Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

A Senator Walker would be an insult to the state and the nation.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

A dilettante blog from the great progressive state of West Virginia.

We still have time to mess this up!

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

I did not have telepathic declassification on my 2022 bingo card.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Dog Blogging / Thursday Morning Open Thread: Athenian Splendor

Thursday Morning Open Thread: Athenian Splendor

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raven bohdi mcboatface may 16

Or, as indefatigable commentor Raven calls it, “Bohdi McBoatface and his sidekick Lil Bit”.

Thanks to all who sent pet pics — I’ve got a couple dozen lined up now, to keep us all good spirits over the coming weeks. So far there’s a vast preponderance of cats, just in case anyone’s been too shy to send their guys’ beauty shots…

Apart from that, what’s on the agenda for the day?

Reader Interactions

147Comments

  5. 5.

    Poopyman

    ‘Morning, Sunshine!

    Heh! “McBoatface”. He’ll have to wear that name alone, due to some stuffed shirts in the boat-naming department.

    Now off to work ….

  7. 7.

    raven

    @amk: They are pretty funny with each other. Bohdi is incredibly jealous whenever the little one gets attention, he’ll nose her out of the way and lean against the petee! Mostly they just ignore each other.

  11. 11.

    Mustang Bobby

    I wonder if they’ve ever had the dog version of:

    “What is with those long shaggy ears that get in the way of eating. How can you hear anything?”

    “What?”

    “Ha!”

    “Look who’s talking, Dorito-ears…”

  13. 13.

    PsiFighter37

    Just read that George Zimmerman is auctioning off the gun he shot Trayvon Martin with. Everyone already knew he was an asshole, but this is really, really low. Nice way to get enraged right after waking up.

  15. 15.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @PsiFighter37: Look on the bright side. The lowlife scumsucking leech is getting truly desperate selling the only asset he has with any kind of ‘value’. I’d buy the damn thing just so I could melt it down if only he wasn’t getting any of the money.

  23. 23.

    Randy P

    @PsiFighter37: He’s an asshole and so is whoever buys it, but there are certainly collectors who like that kind of macabre stuff. I’ll bet a lot of people who wouldn’t touch this one would be happy to have, say, the pistol that killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Or the one that killed Galois (also in a pointless stupid duel).

  26. 26.

    Schlemazel Khan

    I understand that part of the proceeds are to be donated to a group grifting . . . er, fighting against Black Lives Matter.

    I expect we might find Mr. Z’s morality someday on that camera feed from the Mariana Trench.

  27. 27.

    Aleta

    I guess my agenda is trying to get my breath and my faith in decency back after reading the news about GZ.

  28. 28.

    Schlemazel Khan

    @Amir Khalid:
    New Zealand is getting pretty close though, right?

    I discovered something interesting while reading the other day, maybe it is one of those things that I am the last person on Earth to find out but it surprised me. I have heard UTC (the time zone formally known as GMT) refered to as “Zulu” and always thought that was weird. But it turns out there is a name for every time zone. You East Coasters are in “Romeo”, I am in “Sierra” and you Mr. Khalid are in “Hotel”. I thought that was weird someone would do that but I guess it does standardize names though it does not seem to be widely used.

  29. 29.

    Hal

    @Schlemazel Khan: I understand that part of the proceeds are to be donated to a group grifting . . . er, fighting against Black Lives Matter.

    That sounds like an onion headline.

  36. 36.

    PaulWartenberg2016

    I’m waking up to the news that George Zimmerman is selling off the gun he used to kill Trayvon.

    We get it, George. Nobody wants to hire a racist murderer and he’s running out of whatever funds he scammed out of his rabid supporters during his trial. He’s also keen on the fooking attention again.

    There are only two fates I want tied to that gun. 1) whomever buys it melts it down into an albatross figurine and wraps it permanently around George’s neck or 2) the person buying it has a felony record and George can get charged with selling a firearm to a felon.

  38. 38.

    Patricia Kayden

    @PsiFighter37: So lovely that he’s still alive and evil and making money from killing an innocent teenager. But this is the U.S. where a killer can make money off of killing someone for no reason at all. The starting bid, by the way, for the gun is $5000. I’m sure racists and Trump supporters are lining up to bid.

  39. 39.

    amk

    @PaulWartenberg2016:

    the person buying it has a felony record and George can get charged with selling a firearm to a felon.

    good point. doesn’t the gun seller has to vet the buyer?

  40. 40.

    Hal

    My single biggest complaint about some sanders supporters was summed up in a Facebook comment last night from a friend of a friend. This person was talking about the ny primary and how Sanders actually won in a landslide because he won most counties. I made a comment that sanders lost simply because he got less votes. Just basic math. Nope, he won and the system is rigged.

    This drives me insane. Every loss is a rigged system and every win is a revolution. It’s just obnoxious and disingenuous. If Sanders ends up the nominee some of these folks are going to have to get a grip.

  42. 42.

    Schlemazel Khan

    @sm*t cl*de:
    What I would hope is that the buyer stiffs Zimmerman and disappears with the gun leaving him with nothing.

  43. 43.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Hal:

    If Sanders ends up the nominee some of these folks are going to have to get a grip.

    Sanders’ supporters need to come to grips with the fact that he’s not going to be the nominee although he can choose to play an important role in campaigning for Secretary Clinton during the general election season. I also expect that many of his ideals will shape the Democratic platform and he can continue to push Secretary Clinton to the left.

    Hopefully all this “Bernie or Bust” talk will evaporate by November when Progressives are faced with the ugliness of a possible Trump presidency.

  44. 44.

    Baud

    @Patricia Kayden:

    I’m sure racists and Trump supporters are lining up to bid.

    I’m surprised a good writer like you would use such a blatant redundancy.

  45. 45.

    Betty Cracker

    @PaulWartenberg2016: I don’t think I would say this about anyone else on earth, but I can think of a better fate for that gun — Zimmerman eats it. It’s an evil thought. I don’t like having it. But that cruel son of a bitch has caused so much pain and evidently relishes pouring salt in the wounds. I hope he gets the sticky end he deserves.

  47. 47.

    Schlemazel Khan

    @Betty Cracker:
    He will always have friends in certain communities. His future could be bright, he could serve as Assistant Undersecretary at DOJ in the Trump administration.

  48. 48.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @amk: Hell no. This is America dammit! FREEDUMB!!!!! (he can not legally know he is selling to a felon, but he is under no legal obligation to even ask)

  49. 49.

    Iowa Old Lady

    @Patricia Kayden: I like the idea of Sanders influencing the platform, except I’m not sure what use a party platform has ever been. I guess it’s more a way for a party to think about and agree on what it stands for than a plan for action.

  52. 52.

    Aleta

    Pledges to donate proportionate amounts of money to groups who honor Travon with action, would be a way to counteract the harm. Though I’d love to see that sale site go down.

  54. 54.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Iowa Old Lady: Given what has become of the Republican Party and who their candidate is, a solid, progressive platform would be a great way to distinguish our side from theirs. Republicans are still fighting over issues like marriage equality and LGBT rights — fights which will be reflected in their platform.

  56. 56.

    Gimlet

    @Iowa Old Lady:

    The leadership of the Democratic Party in its current existence is former Republicans and centrists.

    From the Harry Reid – Grayson confrontation posted yesterday.

    Ellison and other Progressive Caucus members then shut down the questioning. One source in the room said that members rarely get meetings with Reid and were frustrated that they were unable to strategize over the Supreme Court, Donald Trump’s nomination and other issues because of the outburst.

  58. 58.

    Betty

    it would be good if the Zimmeman gun could be purchased by a pro gun control group and made part of an exhibit to demonstrate the need for change in the gun laws.

  59. 59.

    raven

    @OzarkHillbilly: Seen this?

    Happy People: A Year in the Taiga

    A documentary depicting the life and work of the trappers of Bakhtia, a village in the heart of the Siberian Taiga, where daily life has changed little in over a century.
    Directors: Werner Herzog, Dmitry Vasyukov

  61. 61.

    Jeffro

    Was worried about the prospect of Ted Cruz coming back in 2020 and him getting by a low-info electorate as a retooled ‘compassionate conservative’…

    …then I realized we’ve got enough to worry about for one election cycle, no need to start stressing about the next one.

  62. 62.

    Schlemazel Khan

    @Gimlet:
    I’m not sure if I missed your point or if you missed what happened there.
    The progressive caucus had a meeting with Reid. Grayson decided to make it all about himself and was attacking Reid. Ellison and other progressives stepped in and put an end to the attack so as to focus on the objectives they wanted to work together on. I am sure Rep Grayson knows where Sen Reid’s office is and could drop by to harangue him at any old time but instead chose to disrupt a planning meeting with his shit.

  63. 63.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @raven: I have seen a number of Herzog documentaries, and I have seen a couple about Siberia and life there, but that does not appear to be in either of those 2 sets. Into the queue it goes! thanx.

  64. 64.

    D58826

    Gingrich Not Opposed to Becoming Trump’s VP

    A marriage made in a place I would rathewr not think about.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2016/05/12/gingrich-not-opposed-to-becoming-trump-s-vp.html

    And slime always floats to the surface

    George Zimmerman Auctioning Gun Used to Kill Trayvon Martin

    Only not sure who is the slimest – the seller or the potential buyers
    http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2016/05/11/george-zimmerman-auctioning-gun-used-to-kill-trayvon-martin.html

    Where is there a good asteroid when you need one.

  65. 65.

    Patricia Kayden

    I have to laugh at this article which questions whether Trump “stole” Ryan’s party. There is no dichotomy between Paul “Granny Starver” Ryan and Trump, even though Ryan is pretending to be coy about supporting Trump. At least for a few days.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/has-donald-trump-stolen-paul-ryans-party-out-from-under-him/2016/05/11/12fd4c54-1719-11e6-924d-838753295f9a_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_entitlements-415pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

  66. 66.

    ThresherK (GPad)

    @Schlemazel Khan: We radio geeks use Z, like 1245z. However use of the other time zones by the phonetic is dang rare. And I speak as a guy whose first transceiver had tubes.

  69. 69.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Jeffro:

    Was worried about the prospect of Ted Cruz coming back in 2020 and him getting by a low-info electorate as a retooled ‘compassionate conservative’…

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. gasp…. wheeze… I’m dyin’ over here!

    Ted Cruz… compassionate conservative…..

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. gasp…. wheeze… AAAACKKK!!

    now that I have my laugh for the day, I’m gonna make like a hockey player and get the puck out of here.. Thanx.

  70. 70.

    raven

    @OzarkHillbilly: You’ll love it. The only thing I didn’t care for was how the dude said “a good dog only lasts a couple of years”. Then the dog runs next to the snowmobile for 100 miles! No shit.

  72. 72.

    mike in dc

    @Gimlet:
    Not sure this is entirely accurate. The House Progressive Caucus is the largest caucus in the Dem Congress. Now, Reid may not be a progressive, but then he’s leading an inherently more conservative(in the classical not ideological sense) faction, the Senate Democrats.

  73. 73.

    dww44

    The spouse watches CNBC programming in the a.m. Just a few minutes ago, Joe Kernan, a CNBC regular who reminds me of a conservative relative in that he NEVER fails to turn every conversation into one more chance to bash Democrats, was talking with Dan Quayle. The latter was apparently making the rounds of the morning shows giving his endorsement of Trump, opining that Trump will be more rational and thoughtful during the general election. Also, Kernan makes some jab about how LEFTIST the Indiana Democratic party or Democratic candidate is.

    At times like this, I seriously wish I could magically insert myself at one of their gabfests and could look them in the eye and tell them that Democrats haven’t moved left, they have moved way right. They’re the extremists. Not us liberals. We’re the sane and humane party because we believe in government that works for the powerless and the marginalized. and we don’t believe in privatizing everything.

  74. 74.

    satby

    So embarrassing chore for the day, send the two bars of soap I missed on her order to Hillary Rettig. She ordered 3 of one kind, I missed that and just sent one. I hate when I do stupid stuff like that. (Sorry again Hillary!)

  77. 77.

    The Thin Black Duke

    @Schlemazel Khan: Unfortunately, the same starry-eyed “progressives” who are presently enraptured with Sanders are probably the same folks who fell for Grayson’s bullshit. Big mouth, small deeds.

  78. 78.

    Chyron HR

    @Gimlet:

    just the attitude of the party establishment towards working with its progressive wing.

    Insufficient deference to people hurling invective at them?

  79. 79.

    Betty Cracker

    @Schlemazel Khan: Grayson is a grandstanding ass. I hope he gets hammered in the upcoming primary, even though I’m not at all thrilled about voting for his blue dog opponent.

  80. 80.

    amk

    @Gimlet:

    Oh, please you brought in grayson to make ‘your point’. Grayson showboated and was promptly booted out.

  81. 81.

    bemused

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    There are quite a few ice roads in northern MN probably most used for ice fishing. Several years ago we went crappie fishing on Red Lake with friends on a warm, sunny April day. We drove a long way until we reached the main fishing spot, a large village of fish houses and plowed streets. A great experience until the sun started going down and we were all getting chilled and in desperate need of a bathroom.

    We have friends that live on a lake island. They put up with transporting themselves and their groceries, etc for the beauty and peace but it can get dicey when before and after the ice is thick enough to use snowmobile or walk and they can’t use their boat.

  88. 88.

    Jeffro

    @OzarkHillbilly: You watch…he’ll downplay the social issues…”hate the sin, love the sinner”-type talk…much less nasty about immigration…

    I mean, he’ll still be Ted Cruz and therefore completely unappealing on a personal level. But he’ll be different next go-round.

    Anyway, glad I made your day and as I said, there’s enough to worry about this cycle. Until I saw that Trump’s considering running with Gingrich, that is. You know Clinton’s got to be like, “I knew my karma was all right…had no idea it was THIS good…”

  90. 90.

    Gimlet

    @Baud:

    As WBUR’s Jolicoeur tells our Newscast Unit, avoiding a primary with immigration attorney Marisa DeFranco means Warren can now focus all of her attention on what is expected to be a tight race with Brown.

  91. 91.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Gimlet: Why do you so seldom provide links to what you post? You do it sometimes, so I know you know how.

  92. 92.

    germy

    @PsiFighter37:

    …auctioning off the gun he shot …

    He probably doesn’t even know it, but he’s tapping into a deep and rich racist tradition of “souvenirs” (body parts, lynching postcards, pieces of rope). I’m curious, does Hannity still defend him? I don’t watch his show so I don’t know.

  93. 93.

    NotMax

    Quick picks.

    Brazilian turmoil deepens.

    Brazil’s Senate has voted to put leftist President Dilma Rousseff on trial in a historic decision brought on by a deep recession and a corruption scandal that will now confront Michel Temer, the vice-president who succeeds her.
    [snip]
    The 55-22 vote ends more than 13 years of rule by the left-wing Workers Party, which rose from Brazil’s labour movement and helped pull millions of people out of poverty before seeing many of its leaders face corruption investigations. Source

    Facing up to the past.

    Germany is to overturn the convictions of gay men who were prosecuted for their sexuality under historic laws.

    Homosexuality did not become fully legal in Germany until 1994, and existing convictions were never lifted.

    Thousands of German men still live with criminal records for being gay more than 20 years later. Source

    18. And apparently not a one so much as paused long enough to say boo about it.

    Members of a US high school team have been accused of killing a guinea pig before a match to get face paint for players.

    According to local media reports, up to 18 members of the Grosse Ile lacrosse team have been accused of murdering the animal and smearing its blood on their faces earlier this month. Source

  94. 94.

    germy

    @Gimlet: I googled “As WBUR’s Jolicoeur tells our Newscast Unit” and it took me right to the story.

    I often post links here and wonder if anyone looks at them. Maybe they do, I don’t know. Some people have said they hate youtube links. I know I have a habit of saying “check out this cool song!” and then linking to youtube. Who knows if anyone listens?

    When someone doesn’t provide a link and I’m interested enough I’ll just google key words in whatever he quoted.

  96. 96.

    WaterGirl

    What a great photo of your pups, Raven! Loved the Bohdi McBoatface and his sidekick Lil Bit Please do not tell Bohdi that I laughed when I saw the photo – what a great face!

    Also, is that the railing of a deck or porch that I see in the photo? Have we seen pictures? I have been out of the loop for a few days – so that’s my excuse if I should know about that already.

  98. 98.

    Gin & Tonic

    @germy: Including the URL if you’re quoting from a story on another site is considered good manners. It saves the reader here from going through the step you did, of copy-pasting into Google. There’s a button immediately above the comment box called “link” that enables you to do it without having to know any HTML syntax, so omitting it is either lazy or rude on the part of the poster.

  99. 99.

    WarMunchkin

    Some interesting article about Biden’s not run out todayh. Claims Warren would have gotten the VP slot. But as time passes I’m starting to be a more and more opposed to Warren as VP. She doesn’t have real credibility among the Bernie people anymore and sacrificing a Senate seat is poinless. There’s no gain for us.

  102. 102.

    Iowa Old Lady

    @germy: Someone I know worked doing economic development in Ecuador. She was out in the countryside and saw a ceremony during which a person was rubbed down with a guinea pig to draw out the bad vibes. Sadly, the guinea pig was then cut open so its entrails could be read.

    I occasionally have days when I need someone to rub me down with a guinea pig.

  104. 104.

    Betty Cracker

    @WarMunchkin: Why doesn’t Warren have credibility with Sanders people anymore? If they are focused on policy instead of the soap opera aspects of the race, she should have plenty of credibility.

  105. 105.

    Betty Cracker

    @Iowa Old Lady: My daughter had a pet guinea pig years ago (now dead — RIP, Mr. Squeaks), and once when she was Googling something GP-related, she was horrified to find recipes for cooking them along with images of roasted guinea pigs. Apparently they are a delicacy in some parts of the world…

  106. 106.

    NotMax

    Friday, 10:15 p.m. Eastern on TCM.

    About Mrs. Leslie. Shirley Booth and Robert Ryan.

    Bring a hanky. Or two.

  107. 107.

    germy

    @Betty Cracker: From Bloomberg:

    America’s egg crisis is over.

    Not only have shortages disappeared, but there are signs of an emerging glut. U.S. prices have tumbled 75 percent from a record in August, after the biggest bird-flu outbreak ever forced farmers to destroy flocks. Since then, the laying-hen population has rebounded faster than expected while demand languished from home chefs to food makers.

    Tell your chickens I said “thank you for doing your part”

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-11/bird-flu-egg-boom-goes-bust-as-u-s-farms-quick-to-replace-flock

  110. 110.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Betty Cracker: How about the buyer takes one for the team and uses it on the seller? Standing ground against Zimmerman’s aggression, of course.

  112. 112.

    Betty Cracker

    @ruemara: If Grayson wins the upcoming US Senate primary, the Republicans will retain Lil’ Marco’s seat and the Democrats will blow an opportunity for a crucial pick-up. No way that bloviating gasbag wins a statewide race. I’ll admit I’ve been thrilled by Grayson’s grandstanding tactics — the “die quickly” bit was choice. But he’s got personal scandals up the wazoo in addition to a temperament issue.

  114. 114.

    Punchy

    Is this shit formally illegal, or just morally reprehensible and ethically disgusting? Cuz the former may land them in the pookie, while the latter will have zero, zilch effect on their standing or re-electability.

    Seriously, NC is sprinting to the lead in the Worst Fucking State in the Nation Olympics, even though Mississippi has owned the competition for so many years.

  115. 115.

    MattF

    @Jeffro: I’m picturing Ted Cruz looking into a mirror, practicing a ‘compassionate’ expression. The mirror cracks, then bursts into flames.

  116. 116.

    ruemara

    @Betty Cracker: not to mention how beloved a hedge fund manager is by the destroy Wall Street crowd. It’s the House Progressive Caucus meeting with the Senate Minority Leader. Jesus Christ on a Cracker, why is the reality based, smarter, nuanced thinking left, suddenly incapable of remembering how government works?

  117. 117.

    Mike in NC

    On the subject of guns, just read that there is a bill in the SC legislature that would allow people filing for bankruptcy to keep up to $5000 worth of their guns. Why? Because FUCKING GUNS are so awesome!

  118. 118.

    Cacti

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    Unfortunately, the same starry-eyed “progressives” who are presently enraptured with Sanders are probably the same folks who fell for Grayson’s bullshit. Big mouth, small deeds.

    It’s kind of depressing how willing the emo left is to slap the label “progressive” on anyone who talks a good game…

    Up to and including Cayman Islands hedge fund managers like Grayson.

  119. 119.

    rikyrah

    @Schlemazel Khan:

    The progressive caucus had a meeting with Reid. Grayson decided to make it all about himself and was attacking Reid.

    Basically Harry Reid said – don’t come for me unless I send for you – to Grayson.

  120. 120.

    rikyrah

    @Patricia Kayden:

    I have to laugh at this article which questions whether Trump “stole” Ryan’s party. There is no dichotomy between Paul “Granny Starver” Ryan and Trump, even though Ryan is pretending to be coy about supporting Trump.

    ICAM

    Where are the POLICY differences between them?

    Please tell me about them.

  121. 121.

    rikyrah

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Ted Cruz… compassionate conservative…..

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. gasp…. wheeze… AAAACKKK!!

    now that I have my laugh for the day, I’m gonna make like a hockey player and get the puck out of here.. Thanx.

    Yeah, that was a chuckle.

    When I think about Rafael believing that he was the smartest guy in the universe…and wound up being beaten by the con-man carnival barker…

    makes me smile everytime.

    EVERYTIME.

  122. 122.

    rikyrah

    @Jeffro:

    You watch…he’ll downplay the social issues…”hate the sin, love the sinner”-type talk…much less nasty about immigration…

    His entire voting block WERE the social issues people. Without them..he would have been Jim Gilmore.

  123. 123.

    J R in WV

    Retired, so today is Saturday for us, except for the Dentist appointment, followed later in the afternoon by the final PT appointment for Mrs J, who has been kicked out of her PT by Dave, who gave her an A+. Yay!!! Not to travel for a couple more months, too high a risk of clots. But soon a trip before she gets her other knee done next fall.

    She is amazed with her new knee, which doesn’t hurt – her knees were F’ed up all her life, either congenitally or from early childhood damage. But the new one appears to be perfect.

    @I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet:

    Regarding shipping a gun:

    You have to take your weapon to a federally licensed dealer, who can then ship to another licensed dealer, where a purchaser, or your brother, whatever, can pick it up from them. That’s how it is done legally. There is usually a charge, of course, plus the shipping costs.

  124. 124.

    rikyrah

    @Betty Cracker:

    If Grayson wins the upcoming US Senate primary, the Republicans will retain Lil’ Marco’s seat and the Democrats will blow an opportunity for a crucial pick-up. No way that bloviating gasbag wins a statewide race.

    This
    This
    10x This

    I want that DEM pickup.

  125. 125.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @Betty Cracker:

    For some reason that I don’t understand, purity progressives seem to prefer grandstanding asses and poseurs that complain about shit and call for a lot of shit (like Scoldy McShouty), or they fixate on identity, over actual legislative accomplishments. As soon as a legislator gets experience at working within the system – ie., negotiating, deal making and compromising, they become too “Establishment” – like Reid and Pelosi and now Liz Warren I guess- and no longer have unclean hands progressives are attracted to, like crows to shiny objects. It explains the appeal of people like Jill Stein and Sanders, except for the fact that he’s been in Congress for 30 years. The perfect example is Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards. I waded into a gnashing and wailing of purity progresives in a FB comment section, explaining that Van Hollen has been an excellent Rep., and his speech catching and calling out the Republican attempt to change a rule in the middle of the night to allow the Republicans to default back in 2013 as treason was one of those things only someone with experience and knowledge of the players and rules could have done. But, he’s a white male liberal and not a black woman favored by progressives, so burn him.

  127. 127.

    magurakurin

    @WarMunchkin: If the Bernie People don’t respect Warren anymore then, you know what? Fuck ’em. They are as stoned as Jeff “comic book store manager” Weaver who had this to say today:

    For months, Bernie Sanders has out-polled Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump, and often by extraordinarily large margins. Because we must do everything we can to defeat Trump in November, our mission is to win as many pledged delegates as we can between now and June 14,” when the primary season ends, Mr. Weaver said. “Then we’re going to have a contested convention where the Democratic Party must decide if they want the candidate with the momentum who is best positioned to beat Trump, or if they are willing to roll the dice and court disaster simply to protect the status quo for the political and financial establishment of this country.

    Yeah, how about no? And instead we’ll go with the choice of the voters and the best person qualified to be president…Hillary Clinton..and you, you can go fuck yourself. What do you say to that Jeff? Dick. Now fuck off back to Vermont…

  128. 128.

    Betty Cracker

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne: Maybe it all comes down to show biz — Republicans haven’t quite cornered the market on shallowness and stupidity. (I don’t know jackshit about the Van Hollen-Edwards race, but show biz definitely seems to be a factor in Grayson’s bid.)

  129. 129.

    rikyrah

    @J R in WV:

    She is amazed with her new knee, which doesn’t hurt – her knees were F’ed up all her life, either congenitally or from early childhood damage. But the new one appears to be perfect.

    As long as you do what the therapists tell you to do, in terms of exercises….knee surgery has come a LONG way.

  131. 131.

    eric

    @mike in dc: why would he meet with them at all, since they are in the other bicameral body? is there evidence that he meets with the Blue Dog Reps?

  132. 132.

    ruemara

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne: They want hatred against the right people more than they want to win the power to make a change. Now, who does that sound like? And why the hell would people who need those changes, gravitate towards those people?

  133. 133.

    MattF

    Welp, the big meeting between Ryan and Der Trump took place, and Reince Preibus actually said:

    The meeting was great. It was a very positive step toward party unity.

    F.L.W.

  134. 134.

    Dork

    @Mike in NC: How are the value of guns determined? And also, why couldn’t a deadbeat temporarily exchange his money for guns, then exchange them back after the case is settled?

    Doesn’t that make “guns” a de facto currency–untouchable–during bankruptcy proceedings?

  135. 135.

    eric

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne: they want FIGHT. that is what Trump brought to the GOP. People want politicians to fight. They want to believe that good ideas win over bad ideas and that good ideas are worth fighting for. The impulse is driven by a belief that we are where we are (a bad place) because of compromise and the lack of fight. In some ways it is obviously true that politicians have been co-opted by monied-interests. It is also true, however, that compromise is a necessity for collective action.

  136. 136.

    Raven

    @Dork: It’s strictly what the market will bear. I recently sold an antique Winchester for $2500 and I know the dealer I sold it to got way more.

  137. 137.

    MattF

    @Dork: What if guns are used as collateral? Does repossessing them violate the 2nd Amendment? Could Goldman Sachs issue ‘Stand your ground’ gun-default swaps? So many possibilities…

  138. 138.

    WarMunchkin

    @Betty Cracker: The policy aspects of Sanders’ campaign were jettisoned a few weeks ago. Those voters are already gone, and the narrative (I frequent Bernie communities) is that Elizabeth Warren sold out in order to maintain credibility with the Democratic establishment. If they were going to vote for Democrats in the fall, picking Warren wouldn’t change that. If they were debating going third party, picking Warren wouldn’t reassure them.

    I just say let the third partiers go third party, we’ll just have to win without them, just by making the argument for our vision.

  139. 139.

    chopper

    @Gimlet:

    why would you expect congressmen to have regular meetings with the senate minority leader? they’re different houses of congress.

  140. 140.

    magurakurin

    @WarMunchkin:

    I just say let the third partiers go third party, we’ll just have to win without them, just by making the argument for our vision

    agreed. They are as braindead as the tea party at this point. Nothing will get through. It’s sad, really. His whole campaign has become very sad.

  141. 141.

    amk

    @eric:

    Poutrage is all fine. But didn’t those same people vote for the same corrupt corporate clowns election after election? Even when they had decent alternatives?

  142. 142.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @eric:

    they want FIGHT

    What does this even mean? It sounds like Green Lantern bully pulpit show biz nonsense. That’s not how anything gets accomplished legislatively.

  143. 143.

    eric

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne: Yes. it is a cartoon view of politics, the same way people have a cartoon view of heroism. not only is the perfect the enemy of the good, but the complicated is the enemy of the good.

  144. 144.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @eric:

    That’s why progressives are largely useless, and why Obama’s speech at Howard U was so on point as a critique of Sanders and his acolytes.

  146. 146.

    Chyron HR

    @chopper:

    Um, hello, we’re not talking about a mere congressman, we’re talking about ALAN GRAYSON! (p.s. My point has nothing to do with Grayson.)

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