(Matt Davies via GoComics.com)
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I understand that political cartoonists usually dread the summer months, when nothing worth satirizing will bob to the surface of the national… apple-dunking tub. But just as a plague of bedbugs is good news for professional pest control companies, the Angry Circus Peanut is a major profit center for America’s hard-working caricaturists…
Prediction: 2016 GOP MVP will be @Reince, who steps up, ensures open convention, saves party from Trump and produces ticket that wins in Nov
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 21, 2016
Also: every Republican gets a free pony! https://t.co/Yzhm9sYJvH
— Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner) June 22, 2016
(Drew Sheneman via GoComics.com)
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Apart from mocking America’s Biggest Hump, what’s on the agenda for Hump Day?
(Tom Toles via GoComics.com)
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(Mike Luckovich via GoComics.com)
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(Jim Morin via GoComics.com)
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(Jack Ohman via GoComics.com)
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(Nick Anderson via GoComics.com)
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(John Deering via GoComics.com)
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Baud
Meh. Half those cartoons are excusing the GOP, making them seem like the victim rather than a co-conspirator.
rikyrah
Good Morning ?, Everyone ?
Schlemazel Khan
@Baud:
That’ll be the story if he makes it to the November ass kicking. Pity the poor GOP, they got abused by a non-conservative buffoon, nobody will ask why he got the nomination
rikyrah
Listening to the radio news this morning. So, the Orlando killer liked him some Latino love. And, if the report from Univision is to be believed, he just recently found out that one of his secret life “friends ” was HIV+ I do believe that frames what happened in that club clearer now. The question of whether Latin Night was a deliberate choice-I would say yes
Baud
@Schlemazel Khan: It’s worse than that. I’ve heard people already try to make the case that Trump could have just as easily been the Democratic nominee.
Both sides absurdum.
Amir Khalid
If Donald is still free-falling in the polls, Cleveland is going to be interesting. I can hardly wait.
rikyrah
@Baud:
Tell that truth, Baud.?
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
I plopped this in a dead thread because I couldn’t resist continuing the Hamilreference, but it deserves a higher signal boost.
Are you registered to vote?
rikyrah
@Baud:
Like the Democrats would nominate someone who has a 4 percent approval among Blacks, and an 11 percent approval from Latinos and a 30 percent approval among women.
Yeah, like that would ever happen ???
MattF
@Baud: The real story, and the bad news for the R party, is that Trump has discovered that a presidential campaign can be a source of income for Trump Inc. Like my old man used to say, “Rich or poor, it’s nice to have money”.
OzarkHillbilly
To repeat myself: Release the Measurements
Zinsky
Great collection of political cartoons, Anne! Thank you. My day involves getting through another series of pointless meetings and trying to accomplish something, anything, in an underresourced and downsized Fortune 500 company. Corporate America in the 21st Century. Meh.
rikyrah
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism:
Thanks for that
Aleta
defessus in stultitia
MattF
@Amir Khalid: I think Der Trump has gotten down to his core supporters– there may be a 27% floor, but we shall see, I guess.
Baud
@rikyrah: But didn’t you hear, he’s running to Hillary’s left!
MattF
@Baud: There’s a couple of RW ‘sages’ who seriously believe that. It’s more than a little weird that they manage to completely overlook Trump’s consistent racism, misogyny, etc. And, of course, his dishonesty about absolutely everything.
Schlemazel Khan
@Baud:
Glad I have not heard that, it could drive me to violence
OzarkHillbilly
Gonna hit 98 today. So not looking forward to it.
Baud
@MattF: They had good practice writing W. out of their history after 2008.
JGabriel
Bill Kristol:
Reince Priebus: A magical unicorn who shits out winning GOP presidential nominees.
Seriously, Republicans write the strangest fanfic.
amk
@Baud: bernbots not a village maketh.
Joel
@Baud: yep. Fuck those guys.
Cat48
Boston Globe & WashPost say Warren, Kaine, and Castro are being vetted for VP but they don’t say how they got the info. Also, some others are still being considered. So, whatever, unknown source?
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@OzarkHillbilly: It’ll be 101 here tomorrow, so I’ll be doing any errands today despite the predicted high of 97.
Baud
@Cat48: Someone said AP was saying that yesterday. But someone else said Castro is already out of the running. Probably all just rumors.
RK
If Trump ran as a Democrat his act would be completely different. He’s a fraud.
Cat48
@Baud:
I think just rumors too, but it was the only interesting news today. ?
satby
@rikyrah: Good morning, rikyrah and all!
@Baud: yeah, ain’t that the B.S.?
@OzarkHillbilly: Really bad bunch of storms predicted here. Tree is still on the roof because an adjuster is supposed to come look at it, and now I have to worry about the other half of the tree coming down. I’m hoping the tree covering the roof will at least reduce leaks from damage (my neighbor is a construction guy and he sees some significant structural damage). I’m ready to say sayonara to 2016!
NorthLeft12
Bill Kristol: The gift that never stops giving.
I think Kristol was miffed over the attention Mark Halperin received for his idiotic tweet about a magical VP candidate for Trump, and decided to show everyone who is the real idiot. Well played Bill.
bystander
The Moanin’ Joe peanut gallery is talking about how Trump seems to be turning it around, getting serious, finally on message, whew! just in the knick of time.
We will return to the narrative detailing how Hitlery’s attack dog/meat grinder/death machine is grinding his bones to make her bread shortly after the next baldly racist invective he spews.
The “Trump could have run as a Dem” serves the nonsense that his appeal to people who have not fared well economically is the same as Sanders’ appeal. They can never bring themselves to say that Trump’s entire appeal is racism and hate.
p.a.
Good Morning. nice tradition rikyrah, I’ll try to maintain it here.
I actually planted some (5) perennials yesterday. I’m already uncomfortable with the commitment, but they were on sale. If you want to know what they are; they were on sale, one is rather large with yellowish flowers, 4 are small with white and pink flowers. That’s all I got.
My only other perennials are grass, bushes, and tulips that I don’t remember planting. And weeds.
germy
@Cat48:
Last night watching network TV news, they did a brief story on lead paint in subsidized housing. Of course they put up a big photo of Castro.
They’re subtle.
germy
Network TV news also described Clinton as “outspending” Trump.
They sort of make it sound like she’s an out-of-control wife running up a credit card in a dress shop, while Trump is the sensible, frugal business husband.
It’s just weird how they phrase stuff.
TS
@MattF:
But MJ just said Trump’s tweets were so much better and everyone loved the email promising to match donations – why just everyone Joe knows is donating. Talk about a pivot. They all love Trump again.
Edit: I now see bystander put it much more succinctly above
germy
ABC News last night showed about five seconds of HRC’s speech, then cut to a sit-down interview with the Donald that went on for over ten minutes. And it was only “part one” of the interview.
CBS News actually showed more of HRC’s speech.
Eric S.
Today, I must be in the front row.
Seriously, my boss hooked me up with a front row ticket to the Cardinals v Cubs game. Two little problems though. It’s supposed to rain all day and I pulled my left quad playing softball last night.
OzarkHillbilly
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: So far we have been spared the +100 degree days. I expect that to change come July. It’s been 4 year since our last spell of bad heat, and I think this years record temperature months will see to it that that streak ends.
@satby: Roof structures are fairly easy to repair so that part should be manageable (do NOT let your insurance adjuster go with a ‘patch’ on the roofing shingles without a fight, you should be able to get a whole new roof out of the deal) The photo I saw did not show much so I can’t say anymore about that. The real damage comes from water getting in and soaking insulation, drywall, carpets, etc. You might want to consider moving everything out of that room for safe keeping as I’ve seen ceilings collapse under that kind of loading, and it is a nasty mess when they do. Meanwhile, keep your head down and stay safe.
JPL
@germy: Trump is having a big fundraiser with wall street tonight, but he goes unchallenged when he says Clinton is taking blood money from wall street. You media at work.
Cat48
Poor Castro. He’s responsible for all the lead paint? Surprised they didn’t blame Obama. I’m sure a lot of those houses need to be refurbished. It’s hard to get Congress to fund Subsidized or Public Housing repair. They always want cuts.
OzarkHillbilly
@Eric S.: GO CARDS!!!! Getting the broom out… ;-)
debbie
@bystander:
They’re probably basing that on the evangelical leaders last night (like Ralph Reed) who announced they for Trump after their meeting.
Patricia Kayden
Tom Toles’ cartoon is the best, in my opinion. So fitting. Of the 17 Clown Car Occupants, looks like the GOP base couldn’t help itself in picking the most unqualfied. Ha!!
Eric S.
@OzarkHillbilly: I’m with you there! I’ll be in red in the front row unless of course I have on my bright yellow rain jacket.
OzarkHillbilly
@Eric S.: I’ve only been to Wrigley once. I really want to go back. Just too much fun.
Eric S.
@OzarkHillbilly: I’m a Cardinals fan living 3 blocks away from Wrigley. I take in several games a year. I went Monday night with a friend who has season tickets and I’ll hobble over there today assuming it isn’t postponed.
NotMax
Am still super miffed that the G.O.P. has
chosenstolen This Land Is Our Land as the theme of their convention.Plus, we all know who “our” refers to in this context, right (nudge nudge, wink wink)?
Disgusting
Randy P
I could use a smile. I’m sitting at the side of the road as the cops write up a fender bender I was involved in.
OzarkHillbilly
@Eric S.: (jealous) I only get to 1 or 2 games a year. I always prioritize Central Division games (Pittsburgh, July 4th, we’ll see if I can pull another game in Aug Sept), tho any San Fran game is good to go too. This year it seems if I want to see the Cards win, I’ll have to go to another city for it. Strange year for the Cards.
craigie
Did Kristol just call the election for the Democrats?
NotMax
So it has degenerated to this: Kristol is now parodying himself.
MattF
@craigie: No, no, no, god, no.
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax: Seeing as ‘this land is our land’, I’m sure they won’t mind at all if I crash their party, right?
NotMax
@Randy P
A skeleton walks into a bar.
Bartender asks “What’ll it be, bub?”
Skeleton says “Gimme a beer… and a mop.”
JosieJ (not Josie)
Kristol’s family really should do something about that advanced case of dementia he has.
@bystander:
Oh, tomorrow, then?
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: Thanks, I was wondering if I should move stuff, but it’s such a small house I don’t have a lot of alternative space. My neighbor did tell me to watch the windows, if they start looking bowed or out of line at all to get out of that section of the house and stay out.
Edited, because not watching the MS product.
NotMax
@OzarkHillbilly
Might consider changing your nym to OzarkBundy first, in order to be issued a name badge.
Just sayin’..
;)
rikyrah
@germy:
Yeah, subtle ?
Fair Economist
@JGabriel:
There was a hilarious profile of Priebus I recently saw. On the subject of Trump, he said “I’m not putting bourbon on my cornflakes. Yet.” The profiler made that into a running gag through the profile.
germy
@NotMax:
They updated the lyrics.
“this land is our land, this land is our land, from the something something to the something something, this land is our land this land is our land, this land was made for me me me”
satby
@Randy P: oh, that stinks! I know it’s hard to smile through that. But it could have been worse, right? Try to hang on to that thought.
rikyrah
@germy:
Because, if any DEMOCRAT had had the fundraising numbers of Ferret Head, the entire viability of their candidacy would be questioned.
The Ancient Randonneur
Trump 2016: Forget the facts, fuel the fear
Randy P
@Fair Economist: I remember that profile. Somebody (Charlie Pierce?) called the “bourbon on the cornflakes” an oddly-specific denial.
Sigh. $160 citation to go with the joy of the insurance claim. It does look like I was at fault but I suspect that guy was doing a quick pass on the right and that’s why I didn’t see him before when I CHECKED THE DAMN RIGHT TURN LANE. I don’t think he was in it till I started to move.
rikyrah
@Randy P:
Hope that you are OK
NotMax
Have become semi-addicted to the Swedish Wallander series.
Formulaic as can be (and almost too leisurely paced), yet the characters are so engaging that have become hooked.
germy
@rikyrah: The entire viability of the candidate, the party and progressive politics would be questioned.
Randy P
@rikyrah: Yeah, physically ok.
NotMax
@Randy P
A definite plus.
Fingers crossed that the vehicle is still driveable.,
Baud
@germy: Written by Cliven Bundy.
Randy P
@NotMax: paint scrape on mine, dented metal on his.
Cat48
Nyt says the Dem Convention will have 250,000 Bernie or Bust protestors who think the Election was rigged. Well, 250,000 clowns should make things interesting. Poor Clinton, she doesn’t even get to feel special for even one day.
The protestors want the usual–DWS Fired, Super Delegates eliminated, and all open primaries.
agrippa
if Trump is running some kind of joke or con, some people will look foolish.
Baud
@Cat48: How can they predict turnout this early?
Kay
5 to 7 points ( nationally) is a nice lead. It looks like she has to shore up OH and PA although she’s doing well in FL.
I’d rather be Clinton than Trump as of today. She just had to build. He has to start over.
Baud
@Kay: She had to work. He just has to incite.
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax: Not a bad idea. There are so many Ozark Bundy’s down here it’s hard to keep track of them.
OzarkHillbilly
@satby:
not bad advice.
Cat48
@Baud:
That’s what the leader is predicting. They’re making reservations in motels, private homes, and camping grounds. There are apps for the butt hurt to use & one is completely full, so they made another. Hate is a great motivator! They was robbed!
Kay
The only part that bothers me is the libertarian. They’re probably Republicans and Libertarians always say they won’t support the GOP and they always do. I’m giving half of them to Trump.
opiejeanne
@Cat48: 250,000 is about 248,000 too high. I think a couple of thousand might show up, but right now some of the delegates for Bernie have just realized that they have to pay their airfare and hotel bills, that the Democratic Party doesn’t pay for them.
We were all told up front that travel to Philly from WA + hotel and meals would run about $2000, and it was in the literature we were given when we attended the first caucus, but somehow they didn’t notice it. They are angry and claim the DNC is doing this to them, just one more way the whole thing is rigged.
magurakurin
@Cat48:
None of which would have changed the outcome. Clinton won many more open primaries than Sanders, the super delegates don’t matter and DWS had little influence on the outcome AND she already has been effectively replaced. Interesting that they don’t want to do away with the most singularly anti-democratic aspect…the caucus.
1968 was about the Vietnam War. This is going to be about the minutiae of the nominating process. Some of which, open primaries, isn’t within the power of the Democratic party to change. It’s a pretty sad fucking premise for a protest.
OzarkHillbilly
@Cat48:
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. gasp…. wheeze….. Stop it, yer killing me.
Seriously, that number comes directly from the deluded mind of one of Bernie’s most dedicated supporters and doesn’t even pass the smell test. Just some more of the NYT’s vaunted Hillary transcribing. Somebody says something and they dutifully repeat it.
Jeffro
@Baud:
Absurdum indeed…if there’s one thing the Democratic party is not going to tolerate, it would be someone who doesn’t demonstrate – at a minimum – a fair amount of respect for women and people of color. In this, it is almost completely “inoculated”, as they say.
Jeffro
@Cat48: I’d be shocked if the VP pick wasn’t Perez, Kaine, Warren, or Castro.
magurakurin
@Jeffro: I guess they say that because they are in the 22%. That’s the number of Sander’s supporters that now say they are going to vote for Trump. 55% for Clinton and 18% for Johnson. A lot of his supporters were never going to vote for Clinton. He really hasn’t brought very much to the table at all, has he?
SuzieC
@Kay: Yeah, a bit concerned about that Quinnipiac poll showing OH tied.
Cat48
@opiejeanne: They sound upset no matter what. I’m sorry they don’t understand the primaries are controlled by the states, not the DNC. Sometimes, folks just don’t want to understand. Bernie didn’t help by saying the primary was rigged. He needs to come clean.
@magurakurin: They consider the results and Hillary’s Nomination fraudulent. Bernie should straighten this out bc he’s called everything rigged. California is down to 784,000 uncounted ballots & Clinton is still ahead by 10 pts. They thought CA would save them.
D58826
@germy: And the media wonders why Hillary keeps them at a long arms length.
Jeffro
@OzarkHillbilly:
Yup…it’s sad.
Prediction #1: the number of anti-Trump protestors in Cleveland will be larger than the number of anti-Clinton/pro-Bernie protestors in Philly by a factor of 5-10.
Prediction #2: the media will barely mention this, and certainly all footage from Philly will be taken such that both protests look equally large.
Prediction #3: water is wet
Baud
@magurakurin: It’s obviously what working people care about.
magurakurin
@Cat48:
Nah, fuck it, do it live. I don’t think Sanders will be good for much at all. I don’t think it matters what he says at this point.
Cat48
@Jeffro:
I would too. I don’t care for Kaine much bc he’s sort of boring. I like Perez the best.
Baud
@Jeffro: # 3 is the riskiest prediction.
I wonder how white the Sanders protestors will end up being.
opiejeanne
@Jeffro: And the coverage of the protests in Philly will be mainly focused on the anarchists.
The same will be true in Cleveland.
Shell
On the morning news shows, all such serious mumbling about how Trump is suddenly becoming more serious and pivoting. Excuse me? Exactly WTF are they looking at?
Cat48
@OzarkHillbilly:
250,000 was smelly I know, but that’s what the guy in charge told the Nyt. Nyt had a picture of 1968 up just to embarrass Dems I guess. :)
magurakurin
@Baud:
Whiter than Philly, that’s for sure
Baud
@Cat48: I’m ok with Kaine if it ends up being him. He’s solid and from an important state.
BruceFromOhio
That Toles cartoon is a laff riot. Thanks for making my morning, AL.
Kay
@SuzieC:
They seem aware of the weakness though. She’s basically camping in Ohio.
I don’t know if this means anything but we have more Democrats interested in RUNNING. They seem to think it’s a favorable cycle and they wish they got in.
magurakurin
@Baud: I’ll be okay with whoever she picks. She’s the one who has to see the person every morning for the next four years. Kaine won’t add any fire, but he appears to be a decent man by all accounts. I put my virtual bet on Castro. $100 in my mind. Right now Castro is the 2 to 1 favorite at the betting sites. Warren at 4 to 1 and Kaine at 6 to 1.
rikyrah
@Kay:
.
Libertarians are frauds. Complete and utter frauds.
true pony and unicorn people.
rikyrah
@Jeffro:
Well, I continue to cross the fingers for Perez. Love him.
rikyrah
@magurakurin:
22%?
They, and the Johnson folks were NEVER going to vote for Clinton.
Uh uh.
danielx
Prediction: GOP convention will go up in flames, Trump candidacy will go down in flames and shatter the GOP. Absolutely none of this will be in any way Bill Kristol’s fault, naturally – his rictus-like grin won’t be altered by so much as a whisker.
rikyrah
@Kay:
they are taking nothing for granted. I appreciate that.
germy
New Birth Of A Nation trailer is up (it’s not a remake of the racist silent film):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i18z1EQCoyg
magurakurin
@rikyrah: it’s a shockingly high number. Embarrassingly high for Bernie in my opinion. We dodged a bullet with that guy in my opinion. I’m thinking that a damn near similar percent wouldn’t have voted for Sanders in the end either. And it also shows that Sanders doesn’t have much to offer Clinton. 55% is banked, but how in the bloody blue blazes would Sanders be able to get that 22 to vote for her? And even the 18 for Johnson will be tough sailing. He’s got nothing. He should get nothing.
rikyrah
When It Comes to Health Care for Poor Americans – Elections Matter
by Nancy LeTourneau
June 21, 2016 3:39 PM
POLITICAL ANIMAL BLOG
According to the newly elected Democratic Governor of Louisiana – John Bel Edwards – elections matter for poor people without health care. Here is what happened following his own election last year:
But even bigger than that, here is what he predicts if Clinton wins the presidential election in November.
If Hillary Clinton and the Democrats win the November elections, four or five more Southern states will expand their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act next year, Louisiana’s new Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday.
Snarkworth, short-fingered Bulgarian
@Randy P: Poor Randy! Hope the rest of the week gets better.
MomSense
@OzarkHillbilly:
They are definitely going to skip these verses.
MomSense
@Randy P:
Sending smiles to you.
Jeffro
@danielx:
Convention in flames = check. Trump going down in flames = check.
It just occurred to me…all of Trump’s “pivoting” is being reported on as his pivoting for the general…but what he’s really doing is trying to look presidential enough just to tamp down various rebelling GOP factions that are openly plotting to take him down.
So the question is, once he’s through the convention and is *officially* the nominee…what’s to stop Trump from being Trump from July-November? The ‘rebels’ will have no leverage on him and he’ll surely tell them that.
Oh that is a happy thought…four straight months of him pulling his usual offensive, stupid, ill-thought-out shenanigans, and no way for the GOP to reign him in.
Schlemazel Khan
Interesting highlight of the Drumpf expenditure report. They spent $35,000 with a company named DRAPER STERLING! Now I was not a viewer of Mad Men but that name rang a bell.
The company came into existence a month before. It is owed, apparently, by Jon Adkins who also got cash from Drumpf for services as a consultant.
Here is a link
rikyrah
Quick Takes: Trump Was a Roy Cohn Apprentice
by Nancy LeTourneau
June 21, 2016 5:32 PM
POLITICAL ANIMAL BLOG
* A lot of people (including me) have heard echoes of the McCarthy era in Republican rhetoric over the last few years – especially from Donald Trump. So it should come as no surprise when Jonathan Mahler and Matt Flegenheimer tell us that the presumptive nominee was mentored by none other than Roy Cohn – McCarthy’s right-hand man.
For Mr. Cohn, who died of AIDS in 1986, weeks after being disbarred for flagrant ethical violations, Mr. Trump was something of a final project. If Fred Trump got his son’s career started, bringing him into the family business of middle-class rentals in Brooklyn and Queens, Mr. Cohn ushered him across the river and into Manhattan, introducing him to the social and political elite while ferociously defending him against a growing list of enemies.
Decades later, Mr. Cohn’s influence on Mr. Trump is unmistakable. Mr. Trump’s wrecking ball of a presidential bid — the gleeful smearing of his opponents, the embracing of bluster as brand — has been a Roy Cohn number on a grand scale. Mr. Trump’s response to the Orlando massacre, with his ominous warnings of a terrorist attack that could wipe out the country and his conspiratorial suggestions of a Muslim fifth column in the United States, seemed to have been ripped straight out of the Cohn playbook.
“I hear Roy in the things he says quite clearly,” said Peter Fraser, who as Mr. Cohn’s lover for the last two years of his life spent a great deal of time with Mr. Trump. “That bravado, and if you say it aggressively and loudly enough, it’s the truth — that’s the way Roy used to operate to a degree, and Donald was certainly his apprentice.”
Bruce K
Am I delusional in thinking that maybe, just maybe, the Democratic Party in the United States is simply far less susceptible to demagogues? I’m trying to think of a scenario in which Trump runs as a Democrat and somehow makes it a week past New Hampshire before getting shredded. (And wasn’t there a Trump quote somewhere that he identified as a Republican because that was the party where he had the best chance of winning?)
I’m seeing the comparison more and more: the Trump campaign is like an episode of Leverage. All that’s missing is the hacker, the hitter, the grifter, the thief, and the mastermind.
germy
@Schlemazel Khan: Over at Esquire they showed a photo of the house. Something definitely fishy going on.
On the subject of “This Land Is Your Land” being used at the GOP convention, the more I think of it, the more insane it seems.
Imagine if Woody Guthrie, around the time he was singing that song, was told “In the year 2016 old man Trump’s son will win the repub nomination, and they’ll use that song at their convention.”
They really are shameless.
Kay
@rikyrah:
It’s frustrating because my county is at full employment. It doesn’t get any better than this as far as people working. ALL of my clients are working, and they’re moving around- they have some room to quit one place and go to another. I’m on vacation this week- Lake Michigan in western MI and it’s jumping. There are a lot of people on vacation. I come here 5 or 6 times a year and it’s better than I’ve seen it in years. They’re not rich people- it’s RV’s with little kid bikes on the back. The state park is packed.
On another note I love the people who call and ask “how do I run”? First read the rules on the sec of state website, because I’m not your mom and this is not actually my job? Let me read this website to you. It’s very boring :)
Jeffro
@Bruce K:
No, that’s right on target. The GOP is susceptible to them because for almost 8 years now, it has had absolutely no principles other than Cleek’s Law + the Kochs’ wish list + ODS. The Dems still clearly value opportunity, fairness, inclusion, etc…and actually work to deliver such things. Paul Krugman noted a week or two ago that there’s a fundamental difference in how the two major parties delivers for its constituents – the Dems do, the GOP doesn’t – hence almost all of the outrage (i.e., fuel for demagogues) is on the Right.
magurakurin
@Bruce K: I’d say the party is less susceptible to demagogue whose main point is racism and hate. But Bernie is a demagogue in my mind. Tell the people what they want to hear and promise them anything. Bernie just promised good things but they weren’t really anymore attainable…at least by the means he was proposing. I mean I can’t believe we (and “we” being the pundits) are still scratching our heads trying to understand why the guy who promised free tuition to college students was popular among…college students.
Kay
@Bruce K:
Trump shows up the weakness in the punditry “compare and contrast” method of analysis. They’re lost without comparisons. Yesterday NPR was comparing him to Goldwater. Stop comparing. Not everything is “just like” everything else. Just LOOK at him, cold. Say that. Say “this is Trump- what he is, what he does, what he has”. They’re jamming a frame over him in this panicky way that makes me think their whole world view is threatened. Not Reagan, not Goldwater, not what you’re comfortable with. Report that. THIS person.
No One You Know
@Zinsky: I’d wonder if you work where I work, except I’m in a non-profit! My day looks like a round of meetings with folks who’ve worked there for decades and speak in alphanumeric glyphs. But it’s a job.
Miss Bianca
@germy:
This land ain’t your land
This land is my land
If you don’t get off
I’ll blow your head off
I got a shotgun
And you ain’t got one
This land is private proper-tee
There. Those are the yoogely classy updated lyrics.
BruceFromOhio
@Schlemazel Khan: As always, follow the money. Grifters gotta grift – the con doesn’t work if no one gets away with the cash.
germy
@Miss Bianca:
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.”
I nodded in approval, because I own it,
That side was made for me me me.
In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
Posing with the Donald, and framed Maxim covers;
As they stood there grinning, I stood there asking
Who can we run in 2020?
cleek
@germy:
from time to time i search news website’s front pages to see how many times “Trump” appears vs how many times “Clinton” appears. just a simple search & count.
here are yesterday’s counts (Trump : Clinton)
CBSNews.com : 24:2
NBCNews.com : 11:1
FoxNews.com : 19:2
NPR: 6:1
Talking Points Memo: 48:7
on CBS and TPM (the only two i checked for this), Clinton’s only mentions were in headlines/blurbs that also contained “Trump”. she is literally only newsworthy in the context of Trump.
rikyrah
@Kay:
They haven’t reported him period. Because, if they did, they would have to accept their own culpability in how they coddled him, and others, during the birther years, instead of calling that bullshyt for what it was – pure, unadulterated RACISM.
but, they hemmed, and hawed, and pretended that it was something other than what it was.
Which is why I have never clutched the pearls at Trump spewing his hatred, or what he’s fomenting.
THESE PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS THERE.
THIS IS WHO THEY ARE.
and, yes, I’d rather it out in the open.
I’ll continue to say it.
Trump was not selected.
He was ELECTED by the GOP voters, who had absolutely no problem in his waving the pure-D racist flag.
They loved him for it.
and, there’s not an iota of POLICY difference between him and any of the rest of the GOP.
Their only problem is the LANGUAGE he uses.
and, THAT is the MSM’s problem too – because they don’t have dogwhistles to hide behind.
germy
@cleek:
Yes, that was the ABC News last night. They showed the briefest of clips from HRC’s speech, then cut to a long sit-down discussion with the Donald, letting him say whatever he wanted without any further questioning. The news segment was basically “Trump responds to HRC speech (that we won’t show)”
And Hillary described as “outspending” Trump in the campaign. As if that’s a negative.
germy
Donald Trump sources $6M worth of campaign expenditures from companies he and his family own
And Carson and Santorum and Palin and Huckabee say “damn!! I thought I was a fucking grifter…”
gogol's wife
@cleek:
The problem is that she’s adult and normal and doesn’t do bizarre things or say bizarre things. So she doesn’t get eyeballs.
germy
@gogol’s wife: Am I crazy to think they want him to win? Because (1) it makes for more exciting news segments for the next four years and (2) They are wealthy and insulated enough that nothing he could do as president would affect them personally and (3) They really don’t like the Clintons?
Elizabelle
Both sides face violent protests at their conventions.
Both sides!
Because the NY Times (Trip Gabriel) told me so.
There is. No. Difference. between the parties.
Elizabelle
@rikyrah: I would not mind if you put that comment up on every single thread.
Because it is so damn true. And the press (and GOP voters) will take no accountability for it.
Poopyman
@Kay:
Well, you’re right. As a class (with the exceptions that that entails), journalists in these times are very rigid thinkers. I first thought of saying they’re not too bright, but I think it’s more of a lack of imagination, or flexibility in their thought. They literally have no other way to frame an article. Or a world view, for that matter.
rikyrah
@germy:
You are not wrong. Not in the least.
rikyrah
What Happens When One Party Doesn’t Care About Governing?
Republicans have increasingly become post-policy.
by Nancy LeTourneau
June 22, 2016 9:32 AM
Over the course of the Obama presidency, we’ve watched as Republicans have thrown out many of the norms that have been established in order to keep our democracy functioning. It isn’t just things like shouting “You lie!” in a presidential address before a joint session of Congress. And it isn’t just a requirement that basically any vote (including presidential nominations) get a super majority in the Senate. It includes doing things like overtly undermining the executive branch during complex negotiations with other countries (i.e., Iran nuclear deal and Paris climate accord) and failing to give a Supreme Court nominee a hearing. Remember back during Obama’s first term when Republicans were taking the global economy hostage by threatening to not raise the debt limit? Now we’re witnessing a truly bizarre presidential candidate who is basically running on a platform of breaking all the norms.
These are the kinds of things a party does when it doesn’t care about governing. So what is it that they actually want? Perhaps Sen. Mitch McConnell articulated it best when – during Obama’s first term – he said that his ultimate goal was to ensure Obama was limited to one term. It’s basically the same rationale he and Speaker Ryan have given for supporting Donald Trump – they want to win the White House, even if it means electing a racist/sexist narcissist. In other words, it’s a power game with the interests of the American people as the pawns.
I am reminded of something a blogger named mistermix wrote back in 2010 during the height of the budget negotiations.
cleek
@gogol’s wife:
that’s pretty much exactly what one of the editors at one of those sites told me when i sent an email to complain.
Poopyman
@cleek: The geek in the sideshow biting the heads off chickens. Almost literally, although there’s still 4.5 months to go!
germy
@cleek:
Ah. The “show us your boobs” school of journalism.
So much for the Fourth Estate…
germy
@Poopyman:
I remember the old M.K. Brown cartoon: “Did anyone actually see the candidate bite the head off the rat?”
http://www.benway.com/mkbrown/singles/whistle.html
Anoniminous
@NotMax:
:blink:
You mean that song written by that Communist Woody Guthrie?
Poopyman
@germy: I misspoke.
Last week I commented regarding Bernie (paraphrasing) “He’s not in the big tent pissing out. He’s not even outside the tent pissing in. At this point he’s in the sideshow tent biting the heads off chickens.”
To properly equate the two parties to circuses, the Bernie comment is appropriate if you picture the vast majority of Democrats in the big tent with Hillary. On the Republican side, the big crowd is in the sideshow tent while the establishment Republicans are wondering how to attract a crowd. And now they’re bringing the head-biting schtick into the big tent and calling it the real thing.
WaterGirl
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Wow. Barack Obama may not be our only secret weapon this time around.
Steeplejack (phone)
@NotMax:
The last season is particularly good, with Wallander’s health problems.
Much better than Branagh’s star-o-centric version.
Mnemosyne
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism:
Called it! ?
LAO
I’m sure someone has already linked to this story, but how great is it that Trump has been giving out fake diamond cuff links for years?
I don’t know why, out of odious crap he pulls, this made me literally laugh out loud.
karen marie
@RK: No, it wouldn’t. He has a long history of racist behavior, both publicly and privately. He wouldn’t get past hello before he was booted from any Democratic electoral competition.
MomSense
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism:
Fantastic!
cmorenc
@Randy P:
That’s why those small add-on round convex mirrors you stick onto a corner of your car’s side mirrors are a cheap, great investment – any time you check for traffic in your car’s regular side mirror, you simultaneously get a good look into the blind spot not covered by that mirror – and the way the convex reflective optics work, if you can see any cars in the convex mirror, it’s not safe for you to change lanes.
Thoughtful David
@Anoniminous:
The same one with the sign on his guitar that said “This machine kills fascists”?