• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

No one could have predicted…

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

Infrastructure week. at last.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

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

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

Republicans in disarray!

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

If you are still in the GOP, you are an extremist.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

This really is a full service blog.

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

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

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • Balloon Juice 2023 Pet Calendar (coming soon)
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / Trump’s Foreign Policy “Team”: Uneasy Sits the Arse That Warms A Throne

Trump’s Foreign Policy “Team”: Uneasy Sits the Arse That Warms A Throne

by Anne Laurie|  June 20, 20179:22 pm| 153 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Hail to the Hairpiece, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Trump Crime Cartel, Ever Get The Feeling You've Been Cheated?

FacebookTweetEmail

My takeaway from this article: Trump's paranoia about the Deep State carries significant opportunity costs. https://t.co/0SCVAlb1sB

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) June 19, 2017

Like any other cartel boss, Trump can’t trust his lieutenants unless he’s got them within arm’s reach — forever checking their body language, the eye contact between underling & underling, the pauses after his applause lines and the enthusiasm of their individual responses. And it’s not as though the Trump administration took any effort to keep the lower bureaucratic offices they inherited properly staffed or funded while the new crew figured out how to work the light switches…

…The CIA director’s treks to the West Wing reflect Trump’s insistence on frequent meetings with favored members of his team. Every president has regular contact with key Cabinet members, but Trump, who remains deeply mistrustful of career agency officials, has turned the White House into a hangout for his chosen department heads.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has met with the president at least 34 times since he was confirmed in February, according to a POLITICO analysis of Trump’s interactions since taking office. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross are also frequent guests at the White House — so much so that one White House staffer quipped, “Wilbur practically lives here.” Defense Secretary James Mattis has enjoyed private meetings with the president, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has taken to eating at the White House mess several times a week.

Senior aides say Trump demands face time with his appointees in part because he doesn’t trust bureaucrats who do the day-to-day work of the federal government. The president shuns them as tools of what he often refers to as the “deep state,” and blames them for frequent, unflattering news stories coming from his White House, according to two White House aides…

Two administration officials said the parade of Cabinet officials going into the White House on a daily basis has prompted worries that their focus is being diverted from the day-to-day operations of their departments and agencies.

“We’ll see how long it lasts,” one of the officials said, noting that many secretaries don’t yet have a full cast of undersecretaries to brief top White House officials. “They don’t have their politicals yet, so some of it is a necessity.”…

Some of the Cabinet officials are also his friends, and they are beckoned to the president for political advice, even if it’s outside the purview of their agency…

One senior administration official said White House staff members understand the president’s desire to rely on agency heads to learn about complex issues, but they wish that the meetings would be coordinated in advance. Instead, Cabinet secretaries like Mnuchin and Ross just stroll in with little notice.

Others in the administration remain concerned that Cabinet officials are spending too much time schmoozing with the president and attending events, and not enough at their agencies…

Just a buncha guys from the old neighborhood, hangin’ around, shootin’ the breeze. They’re not running the country, they’re too busy running the ongoing Donald Trump campaign / crime cartel.

THANKS, REPUBLICANS!

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Election Open Thread
Next Post: Open Thread: Some Happy News, for Non-Revanchists »

Reader Interactions

153Comments

  1. 1.

    JGabriel

    June 20, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    Politico via Anne Laurie @ Top:

    Defense Secretary James Mattis has enjoyed private meetings with the president …

    Enjoyed? I suspect Mattis barely tolerates them.

  2. 2.

    Iowa Old Lady

    June 20, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    Also, he prefers seeing them face to face because he can’t/won’t read.

  3. 3.

    SiubhanDuinne

    June 20, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    I keep thinking of that oft-parodied scene from Downfall and wondering which of the Trump Toadies (Troadies) is the one who shifts his gaze, gulps hard, and runs his finger surreptitiously along the inside of his collar.

  4. 4.

    Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)

    June 20, 2017 at 9:42 pm

    Completely OT: Albert “Prodigy” Johnson of Mobb Deep dead from sickle cell complications at 42.

  5. 5.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    @JGabriel: Maybe the whole article is Deep Snark?

  6. 6.

    SenyorDave

    June 20, 2017 at 9:48 pm

    Handel leads by more than 10k. Ossoff won early votes by 2k, but she’s killing him on election day voting. The white people in this country will never change, they will vote Republican as long as they perceive the non-whites will be worse off than they are.

  7. 7.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 9:50 pm

    @SenyorDave: There are actually threads devoted to that race.

  8. 8.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    I wonder how much of this article is Reince whining. I’m not going to read the whole thing. I have better things to do than wade through what seems to be old white fart barber shop gossip. But did a search and didn’t see anything related to The Preeb.

  9. 9.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 9:52 pm

    I like posting hypotheticals. Do you think if the GOP had enough state houses under their control would they repeal the 22nd Amendment?

  10. 10.

    kindness

    June 20, 2017 at 9:53 pm

    But Hillary had a private server!

  11. 11.

    Bookeater (formerly JosieJ)

    June 20, 2017 at 9:53 pm

    You are giving Trump way too much credit. He’s not reading their body language, he’s just making them kowtow. Worked well enough when his top leadership just had to go up a few floors or over a few offices in a high-rise; he doesn’t care that it takes considerably longer now.

  12. 12.

    SenyorDave

    June 20, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: This was shown as an open thread, wasn’t aware that there are now thread police.

  13. 13.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    June 20, 2017 at 9:56 pm

    @Bookeater (formerly JosieJ): That and he can’t read.

  14. 14.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    Mattis probably enjoys the meetings because Trump wants him to explain the philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.

  15. 15.

    Mike in NC

    June 20, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    Another photo of Trump that shows the lights are semi-on but nobody’s home. He’s only thinking about two scoops for dessert.

  16. 16.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    @SenyorDave: Bite me.

  17. 17.

    Tenar Arha

    June 20, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    Senior aides say Trump demands face time with his appointees in part because he doesn’t trust bureaucrats who do the day-to-day work of the federal government. The president shuns them as tools of what he often refers to as the “deep state,” and blames them for frequent, unflattering news stories coming from his White House, according to two White House aides…

    This is hilarious & terrible. So, he’s leaving the bureaucracy he mistrusts to run the agencies while he spends hours with his Cabinet Secretaries, while his WH leaks like a sieve from inside because he’s set it up that way!!??

  18. 18.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    @SenyorDave: There have always been thread police. You just never got nabbed before. Which isn’t surprising. They tend to take naps while in the beat, unlike the grammar cops and usage narcs.

  19. 19.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    @SenyorDave: Not just thread police, but Thought Police too, ???

  20. 20.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:02 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: What’s eatin’ you, copper? Weez clean here, see? Jus’ mindin’ our own bizness.

  21. 21.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    Life comes at you fast!

    pic.twitter.com/78hOqcevyo

    — o'neill (@OXCinNYC) June 21, 2017

  22. 22.

    StringOnAStick

    June 20, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    @Tenar Arha: Drumpf is just so damned lazy. I know this and yet again I am surprised at how lazy this story shows him to be. Rich white guy performance art indeed.

  23. 23.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 10:06 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?:

  24. 24.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Stinkin’ blog is lousy wid da fuxz, dammit. Guy can’t do a liddle biness aroun’ here no more. Damn shame.

  25. 25.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    @jl: The fucking doom and gloomers in the election threads. If people are going to do it, I rather have it stay there.

  26. 26.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:12 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: No reason for doom and gloom. These runs have been in very safe GOP House districts. That is one reason those schmucks were chosen for Trump admin. A lot of GOPer Housers in plus 5 and 10 districts will be pulling off their socks so they can do figures on their fingers and toes tomorrow, probably need some digits from their staffers too.

    Disappointing that we could not pull off miracles but this is progress. You don’t give up now.
    Paraphrasing Sherman and Grant after first day of Shioh:
    Well, Grant, they gave us the Devil’s own day.
    We’ll lick ’em in 18.

    Edit: changed the Sherman Grant quotes to make them more correct. I don’t remember the exact wording.

  27. 27.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:13 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Who cares what you would rather? You and the Tone Police seem to want to try and ignore reality.

  28. 28.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    @jl: Progress? +5 districts?

  29. 29.

    Just One More Canuck

    June 20, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    @jl: There are many Percy Weasley wannabes on this blog

  30. 30.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    @Corner Stone: Yeah, things would have been better at Shiloh of Grant peed himself and quit. You have a good point.

    Hey, thread cops, I got a violator here for you!

  31. 31.

    Chris

    June 20, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    @Corner Stone:

    Who cares what you would rather?

    Seconded.

  32. 32.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    Paul Ryan is not losing in 2018. This is just stupid.

  33. 33.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    @Just One More Canuck: Then there is damned snark militia. Screw them.

  34. 34.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: When did you become a full time troll?

  35. 35.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:18 pm

    @Corner Stone: you a bot now? Or is your comment a circular self-reference?

  36. 36.

    Another Scott

    June 20, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Hehe.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  37. 37.

    Steve in the ATL

    June 20, 2017 at 10:22 pm

    @Corner Stone:

    try and

    Now you’ve done it–the grammar police are going to be all up in your business for not saying “try to.”

    In fact, here’s one now!

  38. 38.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 10:22 pm

    @Corner Stone: Whole House is up for election every 2 years. You need to study up. Or you think Trump and GOP will do something to be more popular by then?

  39. 39.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    @Corner Stone: Which reality? That winning the GA-6 always was a reach? No fucking shit. OTOH, If you are talking about giving up in general, go ahead and kiss my ass. [Animal House clip].

    @Chris: It’s an open thread. Right?

  40. 40.

    ArchTeryx

    June 20, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    Yeah, I got the doom and gloom out of my system in the election thread. So here’s a question that’s basically a slow pitch over the heart of the plate: How might I best help at least folks here in THIS place, other then ‘knock off all the negativity’? (Because I agree with that point).

  41. 41.

    Another Scott

    June 20, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    Tough crowd tonight, eh OO?

    :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  42. 42.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    @Steve in the ATL: If you “try and do X” does that mean you succeeded?

  43. 43.

    Steve in the ATL

    June 20, 2017 at 10:27 pm

    @Kraux Pas: oh great–now the grammar philosophers have shown up!

  44. 44.

    Another Scott

    June 20, 2017 at 10:28 pm

    @ArchTeryx: Dunno. Tell us about your latest Indivisible meeting? Tell us how your doing with your new cat (IIRC)? Stuff like that?

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  45. 45.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 10:29 pm

    @Another Scott: There is an equal and opposite tweet or a paragraph from one of his books for every tweet he hits send on now.

  46. 46.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:29 pm

    @Steve in the ATL: Sorry, I prefer to find possible meaning in these sentences. Way better than run-of-the-mill pedantry.

    ETA:
    @Adam L Silverman: Like Trump wrote his own books.

  47. 47.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    @ArchTeryx: By doing something. Anything.

  48. 48.

    Chet Murthy

    June 20, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    I made French Herring & Potato Salad tonight. With smoked mackerel instead of herring. I don’t remember where I got the link, but I could swear it was here. Dayyyum, so good. Got half of it chillin’ for tomorrow. Dayyyum.

  49. 49.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    June 20, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: It’s not like he ever read* what his ghost writer wrote.

    *Since he can’t read.

  50. 50.

    rikyrah

    June 20, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    Don’t believe that any of them are trusted by the grunts in their departments.

  51. 51.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 10:37 pm

    @Kraux Pas: Never claimed he did.

  52. 52.

    Quinerly

    June 20, 2017 at 10:39 pm

    @Chet Murthy:
    Yum…smoked fish…of any sort! Thankfully, no matter how down and out and grumpy I get, I can always eat. A bit perked up now.

  53. 53.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    @Kraux Pas: Are you Kropadope renamed?

  54. 54.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:42 pm

    God damn Republicans. Fuck them.

  55. 55.

    Chet Murthy

    June 20, 2017 at 10:42 pm

    @Quinerly: The cheesemonger at Whole Paycheck suggested smoked trout (b/c “less fishy than mackerel”) but I went for mackerel anyway. So for those who don’t want overpowering taste, maybe smoked trout would be better.

  56. 56.

    BBA

    June 20, 2017 at 10:43 pm

    @jl: The House has been mandered up the gerry. There are no swing districts left. I’d say “focus on statehouses” but they’re just as bad. It’s a self-perpetuating anti-democratic feedback loop.

    Presidency, Senate in ’20, some governorships are potentially winnable. The House is a much longer game.

  57. 57.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:45 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Someone give Inspector fucking Clouseau here a prize!!!

    @Adam L Silverman: Of course not, but how can we hold Trump to words he neither wrote nor, likely, read?

  58. 58.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:46 pm

    @Corner Stone: That’s terribly helpful. Thank you.

  59. 59.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 10:47 pm

    @Corner Stone: Paul Ryan probably won’t, but losing his majority isn’t impossible. Given the results tonight, I think it’s possible

  60. 60.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:47 pm

    @Kraux Pas: Just checking. I didn’t want to burden a new commenter with your asshole baggage without justification.

  61. 61.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 10:48 pm

    @Kraux Pas: Call in the troll police????????????????????????????????

  62. 62.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:49 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: I do not believe I was trying to assist you, comrade. Was that in reply to you? If not.

  63. 63.

    Aleta

    June 20, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    href=”#comment-6436952″>Chet Murthy: smoked mackerel is so good

  64. 64.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: Sorry, what’s that about pie?

    @Omnes Omnibus: When do you ever have justification for anything?

  65. 65.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: Why would you now consider the D’s taking the House in 2018 as a possibility? Or did you mean in X future?

  66. 66.

    Another Scott

    June 20, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    @Another Scott: your you’re.

    My kingdom for a Preview function!!1

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  67. 67.

    Quinerly

    June 20, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    @Chet Murthy:
    I think the smoked mackerel would be perfect (although I love smoked trout, too). I’m originally from the coast of NC and I like fish to taste like fish (hate flounder, too mild). Big on smoking my own fish whole when there…it can be difficult getting them in the papers though ? how you roll them??

  68. 68.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    @Corner Stone: It is an uphill fight. So we shouldn’t try? Get a fucking grip.

  69. 69.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:53 pm

    It’s interesting. We have lost every special election to date. Yeah, they were previously held by R’s. Some for a long time.
    Not sure how that should make us think this is a positive moving forward.

  70. 70.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 10:54 pm

    @Another Scott: Ewe will get nothink and leyek eet.

  71. 71.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 10:55 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Fuck you Thread Police.

  72. 72.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:55 pm

    @Corner Stone: Handel went plus 2 in a R plus 20 district. There should be a lot of +1 through +18s quaking in their booties right now.

  73. 73.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 10:56 pm

    @Corner Stone: Look at them in terms of trend analysis. Right now the trend lines are moving in the right direction. The question will be whether that, combined with what normally happens in midterm elections, especially the first term midterm election, is enough to flip the House.

  74. 74.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 10:56 pm

    @Corner Stone: Fuck you asshole.

    ETA: Are you giving up? Or do you want to fight for your child?

  75. 75.

    Another Scott

    June 20, 2017 at 10:58 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: You can’t hold that against him. After all, he didn’t write his books and only writes about half of his tweets.

    Bowden in Vanity Fair (a repost):

    “I guess that’ll have to be in your story,” he said.

    “Pretty much,” I told him.

    This apparently worried him, because on the flight home a day later he had a proposition.

    “I’m looking for somebody to write my next book,” he told me.

    I told him that I would not be interested.

    “Why not?” he asked. “All my books become best-sellers.”

    ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  76. 76.

    Leaving Texas

    June 20, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    @Steve in the ATL:

    oh great–now the grammar philosophers have shown up!

    Don’t they have cabs to drive?

  77. 77.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 20, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    @Corner Stone: @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: Why would you now consider the D’s taking the House in 2018 as a possibility? Or did you mean in X future?

    What did the names Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley and Katrina mean to you in June of 2005. Events, dear friend, events.

  78. 78.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 11:00 pm

    @Corner Stone: Because the Dem candidates came very close in districts that have been R+20 since forever. That suggests to me that there’s a sea level change happening. Closer R districts can be flipped in 18, especially if some kind of event happens to fuck up the GOP. Quite likely with El Presidente and his criminal goons in charge

  79. 79.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: So far the trend analysis is R’s 100% in recent elections.
    At some point we have to actually win elections. Winning -2 or winning -7 does not actually do a whole heck of a lot.
    “Let’s quit! Let’s run away! Let’s pull out our hair and cry!”
    No, but let’s not be silly about this either.

  80. 80.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    @Corner Stone: Fuck you asshole.

    Let the bodies hit the floor…

  81. 81.

    Peale

    June 20, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: yeah. On the minus side is the infinite capacity of GOP voters to forget why they were angry at the GOP. And the seemingly bottomless capacity for Democrats to remember and hold onto every perceived failing of their party.

  82. 82.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 11:03 pm

    Karen Handel is a garbage human being. That is just fact. She is is garbage. And she is going to Congress. I think that is worth at least one “God damn Republicans”.

  83. 83.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 11:03 pm

    @Another Scott: I’m familiar with that reporting.

  84. 84.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 11:03 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: Fuck you loser ?. Can’t take a fucking joke

  85. 85.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:04 pm

    @Leaving Texas:

    oh great–now the grammar philosophers have shown up!

    Don’t they have cabs to drive?

    I’m a pharmacy technician and we close at 9.

  86. 86.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:04 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Thank you. God, it’s so depressing here sometimes.

  87. 87.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    @Corner Stone: Do you honestly think its going to be like that forever? That closer districts can’t be won? Come on. You stop being silly

  88. 88.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Only one meant anything – Katrina. You want to kill a few more of our citizens to get anywhere?

  89. 89.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?:

    Goku (aka Junior G-Man)
    says:
    June 20, 2017 at 11:03 pm
    @ Goku (aka Junior G-Man) : Fuck you loser . Can’t take a fucking joke

    I’ll take Goku’s word as an authority on Goku. Haha, he believed me about the pie. Apparently Goku is right about Goku.

  90. 90.

    Another Scott

    June 20, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    @Corner Stone: Because American politics is just like Greek mythology, amirite?

    Aphrodite The Democratic House Majority arose fully formed from the foam…

    :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  91. 91.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    @Corner Stone: Yeah, we’ve all been there all night.

  92. 92.

    Adam L Silverman

    June 20, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    @Corner Stone: I think you’ve misunderstood my reply to you. You are correct, and I am not arguing, that the outcomes have been all for the Republican candidates. What I meant by the trend is the massive swings in districts that are heavily to very heavily weighted towards the GOP. That was what I was referring to.

    I honestly have no idea what will happen next year.

  93. 93.

    Quinerly

    June 20, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    I’m being told by MSNBC talking heads that Handel ran against Pelosi and that’s why she won.

  94. 94.

    Mnemosyne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Ah. I suspected he was a non-newbie, but he didn’t sound like Derf.

  95. 95.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    If someone like Jackie Speier or Adam Schiff left their districts in CA for some reason, and a newcomer GOper came within 10 points of an established Democrat pol contestant in a special election, some people here would be having nervous breakdowns and fainting spells, as well as massive pants pissing.

    I admit the deck is stacked against us in terms of PR. The media would be hollering about nothing but the coming obliteration of the Democratic Party until the next regular election.

  96. 96.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    @Leaving Texas: True story, my HS English teacher quit after my Freshman year to drive cabs in SF, because he wanted to write books.

  97. 97.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 11:08 pm

    @Kraux Pas: ??

  98. 98.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: No, just taking advantage of an opening you left. Proofread your posts.

  99. 99.

    jl

    June 20, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    I’m getting out of here for the evening before the thread subtext ontologists arrive.

  100. 100.

    Mnemosyne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:11 pm

    @Quinerly:

    I’m being told by MSNBC talking heads that Handel ran against Pelosi and that’s why she won.

    I would not be surprised. That means that the Republicans turned it into a referendum on San Francisco Liberal Elites and they still barely squeaked out a win.

    As Adam was saying, the trend lines are not promising for the Republicans here. If conjuring up the specter of Nancy Pelosi doesn’t bring you an easy victory in a district that went +20 for Tom Price only 7 months ago … ?

  101. 101.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:12 pm

    @jl: Not to mention the subtext oncologists.

  102. 102.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:13 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Ah. I suspected he was a non-newbie, but he didn’t sound like Derf.

    I assume Derf refers to me. Funny, without that trigger of seeing my old name, you look differently at my posts. It’s almost like you make your conclusions before reading.

  103. 103.

    Leaving Texas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    @opiejeanne: Did he write any books?

  104. 104.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    @Mnemosyne: That’s definitely a ray of sunshine.

    I’m worried that we’re about to have a Katrina-style event very shortly. I haven’t checked in the past couple of hours but that tropical storm that was barrelling towards Louisiana looked pretty ugly. I have a friend in Baton Rouge and she was having Katrina flashbacks this afternoon.

  105. 105.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: Nice edit, that’ll teach me at #98 to always include quotes.

  106. 106.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:16 pm

    @Leaving Texas: I just had that thought too. Off to check.

  107. 107.

    Quinerly

    June 20, 2017 at 11:16 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    I’m very cranky tonight. I admit it. Let’s not lump Katrina in as an “event” that will help us Dems. It’s offensive. I lost friends….they are dead. I just fled another thread because some commenter seemed to want the economy to tank so Trump/Repugs will feel the backlash. The Katrina remark is worse. We are better. We should win because we are better. I don’t understand why we aren’t winning.

  108. 108.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 11:17 pm

    “Highly educated”. I am not sure what that means any more re: voters.

  109. 109.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 20, 2017 at 11:17 pm

    @Corner Stone: Only one meant anything – Katrina.

    you knew the hurricane was coming two and a half months in advance? you should have told more people

    You want to kill a few more of our citizens to get anywhere?

    yes, that’s exactly what I meant!

    that’s cheap trolling even for you.

  110. 110.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:17 pm

    @jl:

    I’m getting out of here for the evening before the thread subtext ontologists arrive.

    The thread does not think, therefore it is not.

  111. 111.

    Mnemosyne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:17 pm

    @Kraux Pas:

    Nope, Derf is another commenter entirely. And what changing your name did was make me read your posts and think, Hmm, that commenter sounds familiar. What was his previous nym?

    Pseudonymity =/= anonymity, and people almost always recognize you when you come back under a new name.

  112. 112.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 11:18 pm

    @Kraux Pas: Derf is a different troll. The history associated with a ‘nym has an effect. To pretend it doesn’t is silly.

  113. 113.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 20, 2017 at 11:19 pm

    @Quinerly: Let’s not lump Katrina in as an “event” that will help us Dems. It’s offensive.

    It’s not about what would “help” Dems, than it’s about unforeseeable events that change people’s attitudes about politics.

    Would anyone deny that the Iraq War played a role in ’06 and ’08? Or the financial crash was part of the reasons people were willing to give Obama a chance?

  114. 114.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 11:19 pm

    @Mnemosyne: WTF are you babbling about? Handle won by 6 points. That’s not a squeaker.

  115. 115.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:20 pm

    @Leaving Texas: I’ll have to dig out my yearbook and find out his first name. So far no luck just looking by his last name.
    I don’t know what sort of books he wanted to write, probably The Great American Novel.

  116. 116.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    June 20, 2017 at 11:20 pm

    @jl: Schiff’s district was a long time GOP district. Demographics changed and the Rep preceding the Rep he beat ended up in prison.

  117. 117.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:21 pm

    @Mnemosyne: My mistake, but who the fuck is Derf?

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Derf is a different troll.

    Different than whom? You?

  118. 118.

    joel hanes

    June 20, 2017 at 11:21 pm

    @opiejeanne:

    it’s so depressing here sometimes

    jackals gotta jackal. Sometimes the yipping cries go on half the night.
    Attempts to find meaning in those noises are futile.

    Right attention.
    There are almost always comments here worth reading, thinking about, and responding to.

  119. 119.

    Corner Stone

    June 20, 2017 at 11:22 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I really have no idea what you mean here.

  120. 120.

    Omnes Omnibus

    June 20, 2017 at 11:23 pm

    @Kraux Pas: From you. Dipshit.

  121. 121.

    Mnemosyne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:23 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Also, the rep that Schiff beat was one of the House impeachment managers, which did not go over well with the rapidly changing demographics.

    Say what you will about our local Armenian population and their terrible driving — at least they’re strong Democrats.

  122. 122.

    Kraux Pas

    June 20, 2017 at 11:24 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Oh, then you’re Derf? I get it.

  123. 123.

    joel hanes

    June 20, 2017 at 11:25 pm

    @opiejeanne:

    that tropical storm that was barrelling towards Louisiana looked pretty ugly

    It’s a bit early, but in the normal place for June.
    The one that worries me is the one waaay out in the Atlantic, just getting organized enough to be named, in a place where tropical storms very rarely form in June except in the very worst hurricane years.

  124. 124.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?

    June 20, 2017 at 11:26 pm

    @Kraux Pas: “Quotes” can be made up:

    I’m a poopy head

    I could say you really said that but edited it out in your comment. Sometimes it becomes a he said, she said situation.

    But for reals, you got me fair and square. No hard feelings.

  125. 125.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    June 20, 2017 at 11:29 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    our local Armenian population and their terrible driving

    The wife says they drive worse than Koreans.

    ETA: Moorhead was the guy who did time, Rogan replaced him and was one of the impeachment managers.

  126. 126.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:30 pm

    @joel hanes: Yes, and we each have our favorites as well as our less than favorites. I guess the whining tonight is understandable but I wish they’d limit it to the election thread; it gets a bit tiring after a while and I’ve already had a full day of hand-wringing on various sites, not to mention dealing with a young gullible relative who is in a tizzy because the illuminati something something and the Georgia Stonehenge thingie. I finally told her that her friends who are talking about this stuff are idiots and to change the subject whenever they start up.
    She also works with a couple of ninnies, one of whom asked if rabbits were “boys and girls” or if they just reproduced on their own. She works in an insurance office, doesn’t that make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

    Speaking of warm and fuzzy, has anyone seen Baud recently?

  127. 127.

    Quinerly

    June 20, 2017 at 11:31 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    I know exactly what you meant.

  128. 128.

    joel hanes

    June 20, 2017 at 11:31 pm

    @Quinerly:

    . I don’t understand why we aren’t winning.

    Our opponents have controlled the narrative since the ascension of Reagan.
    Reaganism spawned government-hating billionaires who can throw hundreds of millions into every electoral cycle, indefinitely, and who have gotten the laws changed to make that legal.

    Half the nation has lost its connection to any source of reality-based news.

  129. 129.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:34 pm

    @joel hanes: What i’m worried about wrt these storms is that the Current Resident might appoint someone worse than Heckuva Job Brownie to head up FEMA and interfere with the people currently running it.
    That may be a moot point though because the weather disasters that we’ve already had, one in SC I think, have gotten no money from the Feds. Trump isn’t interested in giving aid to stricken communities.

  130. 130.

    joel hanes

    June 20, 2017 at 11:39 pm

    @opiejeanne:

    If I lived in hurricane country, I would make my plans for the future based on the assumption that the Trump misadministration will be at best of no help whatsoever. Public relations gestures are their idea of a the proper response to any and all situations.

  131. 131.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    June 20, 2017 at 11:41 pm

    @opiejeanne:

    Speaking of warm and fuzzy, has anyone seen Baud recently?

    I believe the fuzziness is the result of mold. Baud is rarely on in the evenings, early morning our time is usually when he appears.

    The kid is thinking of vacationing up in your neck of the woods in early Sept.

  132. 132.

    opiejeanne

    June 20, 2017 at 11:49 pm

    @Leaving Texas: There was no first name listed in that yearbook and it was his last year there. I dug around but didn’t find anything listed with his last name that could possibly be him. He was in his 30s (I’m guessing) in 1964 so he’d be pretty old.

    I just remembered; I think he wanted to write Sci-Fi. Not sure why you need to drive a cab for that but he was probably sick of us.

  133. 133.

    Mnemosyne

    June 21, 2017 at 12:04 am

    @opiejeanne:

    When disasters do hit, I fully expect states with Republican governors to get aid and states with Democratic governors to get bupkis. Which is why I should probably stock up on water and make sure our emergency food is still good.

  134. 134.

    divF

    June 21, 2017 at 12:13 am

    You almost had the line from The Ringworld Engineers: “Uneasy sits the butt that bears the boss.”

  135. 135.

    opiejeanne

    June 21, 2017 at 12:15 am

    @Mnemosyne: heck, I’m thinking about buying charcoal, canned beans and fruit, water, those small dry salamis, and several other things we can eat if we lose power for a prolonged period. A friend in Big Bear says the power was out because of the fire and Edison said up to 48 hours before they can get everything running again. He said there was talk of rolling blackouts and his power was on for half an hour this evening.

  136. 136.

    Quinerly

    June 21, 2017 at 12:29 am

    @joel hanes:
    You are correct on the big picture narrative. My comment taken a bit out of context though. Not into rehashing the rehash. But it shouldn’t take the economy tanking, a hurricane killing people, and/or an ill conceived war by the other side….for us as Dems to win. I’m 56 years old, been around politics since I was 5…I’m sick of witnessing people voting against their interests. It shouldn’t take wishing for a mismanaged hurricane and deaths to break the voting against interests cycle…albeit briefly.

  137. 137.

    SgrAstar

    June 21, 2017 at 12:37 am

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: No, but they’re already talking about repealing the 17th Amendment (direct election of Senators). And of course taking down the 14th. Unfortunately for everyone, achieving these goals has recently moved from “no way” to “distinctly possible.” I’d like to think we could block these efforts. What really worries me is that the level of hatred and spite on the right is just off the charts. Not sure how to fix that.

  138. 138.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 21, 2017 at 12:41 am

    @Quinerly: It shouldn’t take wishing for a mismanaged hurricane and deaths

    my god, if that’s supposed to refer to me, it’s just incredibly, self-indulgently dishonest.

  139. 139.

    Quinerly

    June 21, 2017 at 12:48 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    “events”

  140. 140.

    Anne Laurie

    June 21, 2017 at 12:54 am

    @divF: My old man first told me the title line around the time Larry Niven was in pre-school.

    And he said he got it from his own father, or possibly Shakespeare.

  141. 141.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 21, 2017 at 1:14 am

    @Quinerly: you seem to think you’re making a point….

  142. 142.

    Mnemosyne

    June 21, 2017 at 1:22 am

    @Quinerly:

    I’m sick of witnessing people voting against their interests.

    As far as Trump voters are concerned, they did vote for their interests. The problem is that their interests are in increasing racism, sexism, and/or xenophobia, and anything else is secondary.

  143. 143.

    Mnemosyne

    June 21, 2017 at 1:23 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Leave Quinerly alone. She’s having a moment of despair. We’ve all had them in the last 7 months.

  144. 144.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 21, 2017 at 1:26 am

    @Mnemosyne: She accused me of “wishing for deaths.” Who should leave who alone?

  145. 145.

    divF

    June 21, 2017 at 1:28 am

    @Anne Laurie: Shakespeare’s version is from Henry IV, Part 2, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown”, from which the other two, no doubt, are derived. I just liked Niven’s version because of the alliteration.

  146. 146.

    Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]

    June 21, 2017 at 1:46 am

    @? ?? Goku (aka Junior G-Man) ? ?: That is astounding, this post… I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody troll himself….

  147. 147.

    JR in WV

    June 21, 2017 at 2:17 am

    Folks, no one here wants another Katrina scale storm, nor another version of the 2008 depression. But with Dolt45 in charge, eventually something bad will happen, and unmanaged any such event could turn horrific in some way.

    We need to be sure that everyone understand that President Dolt45 is in charge, is responsible for the current Federal government, and any failure of that government to manage a crisis so that it turns out the best it could possibly turn out is the fault of the Republicans who elected Dolt45, while possibly uncovering chicanery of a feloneous nature.

    The crisis ideally might be just a whole bunch of felonies showing up with Dolt45’s family’s fingerprints all over it. Which would cause a long pause in managing things at the top level, the only level currently being manned. A big heat wave could turn out bad with nobody steering. A flu epidemic, a shortage of anything regulated.

  148. 148.

    TenguPhule

    June 21, 2017 at 3:34 am

    @Mnemosyne:

    When disasters do hit, I fully expect states with Republican governors to get aid and states with Democratic governors to get bupkis. Which is why I should probably stock up on water and make sure our emergency food is still good.

    Then you haven’t been paying attention.

    Shitstain Orange Fuckweasel left his own base out to dry after disasters.

    Nobody is going to get help from the Feds for any natural disaster this year.

    /Battens down the hatches for Hurricane season. We dodged a total of 14 hurricanes last year.

  149. 149.

    Quinerly

    June 21, 2017 at 7:21 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    I suggest you re read your comment that prompted my original comment to you. I took it literal, “Jim, Foolish LITERALIST.”

  150. 150.

    Quinerly

    June 21, 2017 at 7:25 am

    @Mnemosyne:
    Thanks for jumping in. Appreciated, but certainly not needed. Apparently, “Jim, Foolish Literalist” is not be be taken literally when he lumps his “events” together. Some events cause scandal and prison…and some events cause death. Silly me for taking him literally.

  151. 151.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 21, 2017 at 8:38 am

    @Quinerly: I suggest you re read your comment that prompted my original comment to you

    Why don’t you do that and find me the part where I wished for deaths. You’re making even less sense the morning after.

    Do you have some peculiar idea of what “event” means? observing that something happened is not, a to rational human being, the same thing as hoping it happens again.

  152. 152.

    Quinerly

    June 21, 2017 at 9:30 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    I’ll make this as clear as I possibly can for you. Read your original comment and my #107. Yes, events do change the course of mid term and general elections. Sounds like you are hoping for some. I am too. But It takes a special person to lump together a sex scandal, a corruption scandal, and a national disaster that destroyed hundreds of lives and communities. You are special.

  153. 153.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    June 21, 2017 at 10:55 am

    @Quinerly: That’s as clear as mud.

    Why would I read your comment? It has absolutely fuck-all to do with what I said. I’m genuinely surprised at your stubborn dishonesty. You’re clinging to the lie that I said I was wishing for more deaths, and now you’ve expanded it. You can go back and explain how exactly you twisted (used advisedly) what I said to fit your outrage, refer if you like to whatever lunatic’s dictionary in your brain that gives the word “events” the evil implication that you seem to think justifies your nasty incoherence. Or aren’t you taking me “literal” anymore?

    You made an acrobatic leap of bad faith to get on that high horse. That’s not on me. Enjoy the ride.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Comments

  • OzarkHillbilly on Interesting Read: How Did America’s Weirdest, Most Freedom-Obsessed State Fall for an Authoritarian Governor? (Apr 1, 2023 @ 5:00pm)
  • Cacti on Interesting Read: How Did America’s Weirdest, Most Freedom-Obsessed State Fall for an Authoritarian Governor? (Apr 1, 2023 @ 4:56pm)
  • kalakal on Interesting Read: How Did America’s Weirdest, Most Freedom-Obsessed State Fall for an Authoritarian Governor? (Apr 1, 2023 @ 4:56pm)
  • trucmat on Interesting Read: How Did America’s Weirdest, Most Freedom-Obsessed State Fall for an Authoritarian Governor? (Apr 1, 2023 @ 4:54pm)
  • Old Dan and Little Ann on Interesting Read: How Did America’s Weirdest, Most Freedom-Obsessed State Fall for an Authoritarian Governor? (Apr 1, 2023 @ 4:52pm)

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Seattle Meetup coming up on April 4!

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
Classified Documents: A Primer
State & Local Elections Discussion

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice Events

5/14  The Apocalypse
5/20  Home Away from Home
5/29  We’re Back, Baby
7/21  Merging!

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!