the 1 and you’ll be fine.

  111. 111.

    SiubhanDuinne

    March 19, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    @lamh35:

    BTW, found this video of Obama throwing up

    I am so not watching that.

  112. 112.

    Foregone Conclusion

    March 19, 2012 at 8:28 pm

    @ThatLeftTurnInABQ:

    PIGASUS! The police never returned him, you know. He was allegedly last seen heading towards an abbatoir…

    What an election that was.

  113. 113.

    Dr. Squid

    March 19, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    St. Patrick’s Day drunk caucusing FTW!

  114. 114.

    andy

    March 19, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    Paultards are always a million laughs- they think they are the bleeding edge of some kind of a Revolution, but in real life they are the ultimate tools.

    Up here in Minnesota, we’re eagerly expecting the first thunderstorm of the year- it’s been a dry winter and besides which it will melt all the dog turds.

    Also too, I’m still pretty smug about a little beef and rice dish I hammered out between shifts last night!

  115. 115.

    priscianusjr

    March 19, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    @Baud:

    So far, 100% of the Latino vote in every Republican primary has been cast for a Republican. Of course, if you only get your news for the lamestream librul media, you wouldn’t know that.

    So glad you said that!

  116. 116.

    Ruckus

    March 19, 2012 at 9:46 pm

    The Paulistas Are Revolting!
    They certainly are.

    Oh you meant they were up in arms.

  117. 117.

    danielx

    March 19, 2012 at 10:57 pm

    @khead:

    You really thought that was your bed? You should know better. It’s no more your bed than she is your cat, it’s her bed just like you are her human.

    @Baud:

    Quote from a RedState winger a few weeks back:

    “…four men who in a just world would not be allowed near turpentine unsupervised, let alone near the nomination of one of our two major political parties.”

    Also referred to Ron Paul as a gibbering little Nazi, which I thought was pretty good.

    Frankly, I’m at a loss as to why these guys weren’t kicked out of the gene pool. I wouldn’t trust them with the keys to my car, let alone the keys to the nukes.

  118. 118.

    EIGRP

    March 19, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    @Mouse Tolliver:

    Mitt Romney gets a key endorsement from Michael Lucas, a conservative producer of gay fart porn. And no that’s not a typo. I put those last three words together on purpose.

    Truly, I did not know farts could be gay. Are they made that way, or do they choose that orientation?

    Eric

    Edit: I didn’t really think of them as straight, either.

  119. 119.

    Lockewasright

    March 20, 2012 at 1:07 am

    @Larv: Pull!

  120. 120.

    Pseudonym

    March 20, 2012 at 3:54 am

    @Brachiator: Uh, I could be missing something, but isn’t there only one nation in the region that has nukes? Wouldn’t that make it hard to have a nuclear exchange? Unless you’re suggesting that the Pakistanis might get involved. Not that they share a border or anything.

  121. 121.

    rikyrah

    March 20, 2012 at 9:37 am

    they are funny

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