Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

You cannot love your country only when you win.

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

If you cannot answer whether trump lost the 2020 election, you are unfit for office.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

I would try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Consistently wrong since 2002

Trump should be leading, not lying.

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Trumpflation is an intolerable hardship for every American, and it’s Trump’s fault.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Republicans: “Abortion is murder but you can take a bus to get one.” Easy peasy.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

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

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Second rate reporter says what?

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Be Careful What You Wish For: Not So Strange Bedfellows Edition

Be Careful What You Wish For: Not So Strange Bedfellows Edition

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So today the American Jewish Congress and the Islamic Society of North America formally entered into a civil rights protection and promotion and civil society defense agreement:

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2016 The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, a new national group of leading Muslim and Jewish Americans, was launched this month at a meeting convened by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

The Council brings together recognized business, political, and religious leaders in the Jewish and Muslim American communities to jointly advocate on issues of common concern. Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein, and Farooq Kathwari, President and CEO of Ethan Allen, are the Council’s co-chairs, and the initial members are listed below.

At the group’s inaugural meeting, the Muslim and Jewish participants met for two hours to get to know one another, discuss the Council’s mission, and identify and agree on a domestic policy agenda. Among the Council’s initial action items are:

  • The Council will highlight the contributions of Muslims and Jews to American society, and aim to celebrate their contributions in the best traditions of American democracy.
  • The Council will develop a coordinated strategy to address anti-Muslim bigotry and anti-Semitism in the U.S.
  • The Council will work to protect and expand the rights of religious minorities in the U.S., as enshrined in the Constitution, so they may practice their faiths in full freedom and security.

“Our two communities share much in common and should find ways, where possible, to work together for the benefit of the entire country,” said Stanley Bergman, Co-Chair of the Council.

“The Council aims to provide a model for civic engagement by two communities, vital to American society, that agree to work together on issues of common concern and overlapping interest,” said Farooq Kathwari, Co-Chair of the Council.

The initial members of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council are:

Ms. Raheemah Abdulaleem, KARAMAH
Ms. Shakila Ahmad, Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati
Chaplain Tahera Ahmad, Northwestern University
Imam Shamsi Ali, Nusantara Foundation
Ms. Roberta Baruch, AJC Commission on Interreligious Affairs
Mr. Stanley M. Bergman, Henry Schein Inc.
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Central Synagogue
Ms. Rabia Chaudry, United States Institute of Peace
Senator Norman Coleman, Hogan Lovells
Mr. Steven Collis, AmerisourceBergen
Rabbi Joshua Davidson, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York
Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, Covington & Burling LLP
Imam Plemon El-Amin, World Pilgrims
Mr. David Harris, AJC
Mr. S.A. Ibrahim, Radian Group
Congressman Steven Israel, United States House of Representatives
Mr. Farooq Kathwari, Ethan Allen Interiors
Mr. Suhail Khan, Microsoft Corporation
Ms. Daisy Khan, Women’s Islamic Initiative for Spirituality & Equality (WISE)
Mr. Farhan Latif, El-Hibri Foundation
Mr. David Levin, McGraw Hill Education
Mr. Moses Libitzky, Libitzky Property Companies
Senator Joseph Lieberman, Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman LLP
Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt, Emory University
Imam Mohamed Magid, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS)
Mr. Talat Othman, Grove Financial, Inc.
Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, New York University
Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, the Rabbinical Assembly
Imam Talib M. Shareef, The Nation’s Mosque, Masjid Muhammad
Dr. Sayyid Syeed, ISNA
Rabbi David Wolpe, Sinai Temple, Los Angeles

As you can imagine the white supremacists, white nationalists, race realists, anti-Semites, and Islamaphobes (also homphobes and xenophobes) that are now being marketed as the alt-right are not amused.

The white supremacists, white nationalists, race realists, anti-Semites, and Islamaphobes (also homphobes and xenophobes) that are now being marketed as the alt-right have always believed there was a Jewish conspiracy against them. And more recently a Muslim one. Well boys and girls you got what you wanted, though it looks like this is going to happen in the bright light of day. Expect to see more of this common cause finding and making between now and he inauguration.

Reader Interactions

212Comments

  1. 1.

    Kryptik

    You want a conspiracy?

    Screw that. This is out in the open clear as day. It’s going to be out in the light because it’s not going to hide away.

  5. 5.

    Yutsano

    If they somehow manage to resolve the Israel-Palestine issue also, I could accept a Trump presidency for that.

    This is also not a huge surprise. Jewish-Muslim relations in the US have always been much more friendly than in other parts of the world.

    @Betty Cracker:

    I think we should make Steve Bannon our first scalp

    SO. MUCH. THIS.

  6. 6.

    Aimai

    Makes me very happy. Just heard a fabulous presentation by a moroccan immigrant social work student, her proud husband beaming from the audience–what a gift they have given this country in coming here and offering their skills.

  7. 7.

    SenyorDave

    If belong to a church, synagogue, mosque, temple or other (I apologize for a lack of knowledge, but I’m sure I am missing a lot). please contact your clergy and ask if the appropriate national group would consider an official position on the Bannon hiring. This is not a political issue, it is a moral issue. Why should any Jew or Muslim (or any citizen!) have to pay taxes to pay this bigot’s salary?

  9. 9.

    trollhattan

    Wow, Gwen Ifill has died. Sadly, probably in a state of mortification. My lasting memory will be trying to wrangle Sarah ™ during the VP debate. Farewell Gwen, you will be missed.

    God, how I hate this year.

  10. 10.

    Chris

    “The Jews are just suicidal. They keep voting for liberals despite the fact that liberals love Muslims and Muslims want to kill them” is one of the more repeated drumbeat messages of the right wing in the last fifteen years. They’ll just get to do more of it.

    I, on the other hand, have found that there’s often lots of common ground between Jewish and Muslim activists in U.S. politics. That’s not to say there aren’t still problems, or that either group is free of ugly prejudice towards the other. But let’s just say I’m not surprised in the slightest by this development.

  11. 11.

    Roger Moore

    @PaulW:

    This new group needs to forge an alliance with the Sikh, Hindu and Zoroastrian communities right quick.

    You might want to add some other groups like Baha’i to the mix. I’m not sure about oddball Christian-derived groups like Quakers and Unitarian-Universalists, but they’d probably be glad to join.

  12. 12.

    Diana

    They might resolve the Israel – Palestine issue.

    Fun irrelevant fact: the first proto-Zionist movement was a 19th century European Christian movement to re-christianize the Holy Land as part of European imperialism. When it looked as if the European powers were going to divide up the Ottoman empire (similar to plans for Africa and China) the Jews and the Muslims in the Middle East were basically huddling together for warmth.

    Then Zionism was reborn as a purely European Jewish movement in the 1890’s and that was the end of any Jewish-Muslim collaboration against European imperialism.

    History doesn’t repeat. But it does rhyme.

  17. 17.

    clay

    @PaulW: Throw in Methodists, Episcopalians, Catholics…

    Most US Christian denominations are fairly liberal (if you look at the leadership-level). I know the head of the Methodist Council for Church and Society. She’s very ecumenical, and I’m sure would join such a group.

  19. 19.

    Gator90

    @Yutsano: If they somehow manage to resolve the Israel-Palestine issue

    Lieberman is probably there specifically to make sure that doesn’t happen.

    This is still a positive and welcome development, though.

  20. 20.

    Corner Stone

    A white nationalist, racist, bigot is the top strategist and advisor to the President Elect. Tell me again how he will assist in the rehoming of jobs to the Rust Belt. Tell me one more time.

  27. 27.

    Corner Stone

    I could not make myself watch the 60 Minutes interview last night. I just can’t stand his visage or the sound of his voice. But from everything I am seeing it was a huge pole vault to goal of normalizing a Trump administration. Fucking disgusting.

  29. 29.

    mai naem mobile

    Fucking Joe Lieberman. If the fucker hadn’t refused Medicare buy in we may not even be here. I know you are supposed to stfu and join forces but arrrghhh Lieberprick? Ugh ugh ugh.

  30. 30.

    Mnemosyne

    This is pretty much our only hope of resistance. Trump got racist whites to vote for him. Now all the rest of us — especially my fellow non-racist whites — have a moral responsibility to band together against them.

  33. 33.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Kinda surprised there’s only one sitting ‘Critter on that list. I’d be surprised if that number doesn’t grow

  36. 36.

    Jeffro

    I think this is great – people who actually follow their faith should unite against Trump. I’m still grimly enjoying seeing the nonsense some so-called “Evangelical” leaders have put up to defend their support for Trump. It’s hysterical.

    Btw in other news: Mike Pence doesn’t want to release his emails.

    I guess we can add that to the growing list of hilarity that’s come down the pike these past 5 days:
    – Gingrich: building the wall was a ‘great campaign device’, but not really a thing
    – Trump: leave gay people alone
    – McConnell: coal jobs were never coming back
    – Ryan: hey how about I privatize your Medicare while we’re getting rid of Obamacare?
    – Trump: lobbyists and insiders suck…that’s why I’m staffing my administration with lobbyists and insiders like Reince Priebus

    Is it really a “gish gallop” if it lasts 4 years straight (on top of 15 months of campaign ‘gish’)?

  41. 41.

    Wapiti

    @Yutsano: My wife and I were in Houston, years ago, and went out for dinner on Easter. The city had pretty much closed down, but we found a Southern Indian restaurant (straight vegetarian) open. Besides us, most of the customers appeared Jewish.

  42. 42.

    Adria McDowell (formerly LurkerExtraordinaire)

    So, for those of you keeping track of such things, I just got an email from USF (I’m a grad student there) about four students were targeted by race-based threats. Also, from the student paper, the Oracle:

    “Graffiti was found on the walls with racial undertones that specified various individuals’ names and that if Hillary Clinton won, there would be death,” University Police Public Information Officer Renna Reddick said. “Similar types of messages were placed under their doors.”

    I believe there have been incidents here at Ohio State as well.

    Horray for higher education. /s

  44. 44.

    Shell

    I just can’t stand his visage or the sound of his voice.

    Even when someones doing a parody of him, I can’t stand it. With exception of Alec Baldwin.

  46. 46.

    Mnemosyne

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    As I understand it, you can’t have dairy and meat in the same dish, and certain meats (like pork) can’t be used at all.

    So you could have a vegetarian dish that uses ghee, or a goat dish that doesn’t, but you can’t use ghee for the goat dish because you’re mixing meat and dairy.

  51. 51.

    Adria McDowell (formerly LurkerExtraordinaire)

    @Adam L Silverman: weren’t they all about Trump at CPAC? Coulda sworn he spoke to them and used some stereotypes about Jews right in their faces.

    The man is as tone deaf as my dog.

  58. 58.

    MaryL

    @Davebo:

    Don’t forget the Mormons. Natural allies it would seem.

    You might think so, but the election result in Utah suggests differently.

  59. 59.

    Corner Stone

    @Timurid:

    and ‘Sonderkommando’ are jobs, right?

    If you read any thread around BJ it is pretty clear that Sanders Commando is indeed a paying job.

  60. 60.

    LAO

    @Adam L Silverman: There is a special place for Jews like Kushner in the afterlife (should you choose to believe in one).

    Love the post Adam, it would be great to see some good come out of this election.

  62. 62.

    Villago Delenda Est

    “The alt-right is upset about this”.

    Good. In the name of my father and my uncles, who fought to stop fascism in WWII, I approve of these vile maggots being “upset.”

  65. 65.

    Adam L Silverman

    @LAO: I’m just up for more kebabs and mezze and kifte and kibbe at the interfaith functions! Maybe I need to have lunch.

  68. 68.

    Pogonip

    Isn’t anyone interested in the super moon?

    I took a picture, with the moon between 2 trees for perspective, but it looked white instead of yellow. Pogonip is perplexed.

  70. 70.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Jeffro: The leaders of white evangelicals are no less fascist than Drumpf himself. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama actually follow the teachings of Jesus. These assholes, not so much.

    Wipe them out. All of them.

  78. 78.

    Enhanced Voting Techinques

    The unity council should really call for the anal probing of all Americans by Reptilian Space aliens, just so no button is unpushed with the paranoids lol

  79. 79.

    trollhattan

    @Pogonip:
    Well, it’s tricky. Are you saying the moon looked yellow to your eye but the image is white? It’s common to overexpose the moon, which can easily blow out and appear white in an image. Do you have good surface detail? Correct exposure is that of a sunlit scene, since the moon is, well, in the sun.

    Easily correctable with photo software if it’s just a color shift. Fun fact: the moon near the horizon always appears larger to the eye than in any photograph of the same scene. Our brains are being tricked (a shock, I know). I blame ObamaTrump.

  80. 80.

    Yutsano

    @schrodinger’s cat: If you’re going by the strict dietary laws, dishes that have meat and those that have milk are always separated. Milk and meat can never be mixed. Obviously no pork or shellfish. Animals have to be slaughtered by strict Jewish standards. The good news is anything vegetarian tends to be kosher almost by default.

    It’s actually not as hard as people think. It just takes a bit of planning.

  81. 81.

    Betty Cracker

    So, PBO has a press conference at 3:15. I hope to Christ one of the assembled jackals asks him about the Bannon appointment.

  84. 84.

    Corner Stone

    Please Obama. I am begging you. I know you are a man of grace and decency. But please do not make a plea to Trump’s supporters to cool down their hateful acts of violence and vandalism. Please don’t do Trump’s job.

  88. 88.

    Blue in SLC

    I just sent the following email to the NYTimes public editor. Don’t know if it will do any good, but wanted to share it with this community:
    —-
    Greetings,

    I am a relatively new subscriber to the New York Times. I consider it to be one of the most important media outlets in our country, as it sets the tone and lead on what gets covered. This morning I was extraordinarily disappointed to read the Times’ coverage of the appointment of Mr. Bannon to Mr. Trump’s White House team (as chief strategist and senior counselor). Mr. Bannon was described in the lede as a “right-wing media mogul,” and, early in the article, as a former Executive at Goldman Sachs. It was not until deep into the article that Mr. Bannon’s ties to the White Nationalist movement, and role, as editor at Breitbart, in promoting racist, misogynist, Islamaphobic, anti-semitic, etc. stories, were alluded to.

    As a later article on the front page of the Times’ made more clear (though still sought safety by using a “some say” framing), Mr. Bannon represents a darkly bigoted and prejudiced strain of thought. This cannot, and must not, be normalized; it must be called out for what it is. I’ll admit it is not the Times’ job to editorialize in stories about this sort of prejudice, but merely alluding to what Mr. Bannon has done and represents, and what it means for this to be in the White House, is to take a stand. It provides cover for Mr. Bannon’s odious views, and that, certainly, is not the proper role of a vigilant media. Rather, the Times should shine a light on Mr. Bannon’s deeds and views, and not shy away from them regardless of how ugly they may be. This will inform readers of what Mr. Trump is condoning, rather than being complicit by hiding it in the shadows.

  89. 89.

    trollhattan

    @Betty Cracker:
    The hell is the pressroom going to look like in January when every seat is tagged “Fox” “Breitbart” “RT” or “Pravda”? Boy, are those fluffers left on the outside ever in for a treat.

  90. 90.

    GrandJury

    Is Trump required to release his tax returns now or is that asshole going to get away with that too? Pretty sure he needs to release them after being prez but that will not show his past returns or the corporate stuff he will no doubt have day to day control over no matter how they try weasel out of it on paper. This will certainly be a test of the checks an balances and rules to prevent fraud and corruption.

    No matter how good those are, I have no doubt that this will be the most corrupt administration in history.

  94. 94.

    japa21

    Adam, a somewhat personal question. Do you have any worries about how this will impact you from a career perspective? It isn’t like you post with a pseudonym here and we know the vindictiveness of Trump and his followers.

  95. 95.

    SenyorDave

    @Yutsano: As someone who keeps kosher it is a little more than just foods being kept separate. You do need two sets of dishes at the very least. Depending on level of observance you can do even more (separate sinks, etc.), but the dishes are a bare minimum.

  97. 97.

    trollhattan

    @GrandJury:
    He will never release a tax return. Not as president, not ever. His little trick of not drawing the presidential salary will be the foremost of many, many compelling reasons why not, but it’s primarily “None of your fucking business, proles!” Y’all can book this, libs!

  98. 98.

    Corner Stone

    They’re going to hide Bannon from the public. That’s what Reince is going to be for, the mouthpiece while Bannon does his white nationalist, racist thing in the background.
    We’re literally paying for that, btw.

  99. 99.

    Peale

    I’ve been thinking like all of us about where we’re heading and I was wondering if one of the lawyers who drops by here could answer a question about the qualifications to be a judge. Are there legal requirements that would need to be changed to put a non-lawyer on the court? Let’s say the plan isn’t to install legal idealogs, but instead just start to erode whatever the court system’s prestige is by putting in non-qualified judges. Who would make decisions based on “common sense” or “whatever God tells me is right.” Cronies that other judges couldn’t work with so they would start to quit. Maybe obvious ill-tempered idiots.

  101. 101.

    Roger Moore

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    How do you make a dish kosher?

    It isn’t that hard unless you’re one of the stricter denominations. For the most part, any vegetarian dish is going to be kosher by default. If you want to cook with meat, it has to come from a clean animal*; mammals and birds have to be ritually slaughtered and completely drained of blood. Dishes- and among the stricter denominations, meals- aren’t allowed to contain both milk and meat. Some very strict denominations go even further and do things like refusing to eat vegetables like broccoli that can’t be inspected to prove they’re free of insects or requiring separate cooking implements and dishes for meat- and milk-containing foods.

    *The list of clean animals is fairly short: cloven-hooved ruminants, “clean” birds (basically those that don’t normally eat meat), fish with fins and scales, and orthopteran insects (e.g. grasshoppers and locusts).

  105. 105.

    jenn

    I am incredibly heartened by this alliance.

    @MaryL: Actually, the election result does show the Mormons’ dislike of Trump. There’s a reason why McMullin did so well there. It’s just that there are also a lot of non-Mormon Republicans in Utah, along with some proportion of Mormons who preferred Trump to Hillary.

    Also: to repost from downstairs:

    Blech. The Clinton campaign really was nice to Bernie. Given the irresponsible way he ended his campaign – to have done that, knowing that he could have been hit with this crap, but wasn’t? I am not a happy camper. Eichenwald’s a bit of a prick in this (as he often is), but the oppo research is absolutely fatal. And that’s to me, not to some swing-voter.

    http://www.newsweek.com/myths-cost-democrats-presidential-election-521044

  107. 107.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Timurid: Obama’s been known to sing at a podium. How ’bout he belts out “I am telling you know, I’m not going”

  113. 113.

    Iowa Old Lady

    Just got back from the grocery store where the checker and bagger were worrying about whether the retirement age was going to be raised. I don’t know how these individuals voted, but this district voted R all the way. Elections have consequences. Sadly the rain fall of the just and unjust alike.

  114. 114.

    trollhattan

    @Pogonip: Neglected to mention I was at my kid’s soccer match last night (deep in the heart of California Trump country, where the Eff three-fiddies roll the coal), and the moon popped up from behind the stadium. Hiked up to the top of the stands and took a few shots, but was too tired last night to do much of anything with them. Air quality wasn’t very good (thin overcast and ag burning in the area) so I’m tamping back my expectations.

  115. 115.

    D58826

    Two items that would be funny if they didn’t hurt so much:
    1. WSJ reported that after the WH meeting last Thur. Obama realized that the WH tour guides know more than Trump and his people. So he is planning on holding some afternoon tutoring sessions for Trump.

    2. ISIS is beside itself with joy and has announced that Trump will make it’s recruitment efforts so much easier, esp. in Europe and the US.

  117. 117.

    Gin & Tonic

    Putin and Trump spoke on the phone today, and expressed an interest in “normalizing” relations. This according to RF gov’t press release. No info about who called whom.

  118. 118.

    Roger Moore

    @Pogonip:

    I took a picture, with the moon between 2 trees for perspective, but it looked white instead of yellow. Pogonip is perplexed.

    You probably overexposed the moon. The moon is illuminated with direct sunlight, which means it’s bright. It’s so much brighter than anything else around when it’s full that it’s very difficult to expose the moon correctly and still be able to see anything else. So if you have decent detail in the trees, the moon is probably so overexposed you lose all detail and color.

  119. 119.

    Adam L Silverman

    @japa21: I don’t. I’m not that important. Also, my posts specifically dealing with the President Elect have not been personal or even professional attempts. Rather I’ve tried to actually analyze his proposals, policies, etc. The Maskirovka stuff has largely focused on the Russian interference in the US angle.

  122. 122.

    Gravenstone

    @LAO: Money and access to power. And no, I don’t intend that to tread on the hoary “Jewish banker” stereotype. Young Mr. Kushner is just being a good devotee of “the ends justify the means” philosophy. He chooses to believe it’s not his (nor his family’s) end that might be the result.

  124. 124.

    Corner Stone

    Can we create a fund to have MSNBC clone multiple Tamron Hall’s and Joy Reid’s? I am sick to fucking death of Kasie Hunt and Hallie Jackson blithely selling me the CW normalization.

  125. 125.

    SenyorDave

    @D58826: So he is planning on holding some afternoon tutoring sessions for Trump. He should charge Trump $1 million per hour, payable to the charity of Obama’s choice.

  126. 126.

    Corner Stone

    @schrodinger’s cat: I’d just go golfing for the next two months. You all wanted this? Here it is.
    His legacy is toast anyway, and they are gonna Carter-ize him in the history books. Why stress?

  127. 127.

    LAO

    @Corner Stone: Any questions I may have had about turning my TV back on and actually watching the news, have been answered by this post. Thank the FSM for Netflix.

    Edited: because I don’t read before publishing

  128. 128.

    Chris

    @D58826:

    2. ISIS is beside itself with joy and has announced that Trump will make it’s recruitment efforts so much easier, esp. in Europe and the US

    One of the remarkable things about the war on terror is the extent to which it’s been about each side rescuing the other from total defeat through its own incompetence.

    Al-Qaeda murders 3,000 people on world television and instantly becomes the most hated and reviled group in the world, with even most Muslims willing to help bring them down. But then the U.S. invades Iraq and destroys it through catastrophic incompetence, instantly burning out all the goodwill and sending AQ’s numbers skyrocketing, not to mention giving them a battlefield on which to bleed America dry. But then the local AQ contingent behaves so brutally and bloodthirstily that even its allies go “screw this, even the Americans and Shi’a aren’t this bad.” But then the government in Baghdad fails to fulfill its promises to these people, making the rise of the AQI (now renamed as ISIS) possible. But then ISIS basically declares war on the entire world…

  131. 131.

    debbie

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    Learn to practice the fine art of Jewish rationalization: Only keep kosher at home. My family didn’t keep kosher but a number of family friends kept kosher haphazardly.

  132. 132.

    Roger Moore

    @SenyorDave:

    You do need two sets of dishes at the very least.

    I think that still depends on how strict you are. I know people who try to keep kosher but don’t bother with separate sets of dishes. I would say that avoiding blood would be the absolute minimum. Most of the other prohibitions make it sound as if breaking them just makes you temporarily impure, and you can get go through a purification afterward, but the prohibition on blood is much stronger than that.

  133. 133.

    Bostonian

    @Yutsano: I can’t imagine it will make much difference to I/P, but two kinds of semites banding together to defend themselves against white supremacists makes perfect sense.

  134. 134.

    Doug R

    Wow. Don’t Mess With The Zohan literally comes true. Who knew an Adam Sandler movie could be so prophetic?

  136. 136.

    GrandJury

    @trollhattan: He said he would release his returns after they are audited. Of course nobody expects that to happen and the media will just let him get away with it because IOKIYAR.

  137. 137.

    schrodinger's cat

    @debbie: Heh, I am familiar with that. The religious restrictions on what to eat during the 4 months of monsoon are long. Many veggies are a no-no too. But you don’t need to follow them if you are traveling or at someone else’s house etc.

  138. 138.

    Chris

    @Bostonian:

    I wouldn’t expect much to come from this on the Israel/Palestine front. But in the context of U.S. politics, both sides have more immediate problems than that conflict. Frustrated Republicans repeatedly fail to grok that American Jews are, in fact, Americans.

    (As far as Israel/Palestine goes, don’t forget the extent to which the pressure on U.S. foreign policy there comes not from Jews or Muslims, but from the Christian Right).

  142. 142.

    MomSense

    Oh you stupid, stupid Trump voters. China is looking forward to a period of cooperation and helping us to build our crumbling infrastructure.

    Asshole Republicans have been blocking infrastructure projects since 2010 so you vote for Trump who will probably outsource the jobs to foreign companies.

    Way to go.

  143. 143.

    D58826

    ok help me out here. This is a clip from Kos on Ryan’s plan for Medicare and Obamacare:

    Ryan says current beneficiaries will be allowed to keep their Medicare. Says. But after the cord is cut between current and future beneficiaries, everything is fair game. For those entering the system, Ryan proposes phasing out Medicare and replacing it [with] private insurance with subsidies to help seniors afford the private insurance. That is unquestionably what it means because that is what Ryan says. So if you’re nearing retirement and looking forward to going on Medicare, good luck. You’re going to get private insurance but you’ll get some subsidies from the government to pay the bill.

    Now in an over simplifed fashion isn’t Obamacare letting people buy private insurance with a government subsidy to help defray the cost of the premiums?

  144. 144.

    GrandJury

    @Adam L Silverman: Almost none of that Russian stuff has bubbled up into the MSM. The story you posted from heatst.com is already old conspiratorial news there.

    That site kind of looks like a lefty version of brietbart.com to me. I know there have been some stories in MSM illuding to some connections but not the really super spy vs spy stuff in some of your posts.

    If there really was some totally illegal coordination between the Shitstain’s campaign and the Kremlin, and FBI counter-intelligence is investigating with FISA warrants etc. Surely some of that would have bubbled up into the MSM by now.

  145. 145.

    Kay

    Maybe people can form new institutions run by decent people and just let the existing institutions fail. They’re failing one by one anyway. It’s really either go down with them or look elsewhere.

  146. 146.

    Miss Bianca

    @Adam L Silverman: Oh, I see…I’m supposed to join you in the hate. Very well, let’s hate them…not for their sterling qualities, but for their choices in dining. I’m on board. I mean, this election was all about letting our hate flags fly, right?

  147. 147.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @D58826: and then cut those subsidies until, to borrow a phrase from one Sweet Paulie Blue-Eye’s less telegenic fellow travelers, medicare withers on the vine

  149. 149.

    Barbara

    @Adam L Silverman: I could say, when you lie down with dogs . . . etc., but I guess I am beyond sarcasm and trying very hard to orient every reaction I have to action, and for them, the action is, stop seeing Israel as the only pearl of great price and start looking around at what has been happening within our own hemisphere for going on 8 years, things that you, AIPAC, ignored and even helped along by your willingness to overlook it in creating alliances and dismissing Barack Obama as your ally. Extremists want what they want and they will use whoever they can to get it and then turn on them like nobody’s business. This day was entirely predictable. If you don’t like it, start looking around to see who your real, natural allies are.

  151. 151.

    D58826

    @GrandJury:

    Surely some of that would have bubbled up into the MSM by now.

    Only if they wanted to report it. Which they don’t besides they would have to educate the views on some complex connection. Whereas e-mail and Clinton scandal has reached the point of a Pavlovian response. Say the magic word and the audience starts to droll.

  152. 152.

    Corner Stone

    @MomSense:

    Oh you stupid, stupid Trump voters. China is looking forward to a period of cooperation and helping us to build our crumbling infrastructure.

    Just like China is doing for countries on the African continent. Hmmmm…that does not seem odd at all.

  155. 155.

    Kay

    I love that they are holding a special session to repeal the President’s signature health care law on the day the President leaves office.

    Just another giant “fuck you!” to black people from the Trump Family. They’re all class.

  158. 158.

    Corner Stone

    @Kay: They are fucking parasite scumbags. I don’t think I am ever going to outlive this feeling. It’s so gross.

  159. 159.

    Mnemosyne

    @jenn:

    I would say, “That’s gonna sting,” but Berniebros are not exactly known for their ability to self-reflect.

  162. 162.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @MomSense: These are the same very stupid people who yell about keeping the government out of their Medicare.

    They deserve to be serfs, and they deserve to suffer for their willful stupidity.

  164. 164.

    Peale

    @Mnemosyne: Nah. They’re cool with it. Supported the Sandinistas! Cause Latinos are so like into Marxists like they are into right wing anti-Marxist death squads. And the younger Cubans clearly have moved on from that Castro Hate if they had any sense, which we just found out is really really not true at all.

  166. 166.

    Mnemosyne

    I am blessedly at work. Can anyone update me about our last real president’s press conference without stroking out?

  168. 168.

    GrandJury

    @Kay: Meanwhile, as the GOP gives these symbolic FU gestures, Dems are all “lets kiss and make up, we want to work with you for the good of the country blah blah”.

    May as well bend over, spread your ass cheeks and say, thank you sir may I have another. So far Harry Reid was about the only one who gave an appropriate response which was basically “FU too”.

  173. 173.

    Porky Pine

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: He didn’t in so many words, but he did mention the overall rate of voter participation in the election. That would have been an opportune point to sound a note of caution about “what the American people want.”

  174. 174.

    sam

    @Blue in SLC: I don’t know how useful this will be. The latest public editor has shown herself to be an abject failure on pretty much all fronts since her appointment. Margaret Sullivan’s departure has left a gaping void that remains unfilled.

  175. 175.

    Barb2

    Mega churches. Membership over 2,000.

    Prosperity doctrine. These churches are growing and have a major hold on their membership. As in “suggesting” who to vote for.

    Give to the church and have it returned 10 times.

    During the campaign – he who must not be named – had a meeting with the leaders of mega churches. The ones who preach the prosperity doctrine – which is not a Christ like or true Christian doctrine.

    These mega churches are spreading like wildfire – satellite churches with video feed from the mother ship. The leadership of these churches are con men – making millions and spending millions on the newest technology.

    So there are hundreds of thousands of these new class of “Christians” .

    The mega churches are run like business. They are growing. Their roots are in the pentecostal religion also know as holly rollers. The leadership knows how to put on a show that draws young people. Every week a new high powered show and then the mega star minister comes on with his message of how God loves you more if you make lots of money.

    These churches claim to be nondenominational.

  176. 176.

    Porky Pine

    @Barb2: The POS Tea Party congresscritter in Maine’s 2nd CD just got re-elected, in part by visiting many if not most of those mega-, or at least non-mainstream, “Christian” churches in this neck of the woods. A stealth part of Republican GOTV, IMHO. Sickening.

    No church should have 501(c)(3) status.

  180. 180.

    Jeffro

    @trollhattan: yup that’s about right…four years…oh my goodness.

    Joe Biden, would you mind addressing the nation before the EC electors cast their votes? Please? Something along the lines of, “well the malarkey hasn’t stopped since November 8th, it’s just gotten more and more ridiculous…”

  181. 181.

    Jeffro

    @Villago Delenda Est: at the ballot box, sure

    I’m an atheist and I follow Jesus’ teachings pretty well – certainly better than these clowns. However, I (painfully) understand that I can’t rest on that moral superiority in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Gotta put in the work, gotta make the case…

    (…gotta beat on the media to do its job…)

  182. 182.

    Kay

    @GrandJury:

    Are we going to get any oversight on the massive and glaring conflicts Donald Trump will have when he takes office?

    We spend 20 solid months on Hillary Clinton’s emails. Trump is planning on running the family business out of the White House. No one seems at all concerned.

    I don’t want to pay for this family fleecing the public. They don’t even pay taxes. Now I have to support them while they promote their hotels?

  185. 185.

    catclub

    @Kay:

    Are we going to get any oversight on the massive and glaring conflicts Donald Trump will have when he takes office?

    NO. Satsq

  186. 186.

    Kay

    @GrandJury:

    If you want to follow someone who isn’t rolling over for Trump, look at Ryan Lizza.

    It’s good there’s one bigger name, although obviously one isn’t enough. we’ll be able to count the journalists who hold Trump accountable on one hand by January. Guaranteed.

    It’s hard for me as a middle aged woman, seeing how Clinton was held to such high standards and Trump is held to no standards at all. They’re grading him on a curve because he’s a rich white guy. It infuriates me.

    Imagine if Hillary Clinton has appointed a Lefty equivalent of Bannon. They would be screaming for her head. Trump gets a pass, as he has this whole campaign.

  187. 187.

    catclub

    @GrandJury:

    So far Harry Reid was about the only one who gave an appropriate response which was basically “FU too”.

    No mentions of Democrats for Cabinet posts. getting Priebus ( along with Bannon) is the low bar for reaching across the aisle.

  188. 188.

    Chris

    @Kay:

    Are we going to get any oversight on the massive and glaring conflicts Donald Trump will have when he takes office?

    I would place at least some hope in his government leaking like a sieve. Between general incompetence and Trump’s personality, I can see him quickly creating a huge class of people from the lowliest White House janitors to the most powerful Republicans in Congress who can’t stand him and want to screw him over. Many of these people have allies in the mainstream media and the right-wing echo chamber, and in this case the MSM’s fondness for being the stenographers of the rich and powerful works in our favor. Think Watergate.

    Trump is about to discover that being in the White House means being surrounded by a venal and backstabbing court that doesn’t take well to people it sees as interlopers – just ask Bill Clinton – and there’ll be plenty of these.

    The question, of course, is whether any of that’ll be enough to sink him. He has, for the moment, a massive popular support base and the mainstream media, Congress, lobbyists and all the rest of the “Official Washington” court are loathed in every part of the country, particularly among the Trump supporters (and God, that’s one loathing it’s difficult to hold against them). I could totally see him portraying himself as a lone crusader beleaguered by the corrupt establishment who want to sink him because he represents the people – that was his shtick all through the election. And I could see it working.

  190. 190.

    catclub

    @D58826:

    Now in an over simplifed fashion isn’t Obamacare letting people buy private insurance with a government subsidy to help defray the cost of the premiums?

    Yes, Exactly. The difference will be that Obamacare subsidies keep up with increasing insurance costs. Starvercare? not so much.

  192. 192.

    crony_catholic

    @clay:

    Throw in Methodists, Episcopalians, Catholics…

    Please.. Catholics may not be fully behind him, but all of the hierarchy, bishops and theologians went quite or were pushing the “pro_life” angle to support Trump.

    The Catholic Church should be made to own Trump. Everyone on the left should make all efforts to tie him on the neck of Catholic bishops and panjandrums. They must not be allowed to run away from their monster, like in Germany of the past.

    These hypocrites still have some decent people as followers. When shit happens, their followers should be made to face the fact that these emperors of the Church are naked.

  196. 196.

    Tenar Arha (same Tenar, more Nameless Ones)

    @GrandJury: Large swaths of the federal government operate by norms & customs, with the addition of standards & rules.

    So, there has never been a law requiring the release of tax returns. Just a long term norm all the way back to Nixon, who released his while he was being audited.

  200. 200.

    Corner Stone

    @EBT: We already know there are a series of videos related to Trump After Dark. Are you saying there is also a risque or adult themed series of Hoover After Dark material?
    ***shutters***

  203. 203.

    EBT

    @Corner Stone: I am sure I could find at least one hoover themed fetish on fetlife if you wanted. I was going for the Hooverville, Hoovergravy, so forth and so on.

  206. 206.

    Roger Moore

    @Porky Pine:

    No church should have 501(c)(3) status.

    Obviously you haven’t read the footnotes in your Bible (Matthew 6:1-4 plus footnote):

    Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

    2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

    3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

    4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly*.

    *But be sure to keep thy receipt, so that thine tax may be reduced thereby.

  208. 208.

    Corner Stone

    @Chris: Words to the effect of normalizing a Trump admin and saying how much he wanted to work with him and across a broad spectrum of issues.

  210. 210.

    D58826

    from Kos –

    The Indianapolis Star is reporting that in an unprecedented move, Governor Mike Pence—and soon to possibly be the guy running the show while the Donald speaks at rallies of racists—is trying very hard to pull his email communications out of the public’s access

    The English language has 600k plus words but. we are going to have to invent some new ones to describe this.

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/14/1598985/-Mike-Pence-is-going-to-court-to-make-his-emails-private

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