Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

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

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

The new temporary speaker of the house is a spiteful little shit.

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

When we show up, we win.

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

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

with the Kraken taking a plea, the Cheese stands alone.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

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88Comments

  2. 2.

    Mai.naem.mobile

    Anybody see Labor Sec. Thomas Perez on Bill Maher tonight? I hope Hillary picks Perez for Veep. Got a good biography. I like the Castro brothers but they look way too young. Also Perez worked in the DOJ Civil Rights Division.

  4. 4.

    NickM

    Moral contagion – how does it work? Bernie is going to speak at the invitation of an organization that: (1) systematically covered up the molestation of hundreds of thousands of children and is nowhere near fully accounting for it and indeed is harboring fugitives from prosecution (like Cardinal Law) within its very walls; (2) owns and runs what Forbes called the “most secret bank in the world” with billions of assets while little children starve, and (3) has a history of supporting and receiving the support of murderous dictators that make Henry Kissinger look like St. Francis of Assisi. As far as corrupt institutions go, looked at in the right light, the Church’s monstrous history makes Goldman Sachs — which at least allows women on its Board of DIrectors — look like an organic co-op. The Vatican is like if NAMBLA ran a bank. We’ll see if Bernie speaks any truth — even ten seconds of it — to that power. Anyone willing to bet he will? Will the contagion rub off on him? Why not? Good thing the church patched things up with feminists or some might see this as political payback to Hils.

  5. 5.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    I honestly have no clue why Bernie is going to the Vatican during the primaries.

    Neither does Bernie, so you’re not alone in that.

  7. 7.

    EllenH

    @Mai.naem.mobile: I like him too. He was a guest yesterday on my new favorite podcast “Keeping it 1600” by Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer. He seemed like a very down to earth guy!

  9. 9.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    I honestly have no clue why Bernie is going to the Vatican during the primaries.

    Because he was invited to the FUCKING VATICAN.

    How is that not self explanatory?

    STAAAAAAHP with the silly.

  10. 10.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Ella inNew Mexico: The question is why he decided to accept the invitation. How does that benefit his candidacy?

    ETA: I was once invited to spend the night with a Dutch journalist. I declined because I am straight. No judgment on him.

    ETAA: I’ve been to the Vatican. One just pays to get in. No biggie.

  13. 13.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    @Ella inNew Mexico: @NickM: and this Pope is doing as much as is humanly possible to right those wrongs, and get the church back on track to follow the teachings of Jesus. Why should anyone in our party NOT support his Vatican?

  14. 14.

    magurakurin

    I starting to think that maybe Bernie isn’t all there and his handlers and campaign managers, Weaver and Devine, are taking advantage of this fact. First he blows a gasket over something Clinton never said, but Sanders definitely seemed to think she had. I’m guessing Weaver just told him, “hey Bern did you hear what the witch said today?” just to wind him up. And now the Pope thing, that’s really weird. Sanders was on The View and he flat out told those women “yep” he was going to see the Pope. And he really looked like he believed that to be true. But he isn’t. He’s going to some low level academic conference where he is listed as “other participant” on the program. Not exactly top billing and a long, long way from an audience with the Pope. The Vatican, or more correctly the Holy See knows nothing about Sanders having an audience with the Pope. And in fact, the Guardian is reporting that Pope Francis is headed to the Greek island of Lesbo to show support for the refugees and the projected date of the trip is April 15. So, by what we know now, the Pope won’t even be in Rome, much less meet with Sanders. This shit is really weird. And all of it aside, why in the fuck would someone who is running so hotly for the presidency (even though his chance of winning is less than 1% at this point) spend the final days the New York primary in….Rome? Fuggin weird. I got nothin’.

  17. 17.

    gf120581

    @magurakurin: Tad Devine taking advantage of an employer for his own gain? Now why would you think of something like that?

    “Tad, why are you continuing to take money from supporters when you don’t have any real chance at the nomination anymore? Isn’t that dishonest?”

    “Let’s just say their support moved me…TO A BIGGER HOUSE!!! Oh, crap, I said the soft part loud and the loud part soft, didn’t I?”

  18. 18.

    Bostondreams

    @Omnes Omnibus: While he is going to give a speech to academics about income inequality, it is also likely that the fact that the upcoming primaries are in heavily Catholic states comes into play.

  20. 20.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    @Omnes Omnibus: Apparently you haven’t been listening to Francis’s message of social and economic justice. Which is right up the Sanders campaign alley.

  21. 21.

    magurakurin

    @Ella inNew Mexico: Apparently he was invited on March 30. There is some indication, though that his campaign asked for an invitation, but that has neither been confirmed or denied by Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, who invited him. However, Margaret Archer, the president of the Academy, said Sanders invited himself. So, if nothing else, Sanders has placed himself in the middle of a turf war between Vatican officials.

  24. 24.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    @John Cole: Hillary’s obviously has compromising pics of the pope, and got him to invite Bernie to get him out of the country.

  25. 25.

    NickM

    @Ella inNew Mexico: Yes, but still it’s been hard to see the berniebros doing somersaults about the Vatican and doing their schtick about Goldman and Kissenger. Talk about straining on a gnat. Anyway, I’ve been having fun tweaking the berniebros today even though I started as a Bernie supporter myself and I actually like Francis a lot.

  26. 26.

    uest

    @Ella inNew Mexico: You’re not answering any of the legit questions.

    I agree with Cole, this is a weird thing Bernie is doing. It may be a tell that despite all his public bluster, he fully knows his chances are pretty much nil at this point. (If so, he might kindly inform Weaver of that so that yammering idiot quits shooting himself in the foot like he does. Weaver is Bernie’s Mark Penn.)

  32. 32.

    NickM

    @chopper: Precisely. Any other multinational child molestation ring/secret bank would get you called out, but not this one.

  33. 33.

    trollhattan

    I’m going to presume the National Strategic Schadenfreude Reserve still contains a gallon or two for notable events such as this.

    Prosecutors are seeking a six-month jail sentence for disgraced former US House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who is alleged to have paid hush money to cover up sex abuse. Court documents say Hastert agreed to pay $3.5m (£2.5m) to a person he sexually abused when the victim was aged 14 and Hastert was working as a teacher and wrestling coach.

    He is said to have abused five victims.

    The 74-year-old has admitted lying and breaking financial laws. The plea represents a dramatic fall for the former senior Republican politician, who has had his portrait removed from the House of Representatives in the US Congress. The alleged abuse happened while Hastert was working in Yorkville, a suburb outside Chicago, between 1965 and 1981. Three of the victims were wrestlers on a team he coached.

    Note well, my fellow deviants, that today’s Republican Party would have driven Hastert out as a RINO and forgiven/ignored the other uncomfortable bits.

  35. 35.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    @NickM: Hey, don’t forget that a lot of Catholic’s children were victims of that shit and still found a way to see all the good inthe church and it’s better teachings.

  37. 37.

    chopper

    @NickM:

    bernie must have been all “child molesting banksters? count me in!”. I’m assuming that’s what he said.

  42. 42.

    Aqualad08

    I can see the reasons he’s going… Pope got a warm NY welcome last year, high Catholic population in NY, similar messages on inequality, get some foreign policy bona fides…

    Worth going? I dunno, but at this point he’s going for broke in NY and it’s not exactly something Hillary can attack him on without sounding petty. It’s a gamble, probably with a lower reward than he thinks it has.

  45. 45.

    Ruckus

    JC
    There are a couple of things I really like about the update.
    1. The back button works inside a thread. And it doesn’t scroll, it goes right to the last place. Nice.
    2. The down page button.
    And almost as important there isn’t anything I dislike about the update. Alain did a great job IMO.

  46. 46.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    @Omnes Omnibus: From what I’ve read, he’s quietly, systematically making those changes. He’s only been Pope for three years. He’s literally dealing with shit that’s been influencing thing in the Church for centuries…

  48. 48.

    Aqualad08

    Perhaps he is going there to stop the millionaires and the billionaires from acquiring a controlling interest in Immobiliare…

  50. 50.

    Mike J

    I don’t think much of Sanders or the Catholic church, and I don’t see a problem with him going to a conference. You have to deal with bad people sometimes.

  51. 51.

    Prescott Cactus

    @Aqualad08: Does the Catholic Church have the sway that the did during JFK’s years ? Are they even relevant as a solid voting block for Dems. White aging middle class guys I went to HS with in the 70’s were Reagan Repubs and have drank the Tea.

    I’ve been away from the church for a long while, but I don’t think the Catholic vote can be defined like hispanic or black voters. They fall into too many pigeon holes that are non Democratic. Abortion, for a big one.

    Hillary’s supposed to be in Asia at a Goldman Speech while Bernie’s eating hosts w/ the Pope. Bad optics for Hillary.

    Granted it was Huckabee, but who really cared when he went to Israel ?

  55. 55.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    @Omnes Omnibus: answer this: why does it not? Besides, you’re a Clinton fan, what do you care—unless you think it somehow makes HER look bad? Which you clearly don’t, so again…why do you care one way or the other?

  56. 56.

    tastytone

    @Bostondreams:
    So…he’s skipping off to Roma because, as he said on national tv, he’s meeting with the Pope at the Pope’s request…but he’s not in reality meeting the Pope as the Pope is OOT that day doing Pope stuff for refugees…he’s just attending a conference?

    What’s the punchline?

  57. 57.

    Jerzy Russian

    @Ella inNew Mexico: If Mr. Sanders is serious about getting the nomination, perhaps his time would be better spent campaigning for the New York primary. He could be giving speeches, eating pizza, kissing babies, etc.

  58. 58.

    Prescott Cactus

    @Ruckus: Hillary is going to be in Hong Kong giving a speech to Goldman Sachs, when Saint Bernie will be “visiting” the Pope (kinda).

    Optics not camera shots, will be; but oh while I was at the Holy Sea how much did you take in from the Goldman talk. . .

    Eating “hosts” are small round white grain disks, are the bread of communion.

  59. 59.

    Luthe

    Is this going to descend into the comment version of the Thirty Years War? And if it is, can we defenestrate some of the trolls?

  60. 60.

    Ella inNew Mexico

    @amk: lol little Fucker. Glad he wasn’t one of MY four kids. I’d have been tempted to smother him with a pillow or something. ;-)

  62. 62.

    cckids

    @Mai.naem.mobile:

    Anybody see Labor Sec. Thomas Perez on Bill Maher tonight? I hope Hillary picks Perez for Veep.

    I saw him here in Vegas before the caucus; he spoke right before Hillary did. He was very, very good – got the crowd really fired up, knew his stuff & was an exciting, dynamic speaker. He’s smart & has a quick sense of humor. That was the general consensus of many people that night – Hillary would be well-served with him as a VP candidate.

  63. 63.

    tastytone

    @Prescott Cactus:

    Hillary is going to be in Hong Kong giving a speech to Goldman Sachs

    I think that’s wishful thinking on someone’s part. I’ve seen that retracted elsewhere.

  64. 64.

    Aqualad08

    @Prescott Cactus: No, not nearly as much sway. Yes, they are surprising solid in NY, especially in the city (not African American, Latino or even Jewish solid, but I’d put them down for +10 or more statewide). I’d also say in light of the evangelical split in the GOP this time around, they might be more “definable” than you’d think. I’m a lapsed myself, but my mother is still active and I know quite a few in NY. Pope Frank is very popular here, but the bishops are hated, especially Murphy on Long Island.

  66. 66.

    Aqualad08

    @Prescott Cactus: No, she isn’t speaking in Hong Kong. And Bernie cannot receive the host because as a Jew he is not in a state of grace in the eyes of the Church.

  67. 67.

    Anne Laurie

    @Adam L Silverman: “The Vatican”, as referenced in that RawStory article, is Monseigneur Sorondo. He’s an old Ratzinger loyalist who has yet to forgive his fellow Argentinian Father Bergoglio (Pope Francis) for lowering the tone of the Holy See. Think of the Dubya-era holdouts in all the various Federal bureaucracies, determined to hold the line until That Black Man in Their White House can be ousted by one means or another.

    I don’t expect Sanders to understand the civil war in the Vatican, but somebody among his advisors (Tad Devine says he’s a practicing Catholic!) should’ve read the fine print more closely.

  68. 68.

    Prescott Cactus

    @tastytone:

    I think that’s wishful thinking on someone’s part. I’ve seen that retracted elsewhere.

    Last time stamped story is 8am, (KOS) so indeed the Chinese junket may not sail.

    @Aqualad08: Hard to write in stone when rocks full a mud. Sounds like a tough call.

  69. 69.

    Anne Laurie

    @Ella inNew Mexico:

    He’s only been Pope for three years. He’s literally dealing with shit that’s been influencing thing in the Church for centuries…

    See my previous comment. I hold no brief for the Mother Church, but to some degree Pope Francis is getting the stick even as he tries to end some of the most egregious offences — just like President Obama gets yelled at for not cleaning up the Repubs’ messes fast enough. And, just as in the Oval Office, the Pope is being undercut by a lot of dug-in bureaucrats who are outraged, outraged that this parvenu should be prattling about ‘social justice’ and ‘undoing the sins of the past’ with the Dowager Pope Ratzinger not even cold in his grave!..

  71. 71.

    Anne Laurie

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Answer this: why does it make sense for Sanders to meet with the Pope rather than campaign here?

    You ask my opinion (and that of a lot of smarter professional pundits), it doesn’t. As I noted in the post up top, bets are being laid that he’ll quietly reschedule and hope the media is too busy lathering up on the next scandal to notice.

  72. 72.

    Ruckus

    @Prescott Cactus:
    When I said what I meant what are you talking about a speech in Hong Kong? Your post is the only place I’ve seen this. And considering the campaign that she is running, the optics of this are so far out of focus that it seems to be just plain BS. I maybe might have expected this in 08 but even then I’d have been very skeptical, but not now.
    And while I’m not Catholic or even religious at all, the final kicker for me was going to a Catholic all boys technical high school for freshman yr. I was pretty much an atheist before that but being exposed directly to that much Catholic bullshit sealed the deal for me.

  73. 73.

    Prescott Cactus

    @Ruckus: When I said what I meant what are you talking about a speech in Hong Kong? Your post is the only place I’ve seen this. And considering the campaign that she is running, the optics of this are so far out of focus that it seems to be just plain BS.

    Here is my source Hillary to Hong Kong posted 8am on Kos.

  74. 74.

    Anne Laurie

    @Prescott Cactus:

    Hillary is going to be in Hong Kong giving a speech to Goldman Sachs

    Nah. That’s what the BernieBros believe, but it’s just a Goldman Sachs guy (Gary Gensler) doing a fundraiser among expats in Hong Kong. Bad enough without the ‘secret sauce’, if you’re a Sandernista, but HRC isn’t so green as fall for a stunt like that just before a crucial primary — and nor are the people around her, this time.

  76. 76.

    tastytone

    @Anne Laurie:
    If you heard a bump, that was my mother rolling over in her grave as you typed the name “Ratzinger”. (Remember his whole denying communion-shtick to John Kerry, et al?) She could really emphasize the “rat” when she said his name. This whole thing is baffling.

  77. 77.

    magurakurin

    @Anne Laurie: Gary Gensler is not just a “Goldman Sachs guy.” Yes, he worked there, but he then became one of the toughest regulators going.

  78. 78.

    Ruckus

    @Prescott Cactus:
    I gave up on Kos long ago. Don’t even have it bookmarked any more. Doing so has served me well oh these last few years. I highly recommend it. The amount of bullshit in my life has gone down a couple hundred percent at least.

  81. 81.

    different-church-lady

    @tastytone: Correct: she’s not going to Hong Kong. She’s going to NORTH KOREA! TO GIVE A SPEECH TO MONSANTO!!!!

  82. 82.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    @Omnes Omnibus: The Pope was in DC in 9/2015 and Bernie made some remarks about him at the time. Bernie officially had been running for around 5 months at that time.

    It probably would have been difficult to meet with him then (too political, not important enough yet). It sounds like he’s not meeting the Pope this time either. It probably would make more sense for Bernie to point people to his 2015 remarks rather than to go there.

    This episode sounds to me like it’s little more than the “subway token” thing – a tiny bit of news that is getting blown-up out of proportion. I don’t think it will keep his supporters enthused, and I don’t think it will affect people on the fence. There are downside risks, getting worn out on a short multi-time zone trip, being away from the US media at a critical time, etc., and especially if he really is a pawn in some sort of palace intrigue at the Vatican…

    I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens and he appears there by video if at all.

    FWIW.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  84. 84.

    laura

    @Mai.naem.mobile: Thomas Perez was the keynote speaker at my union’s winter conference just after his confirmation. What a deeply thoughtful man with an unwavering commitment to bettering the lives of working men and women. Just a WOW person.

  85. 85.

    shomi

    I wish Sanders would hurry up and throw in the towel so that it will be bearable for me to visit Dkos again. What a pack of losers that that site. Seriously. They make FireDogLake look downright respectable.

  86. 86.

    nutella

    @Ella inNew Mexico:

    this Pope is doing as much as is humanly possible to right those wrongs, and get the church back on track to follow the teachings of Jesus. Why should anyone in our party NOT support his Vatican?

    Yeah, wasn’t it great the way he sent Bernard Law back to Boston rather than allow a vicious un-Christian supporter of rapists of children to enjoy a comfortable retirement in Rome?

    So he’s better than his predecessors but no, not worthy of support from anyone who is against raping of children or for full personhood of women.

  87. 87.

    No One You Know

    @Ruckus: Second that! Yay, dates and numbered comments! Navigating to important quotes much easier with these features. Thank you, Alain.

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