Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

We still have time to mess this up!

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

Shut up, hissy kitty!

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

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

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

I did not have this on my fuck 2025 bingo card.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

Also, are you sure you want people to rate your comments?

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

We will not go back.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

They punch you in the face and then start crying because their fist hurts.

Not loving this new fraud based economy.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Giving in to doom is how we fail to fight for ourselves & one another.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Saturday Night Funnies Open Thread

Saturday Night Funnies Open Thread

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(warning: audio NSFW)

If someone had told the 19-year-old me attending early comicons in NYC that one day a major motion picture company would be sending a top-tier (Black! Female!) actor to cons to promote its upcoming blockbuster… well, I wouldn’t have believed them, but I would have loved the idea.

Speaking of popcult things that made me LOL, here’s Alexandra Petri in the Washington Post:

… The good news is that the Trump White House will soon consist entirely of generals, reality TV villains, people who call themselves “Mooch” and “Mad Dog” with straight faces, empty cans of Four Loko and big tufts of hair that have not slept in more than 72 hours. A fine group to have running any country, if you don’t care what happens to the country.

Frankly, I would not buy a mattress from this group. I wouldn’t ask Anthony Scaramucci to watch my laptop for me while I ran to the bathroom, and everyone knows that this is a nominal responsibility, at best. If I showed up at a carnival and saw that a man with his general demeanor was operating the ride, I would politely decline and wander off toward the fried things. But we can’t decline this ride.

The job of chief of staff now falls to John Kelly (a general, and “one of our real stars,” according to Trump. Trump loves stars — in fact, any hot balls of explosive gas, which explains his current choice of communications director). Trump seems to think that if Kelly can fight the MS-13 gang, he can run the White House. The skillset involved is, I guess, similar…

Priebus was one of the last Adults In The Room, not that it mattered because everyone in the room was doing exactly as they pleased regardless. His function was largely decorative. What is the point of adult supervision if all you do is sit back and watch as the children set everything on fire? Still, I’m not sure I relish the prospect of the room without him.

It is not as if the clowns are running the circus, because I think clowns possess competence and you have to get a certification before you can become a clown…

Reader Interactions

196Comments

  1. 1.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    reality TV villains, people who call themselves “Mooch” and “Mad Dog” with straight faces,

    I suspect Dr Silverman will object– Mattis hates that nickname

    I noticed the “star” thing, too, and somebody played an old clip of him calling Preibus a “superstar”. “When you’re a star…”
    The Beast is consistent.

  3. 3.

    Patricia Kayden

    Reince was an active part of this problematic Mad House. Just a few weeks ago he was in a bizarre Cabinet meeting praising Trump for the blessing and opportunity to work for him. Ms. Petri’s article is wonderfully hilarious but letting Reince off the hook doesn’t fly.

  4. 4.

    BBA

    people who call themselves “Mooch” and “Mad Dog” with straight faces

    My understanding is that Mattis hates the nickname “Mad Dog” even though it’s literally the only reason Trump hired him. That and his “central casting” looks.

    Isn’t “central casting” usually an insult?

  6. 6.

    A Ghost to Most

    Rince Repeatus was probably the tether back to the GOP space station .

    Now the Oranzhevyy Tiran Soyuz capsule is floating free. I wonder where it will crash back to earth?

  7. 7.

    germy

    @BBA: Speaking of Central Casting: Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak. He looks like every “movie Russian” from 1960s comedies to cheesy low-budget spy dramas.

  8. 8.

    Felonius Monk

    “Rinse Previous” proves one thing for certain: A eunuch cannot be the WH Chief of Staff. The groveling that he has been doing since being fired is pretty pathetic for a supposedly grown man.

  9. 9.

    germy

    @Patricia Kayden: She says this about him further in her essay:

    Priebus would never be accused of possessing excess charisma, but that is just one of many things he would never be accused of, like possessing enough integrity to say no to serving under Donald Trump.

  10. 10.

    A Ghost to Most

    @schrodingers_cat:
    You were really brave to continue your citizenship quest in the face of all this bullshit. Lines of my family have been here for 400 years, and I am rethinking things.

  11. 11.

    Felonius Monk

    @A Ghost to Most:

    I wonder where it will crash back to earth?

    Earth doesn’t want it. Let it wander forever untethered in the farthest, darkest reaches of the universe.

  12. 12.

    Brachiator

    ..Priebus was one of the last Adults In The Room

    Various Beltway pundits are trying to push the narrative that Priebus represented the GOP leadership’s ties to the White House and their attempt to have some influence over Trump. But this was never more than a fantasy.

    When Trump was selling snake oil to voters by promising to “drain the swamp,” the GOP thought that he was only talking about Democrats. Wrong. Then again, voters never understood that Trump was going to put fresh water in the swamp and fill it with Scaramucci.

  13. 13.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    somebody said on twitter, a thing to watch for, and be sickened by, will be trump and his creatures starting to pick up military phrasing from Kelly. I imagine Kellyanne Conway thrilling the fox news morning zoo croo with her new lingo

  15. 15.

    Quinerly

    Mooch referred to Priebus as “Rancid P*nis.” Other staffers laughed. I feel as though I have become the BJ expert on the Mooch. Right now, I’m not pleased with myself.

  16. 16.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @germy: Priebus used to repeat all the hate radio talking points about Obama with a self-satisfied little smirk like he could barely keep from laughing at his own cleverness. He reminds me of Ari Fleischer, who I always suspected was bullied as a kid and wanted nothing more than to bully people back as an adult.

  17. 17.

    Brachiator

    @Felonius Monk:

    ..The groveling that he has been doing since being fired is pretty pathetic for a supposedly grown man.

    I don’t know. He was channeling Chris Christie in his grovelling. Trump loves this stuff. He eats it up. And he loves setting people up for their spotlight moment of humiliation.

  19. 19.

    germy

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Priebus used to repeat all the hate radio talking points about Obama with a self-satisfied little smirk like he could barely keep from laughing at his own cleverness.

    I remember that, which is why I enjoyed seeing him thrown to the leopards of this administration.

    Only problem is, the leopards are gnawing MY face, as well.

  20. 20.

    Patricia Kayden

    @germy: And his lack of integrity has led to this embarrassment. I suppose he can write a tell all book deriding Trump. But most likely he’ll just slither away.

  21. 21.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Quinerly: The Mooch may be riding high now but I foresee that Trump will eventually tire of him and he’ll be kicked off the boat as well. He better enjoy the ride.

  23. 23.

    NotMax

    Priebus’ main accomplishment was in making Michael Steele look sober, polished and adept by comparison.

  24. 24.

    khead

    6 months. No matter how low I set the bar, I could not have possibly dreamed how big of a clown show it would be back in January.

  26. 26.

    ThresherK

    His real first name is Reinhold.

    Not the best name for a guy in the USA (and I say that admitting I’ve got German blood in me), but he’s doing his damndest to make sure he’s the last Reince ever.

  28. 28.

    Quinerly

    @Patricia Kayden:
    I guess you saw that his second wife had their second child on Monday while he was with Trump and the Boy Scouts. He finally saw the child (premature birth) on Friday. This is the wife who he left his wife of 23 years for…workplace romance. Second wife, who just had the baby, has filed for divorce…the Mooch has been cheating. We all know how much Trump’s Evangelical base seem to love this kinda stuff. Jared is the one who should worry. Ivanka looks to be the Mooch’s type.

  29. 29.

    bmoak

    Anne Laurie: Early comic conventions in NYC? Those would have been the Phil Seuling-run shows in the mid-70s.
    Before creating Elfquest, Wendy Pini was one of of the earliest name cosplayers (before it was called cosplay) at those shows, usually dressed as Red Sonja. I never went until I was a teenager in the mid-80s, though.

  30. 30.

    Quinerly

    @NotMax: Isn’t that so funny. I once loathed Steele. Now I welcome him into my home a couple times a day. I smile when I see him on MSNBC. Really nice purple tie the other day

  33. 33.

    Anne Laurie

    @bmoak:

    Before creating Elfquest, Wendy Pini was one of of the earliest name cosplayers (before it was called cosplay) at those shows, usually dressed as Red Sonja.

    Yup, but “my” cons were no later than 1974.

    I showed up for at least one dressed as Shanna the She-Devil, because I was an OG Trekkie, and we always had “dress like your favorite character” at our cons. I was young & fit enough to almost carry off a fake-fur halter & mini, but now you know why I’ve always been grateful to have grown up pre-social-media!

  34. 34.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Quinerly: So the Mooch is a multi-married, loudmouthed, out of control cheater? Hmmmm. No wonder Trump is so enamored with him. Birds of a feather and all that jazz.

    Hope the wife gets a good chunk of the Mooch’s money in the divorce proceedings.

  40. 40.

    ArchTeryx

    @Major Major Major Major: I devoutly hope you are right. McConnell sounded pretty final after Skinny Repeal went down in flames at his feet, but his at least some of his caucus will never stop hunting that White Whale until they’re all dead. They’re STILL going after Social Security, 80 years after it was proposed!

  41. 41.

    Patricia Kayden

    @ArchTeryx: That bill would cost 12 million Americans healthcare. How is it a good replacement if millions lose their healthcare? Are Republicans for real? They should just say that they want to cut taxes for the rich and stop meddling with the ACA.

  42. 42.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Brachiator:

    Various Beltway pundits are trying to push the narrative that Priebus represented the GOP leadership’s ties to the White House and their attempt to have some influence over Trump. But this was never more than a fantasy.

    Might be how the GOP saw it and it could make make them less intrested in protecting Trump in the Russian scandle.

    I note how Trump reaction to set back is try to attack his staff – that Colorado TG got into with Trump he bans TG in the military, the Senate won’t vote the way he does so fires Priebus, and so on.

  43. 43.

    Quinerly

    @Patricia Kayden:
    The Mooch has accused second wife of verbal abuse. She called him a “grifter” and “Trump sycophant.” If you had been stuck at the beach, inside all day because of rain with Poco cringing because of the storms, you would know these things. The Mooch follows a male porn star on Twitter, too. He’s living the American dream. Economically anxious coalminers just love him.?

  45. 45.

    Frankensteinbeck

    I have a question for those among us with a more advanced understanding of civics than my School House Rock level!

    It was asserted in a previous threat that by bringing the bill to a vote that failed, McCain has closed reconciliation for this congress, because only one reconciliation bill can be considered. That was not my understanding. What I understood is that only an amendment was voted on. The bill still exists, but has been shelved indefinitely, because McConnell knows there is no conceivable situation in which he will have enough votes to pass it. Also, I know he has officially ended it as the Senate’s business and moved on to the next item on the schedule. How much of an obstacle is that to picking the bill back up?

    To be clear, I am convinced ACA repeal is dead. McConnell can’t get the votes, and has no more motivation to try after that humiliation. This is over, no matter what Graham likes to tell Trump. I just want to understand the technicalities involved.

  47. 47.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @ArchTeryx:
    I read that. Note that none of those senators are McConnell. This is idle bullshit. Coming up with whatever bill, of any kind, just to pass one has already been tried. It failed. I don’t know if Graham and his buddies are posturing, or have their heads stuck far enough up their own asses they still want to tilt at this windmill. McConnell has admitted defeat.

  48. 48.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    I see Moochie’s wife filed for divorce. She gave birth to their son on Monday. Pooch wasn’t there; he was with Donnie Little Mitts. Pooch didn’t even go see his own kid until Friday.

    If any woman ever screws the Pooch again, it’ll be a day of shame for women.

  50. 50.

    Greg Ferguson

    The Mooch reminds me of the guy who normally ran the Jury Pool rooms at Chicago Criminal Court back in the day. The week I was called, he was on vacation in Florida. On his return, we were offered another week (Chicago actually paid a pretty good stipend, to a grad student, in mid-January…), but one look at the electric-blue suit – the Miami-leather tan, quite the Mooch hairdo, but shinier – and the verbal promise that however lax things had been in his absence, the boss was back…. We declined.

  51. 51.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    It was asserted in a previous threat that by bringing the bill to a vote that failed, McCain has closed reconciliation for this congress, because only one reconciliation bill can be considered. That was not my understanding. What I understood is that only an amendment was voted on. The bill still exists, but has been shelved indefinitely, because McConnell knows there is no conceivable situation in which he will have enough votes to pass it. Also, I know he has officially ended it as the Senate’s business and moved on to the next item on the schedule. How much of an obstacle is that to picking the bill back up?

    You’re right that it was just an amendment, and no bill was voted down, so there was no bill defeated, so the bill is not dead. However, the skinny latte was their last best hope at getting “something” passed. I don’t see how Graham coming in after the fact screaming “block grants!” does anything.

  53. 53.

    PPCLI

    In all the madness, people haven’t spoken much about Trump’s tweet to the effect that Russia would have preferred Hilary to him because “I want a strong military and low oil prices”.
    I hope that anti-Trump ads are being prepared for N. Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and other states with heavily oil-dependent economies to let them know; “TRUMP SAYS HE WANTS LOW OIL PRICES!”

  54. 54.

    BBA

    @Anne Laurie: I recently read about the first Worldcon in 1939, at which Myrtle Douglas and Forrest Ackerman showed up in futuristic costumes of Myrtle’s design, thereby inventing cosplay. Forry was a little surprised that they were the only ones there in costume.

  57. 57.

    BBA

    @Frankensteinbeck: The fundamental rule of Congress is anything can happen if there are 51 (or 218) votes for it. The rules are there to prevent a small faction from hijacking the session away from leadership, but they don’t actually matter that much.

  58. 58.

    divF

    @Anne Laurie:

    Yup, but “my” cons were no later than 1974.

    Were you at NorEasCon 1 (1971) in Boston ? It is the only con I ever went to. One of the high points for me was seeing R.A. Lafferty holding court in the lobby of the hotel.

  61. 61.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Quinerly:

    Economically anxious coalminers just love him.

    Rubes in the vast heartland, Kentucky or Kansas or wherethefuckever willingly allowing themselves to be led by a bunch of boorish philandering cokeheads from New York and saying “please sir, may I have another.”

  63. 63.

    Lulymay

    @A Ghost to Most:

    Love it!!! Your description conjures up such images. I think they are all in free-fall right now and hope they don’t land anywhere near me – which is north of the 49th.

  64. 64.

    BBA

    @Wapiti: As this week shows, McConnell is no Nancy Pelosi. Nevertheless, he’s still the most effective leader the Republicans have had in ages. If his caucus wants him gone, they’re just hurting themselves, so more power to them.

  66. 66.

    Anne Laurie

    @BBA:

    Forry was a little surprised that they were the only ones there in costume.

    Believe me, by the time us sewing-enabled “girl” Trekkies showed up in the early 1970s, it was pretty clear there were a lot of people who wanted to dress up like their fantasies…

    There was a long tradition of ‘costume competitions’ at sf cons, but that meant the theatrically-minded fen doing elaborate set pieces for one runway-style performance. Many of the sf-based Trufen (men) were OUTRAGED at the “fake fans” who sidled over surreptitiously to ask Those Horrible Celebrity-Obsessed TV Freaks for help designing (what were then called) hall costumes — outfits you could wear for hours, walking around the show. But then Star Wars came along, not to mention the Dorsai Irregulars (who were offering ‘trained’ con security, something that hadn’t been necessary when most cons were a few dozen or hundred people who mostly all knew each other & interacted all the time)…

    Interesting times, they were, to be young and semi-innocent.

  67. 67.

    Anne Laurie

    @divF:

    Were you at NorEasCon 1 (1971) in Boston ? It is the only con I ever went to. One of the high points for me was seeing R.A. Lafferty holding court in the lobby of the hotel.

    I wish I had been, because Lafferty is one of my literary idols! But my first “real” sf con was a NYC Lunacon in (I think) 1972, and I didn’t get involved with “real” fandom (fanzine fandom, specificially, because there was an intersection) until I went to college in the Midwest in 1974 or ’75.

  68. 68.

    Anne Laurie

    @Wapiti:

    In my dreams they’re setting the stage to boot McConnell; someone else thinks they could be a better leader.

    From what I see on political-reporter Twitter, Ted Cruz is already “lobbying hard to take McConnell’s job”.

    Talk about rooting for injuries!…

  69. 69.

    divF

    @Anne Laurie:

    Lafferty is one of my literary idols!

    Same here. I’ve noticed how you slip in references to his work now and then – it always brings a smile to my face.

  71. 71.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Frankensteinbeck: Trump tweeted today that he demands that Republicans not give up on repealing the ACA so I wouldn’t be surprised if they give it another go. What have they got to lose? It’s not like they have any shame.

  75. 75.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Trump tweeted today

    I cannot stress sufficiently that no one in congress gives the slightest fuck what Trump thinks, except maybe to spite him.

    What have they got to lose?

    Time, energy, frustration, and humiliation when they fail. This experience hurt McConnell, politically and personally. He doesn’t want to do it again, and he has already publicly, officially said it’s over.

  77. 77.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @BBA:
    They’ve already decided where they stand on that issue. They took those votes. The vast majority of them don’t want to do it again. They didn’t want to the first time, but McConnell forced the issue, and now rumors are flying he’ll lose his position for it.

    EDIT – Let me add that by now, Trump has repeatedly demanded congress do things, and in almost every case congress has ignored him. Either they’re not afraid of the MAGA crowd, or they don’t think that crowd will punish them for disobeying him.

  78. 78.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Quinerly:

    I feel as though I have become the BJ expert

    Periodically, I feel compelled to remind posters here to be careful about phrasing….

  80. 80.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Cruz thinks he can be the Senate Majority (or Minority, should the GOP falter) Leader? Mooch isn’t the only one snorting lines.

  82. 82.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Greg Ferguson: but one look at the electric-blue suit – the Miami-leather tan, quite the Mooch hairdo, but shinier –

    He just radiates flimflam man to me, I still can’t get over the people talking about his smooth charm

    @Major Major Major Major: Not just your dreams, there are rumors, and some yahoo in the house said the quiet part out loud the other day too.

    Brings up the same question as when Boehner quit: Who the fuck wants the job? Isn’t that marble-headed stupe Cornyn his number two? Maybe they could prop up Hatch or Grassley and do a kind of Leadership by committee.

  87. 87.

    gene108

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    As long as they see immigrants rounded up and deported, and the economy is chugging along, they don’t really care about legislative accomplishments.

    And that there is a white Republican man in the White House.

  88. 88.

    efgoldman

    @Steeplejack:

    Who the fuck wants the job? Isn’t that marble-headed stupe Cornyn his number two?

    There’s not a one of them that’s ever been a successful legislator. They’ve been TV talking heads. ideologues, preening narcissists, and home state icons, but never written and passed any laws.
    No matter what the MAGA and TeaHadi whisperers say, experience really does count.

  90. 90.

    Steve in the ATL

    @efgoldman:

    There’s not a one of them that’s ever been a successful legislator. They’ve been TV talking heads. ideologues, preening narcissists, and home state icons, but never written and passed any laws.
    No matter what the MAGA and TeaHadi whisperers say, experience really does count.

    Ain’t that the damn truth?

    Or, in internet parlance, QFT.

  91. 91.

    StringOnAStick

    @gene108: The economy is the question in your list that could take the R’s out. The expansion that President Obama shepherded is both a little long in the tooth and being sorely tried by their inability to govern. At some point that’s going to start applying the brakes, if it hasn’t already. Wall Street has been going nuts over the anticipated removal of as many regulations as possible and is a but ahead of reality. I don’t think the results of Mueller’s investigation will be bullish, so to speak.

  94. 94.

    Yarrow

    @Frankensteinbeck: In terms of the parliamentary stuff about the Kill People bill:

    Just to be clear, AHCA is still alive and on the Senate calendar. It can be called up when and if McConnell has 50 votes. He has 49.— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) July 30, 2017

  97. 97.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Yarrow:
    That’s what I thought. The thing is, there’s no path to him getting 50. Nobody is going to flip ‘for.’ Seriously his only hope is that McCain dies AND is replaced before September 30th. Even that might not be enough, since there are known to be people who were only barely twisted to ‘yes’ votes last time.

  98. 98.

    Yarrow

    @Patricia Kayden: Cruz was the last candidate in the primaries except Trump. He may think the people love him and if there was a do-over he’d win the nomination now. That’s plenty enough to fuel any ambitions he has.

  99. 99.

    Brachiator

    @debbie: RE: We Were Eight Years In Power.

    I love the historical irony embedded in the title of the book. From the Amazon description:

    “We were eight years in power” was the lament of Reconstruction-era black politicians as the American experiment in multiracial democracy ended with the return of white supremacist rule in the South. Now Ta-Nehisi Coates explores the tragic echoes of that history in our own time: the unprecedented election of a black president followed by a vicious backlash that fueled the election of the man Coates argues is America’s “first white president.”

    I’ll be adding this to my reading list, as well.

  100. 100.

    A Ghost to Most

    @Immanentize: thank you. My wife’s father was the pilot of that plane, and was wounded over Ploesti, so he was not the pilot when it was shot down.
    I plan on carving a B-24 with the correct markings for her.
    Thanks again.

  101. 101.

    Yarrow

    @Frankensteinbeck: If McCain dies or steps down and the AZ Gov appoints his successor, I’d imagine one of the guarantees he’d get from that person prior to appointing him/her would be that they would not vote for that bill. Apparently the AZ Governor was strongly against it and lobbied McCain to vote No.

    Also, if McCain died, I’d guess other Senators who would not want to take that vote and risk the damn thing passing would invoke McCain’s memory and say they couldn’t possibly vote for it after McCain’s heroic actions and heartfelt speech on Senate process. That to do so would sully his memory, etc.

  105. 105.

    Brachiator

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Let me add that by now, Trump has repeatedly demanded congress do things, and in almost every case congress has ignored him. Either they’re not afraid of the MAGA crowd, or they don’t think that crowd will punish them for disobeying him.

    The House Judiciary Committee voted for a second special counsel to investigate Comey and Hillary Clinton. This is an insane concession to Trump and to the MAGA crowd. If this is dropped, it will be a sign that the GOP’s Trump fever has abated.

    They obviously need him to sign off on legislation and as a figurehead for the party, but I don’t think they have the courage to dump him and elevate Pence, which would be the obvious smart move.

  106. 106.

    Yarrow

    Auntie Maxine bringing the burn again.

    Mike Pence is somewhere planning an inauguration. Priebus and Spicer will lead the transition.— Maxine Waters (@MaxineWaters) July 30, 2017

  107. 107.

    Wapiti

    @debbie: Good reminder; I think I’ll try to put a hold request in for that.

    eta: Got spot 29 of 31 copies Seattle is ordering.

  111. 111.

    Sab

    I was walking my dog this morning. The sweet little Trump wife came out walking her dog. She was upset because her indoor cat had gone missing. I asked about the cat.

    If the cat turns up I have a voter forever. This isn’t cynical. I’d be looking for that cat anyway. That’s what I do as a neighbor.

    She does know that her husband would never help anyone else get their cat back. I will try to get her cat back just because she is a neighbor.

  112. 112.

    BBA

    @Gravenstone: I thought the most hated man in the Senate was the Majority Leader.

    Cruz being most hated among his fellow senators, I’ll grant you.

  113. 113.

    Brachiator

    @Major Major Major Major:

    I don’t think the house judiciary committee investigating Hillary Clinton is exactly a hard sell.

    It’s not just investigating Clinton. It is also an attempt to smear Comey and to possibly provide some cover for eventually dumping the special counsel looking into the Trump-Russia connection. And apart from placating Trump, pursuing this crap could do more to energize Democrats than hurt them or the Clintons.

  115. 115.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Brachiator:
    Going after the Obamas would surely energize the Democrats, which is why I think the GOP would never do it. Then again I’m sure Trump would want to throw the ni**ger in prison. It would probably be the first time the GOP Congress tells Trump to pound sand

  117. 117.

    efgoldman

    @Brachiator:

    And apart from placating Trump, pursuing this crap could do more to energize Democrats than hurt them or the Clintons.

    If I were HRC, I might refuse to appear. Let them cite for contempt. Their 27% base will love it. Everybody else, not so much.

  119. 119.

    efgoldman

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:

    Going after the Obamas would surely energize the Democrats, which is why I think the GOP would never do it.

    Some of the Wingiest True Believers have the political instincts of a banana slug (don’t mean to insult banana slugs) and would let hate and ideology trump (so to speak) common sense.

  120. 120.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Brachiator: Yeah, I mean, some in the House are also hard-core Trumpists, and some are compromised, and it’s a venn diagram with a non-zero intersection, but they all want to investigate Hillary Clinton, too. It’s a good compromise for them, to do all of it together.

    @Cheryl Rofer: I’m very interested in seeing who in the US media tries to push this ‘story’. (Edited)

  121. 121.

    Brachiator

    Country united, divided, over healthcare…

    A majority of Americans are ready to move on from healthcare reform at this point after the U.S. Senate’s effort to dismantle Obamacare failed on Friday, according to an exclusive Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Saturday.

    Nearly two-thirds of the country wants to either keep or modify the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, and a majority of Americans want Congress to turn its attention to other priorities, the survey found.

    Republicans have vowed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act since Democratic President Barack Obama signed it into law in 2010, and it appeared they finally had their chance when Republican President Donald Trump took office in January. But the law, which helped 20 million people obtain health insurance, has steadily grown more popular.

    The July 28-29 poll of more than 1,130 Americans, conducted after the Republican-led effort collapsed in the Senate, found that 64 percent said they wanted to keep Obamacare, either “entirely as is” or after fixing “problem areas.” That is up from 54 percent in January.

    The survey found that support for the law still runs along party lines, with nine out of 10 Democrats and just three out of 10 Republicans saying they wanted to keep or modify Obamacare.

    Among Republicans, three-fourths said they would like their party’s leaders to try to repeal and replace Obamacare at some point, though most listed other issues that they would give a higher priority right now.

    Disappointment among Republicans and happiness among Democrats about the repeal’s failure were palpable. Two-thirds of Republicans felt “bad” that the Senate failed to pass a healthcare bill, while three-fourths of Democrats felt “good,” according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll.

    When asked what they think Congress should do next, most Americans picked other priorities such as tax reform, foreign relations and infrastructure. Only 29 percent said they wanted Republicans in Congress to “continue working on a new healthcare bill.”

    Amazing that Republican citizens still argue against their own best interests. Maybe they really do believe in Free Market Baby Jesus.

  123. 123.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: From my post

    The material was seized in a nuclear smuggling case in Georgia (the country), and the Russian Federation wanted to analyze the material to double-check where it may have come from. A law-enforcement matter, and it’s likely the US wanted to make a point to Russia that it’s serious. You don’t get more serious in law enforcement than the head of the FBI.

    Ah, and I see that I posted it here too. Definitely time for me to go to bed. I’ll check back on this thread in the morning.

  124. 124.

    efgoldman

    @Brachiator:

    Amazing that Republican citizens still argue against their own best interests.

    Amazing that they’ll screw themselves dead to take it away from the ni[clang]s

  126. 126.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Trump tweeted today that he demands that Republicans not give up on repealing the ACA so I wouldn’t be surprised if they give it another go. What have they got to lose? It’s not like they have any shame

    Tax cuts for their donors so they have something so show for the money. Which they have already admitted as a mess because the hard right will demand insane cuts, then scream FREEDOM! and refuse to vote for it, thus forcing the Republicans to go to the Dems.

  128. 128.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @efgoldman:
    I almost want them to try it. It would piss off a lot of people, including, I suspect, many apoliticals. I would just hate that Obama would be subjected to that witch hunt

  129. 129.

    Yarrow

    @Cheryl Rofer: Thanks for the info and write up. Sounds pretty straightforward. Wikileaks being a Russian propaganda operation these days, perhaps they’re a little worried about Mueller’s investigation?

  130. 130.

    Brachiator

    @efgoldman:

    If I were HRC, I might refuse to appear. Let them cite for contempt. Their 27% base will love it. Everybody else, not so much.

    Yeah, I can’t see Clinton going along with such an obvious farce of an investigation. The 27 percent base is clearly insane, as is Trump. We will see if the House is both crazy and stupid.

  132. 132.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    I’m reminded of the civil war and the South basically quiting democracy because they lost an election. Given how nuts the GOP has gotten, will a state like Texas try to secede if they get destroyed in in the midterms next year and then 2020?

  134. 134.

    efgoldman

    @Brachiator:

    We will see if the House is both crazy and stupid.

    What we will see is whether “speaker” Granny Starver has the juice, power, and sack to shut it down.

  135. 135.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Brachiator:
    Which I wrote the rest:

    which is why I think the GOP would never do it. Then again I’m sure Trump would want to throw the ni**ger in prison. It would probably be the first time the GOP Congress tells Trump to pound sand

  136. 136.

    Yarrow

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Doubtful. If the GOP loses in any statewide elections in Texas it will be a huge warning to Republicans all across the country. Plus, whatever statewide office they lost would mean one fewer Republican with significant power in Texas, so less chance they’d be able to secede.

  137. 137.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    You don’t get more serious in law enforcement than the head of the FBI.

    This must have been written before James Comey and the New York office of the FBI handed the election to Donald Fucking Trump

  138. 138.

    efgoldman

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:

    will a state like Texas try to secede if they get destroyed in in the midterms next year and then 2020?

    It’s a fantasy, like abolishing the electoral college, or California seceding and dividing into three states. Theoretically possible, but not really.

  139. 139.

    Steve in the ATL

    @efgoldman:

    It’s a fantasy, like abolishing the electoral college, or California seceding and dividing into three states. Theoretically possible, but not really.

    Much like my fantasy of having my trip to Cleveland tomorrow to meet with a union being cancelled. As much as I dream about it, not gonna happen.

  140. 140.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Yarrow:
    Statewide meaning Reps or Senators? I’m imagining that Texas is pretty gerrymandered and GOP dominated. If they see the writing on the wall, they might decide to leave. If they did, and Trump were still in charge, albeit a lame duck, how would he handle it?

  141. 141.

    efgoldman

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:

    If they did, and Trump were still in charge, albeit a lame duck, how would he handle it?

    hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Like he or any of the grifter clan would have any idea what’s going on. They don’t now, when everything’s reasonably quiet with no crises (not counting the ones they create themselves)

  142. 142.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @efgoldman:
    I don’t believe abolishing the EC is as impossible as you’re making it out to be. There’s already an effort to form a compact among states to effectively end it.

    en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact

    The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among a group of U.S. states and the District of Columbia to award all their respective electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact is designed to ensure that the candidate who wins the most popular votes is elected president, and it will come into effect only when it will guarantee that outcome. As of July 2017, it has been adopted by ten states and the District of Columbia. Together, they have 165 electoral votes, which is 30.7% of the total Electoral College and 61.1% of the votes needed to give the compact legal force.

    Win some more states and it could become reality. No constitutional amendment required

  147. 147.

    Yarrow

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Any statewide election–Senators count, but not Representatives since those are in the very gerrymandered districts. But Governor, Lt. Governor, and other positions under those are also elected statewide. A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide election in Texas since 1994.

    It’s unlikely that Texas would decide to leave. Although it’s a red state, all of its large cities vote blue. The population centers and money would not want to secede. It would be a non-starter.

    How Trump would handle it? Since it won’t happen it’s just a thought experiment, but I’d guess a lot of bluster, tweeting, threats and no action.

  148. 148.

    efgoldman

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:

    Win some more states and it could become reality. No constitutional amendment required

    I don’t hold out much hope that the big empty red states would go for it. It dilutes their interests.
    And if it did become law one of the conservative lawsuit foundations would take it all the way up to SCOTUS, and who knows what they will do.

    So, James Buchanan, basically?

    Buchanon was a terrible president, but at least he was familiar with politics and DC; he had served in the house, the senate, and Secretary of State. I am not a War of Southern Treason over Slavery historian, not even a buff, but I’m not sure about anything he might have been able to do to prevent it.

  151. 151.

    Ruckus

    @Patricia Kayden:

    They should just say that they want to cut taxes for the rich and stop meddling with the ACA.

    You can’t force people to their knees if you treat them kindly and treat them with all the benefits of modern life. They will just laugh at you. We all say this is about tax cuts and for some it is, but a lot of these assholes want to create hell on earth so that you either convert to their ideals or die. Don’t you understand that one has to truly suffer to know life and enjoy dying for redemption?

  152. 152.

    GregB

    The creepy overlap between Trumpists, leftists and Libertarians when it comes to Assang is really disheartening.

  153. 153.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @efgoldman: How many big red states do you need? If you can outvote them and install Democrats in the legislatures and governor’s mansions then that’s all that matters. Party and control of the federal government would need to matter more than mere state interests. The Presidency, as much of as it is over-emphasized, is still important.

  154. 154.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Yarrow:
    We are talking about the same Republicans who support deporting minorities and giving police carte blanche to beat up criminals/innocents. Wouldn’t they try to ruthlessly suppress the cities in Texas? Place the whole state (nation?) under martial law?

  156. 156.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @GregB: Yeah, it’s extremely disturbing. I think liberals should also take back, in addition the mantle of patriotism stolen by conservatives, the mantle of freedom/rights from libertarians.

  157. 157.

    patrick II

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    These are the Senators who voiced doubt (although ending up voting for) about previous bills that repealed Obamacare. This is their attempt at “no, no, I really mean it, I hate Obamacare. Really.”

    Any bill that doesn’t remove insurance for at least 20 million people won’t pass in the Senate and certainly won’t pass in the house, because if you can’t get tax cuts and you can’t cut Medicare, and kill a bunch of sick people, what good are you to the Republican party?

  158. 158.

    Mike G

    Trump’s new communications director just said that his chief of staff is a “paranoid schizophrenic,” that his top advisor “sucks his own cock,” and that he wants “to kill” the rest of Trump’s staff for leaking.

    Remember those quaint old days (last year) when Republicans were outraged that Obama had sullied the dignity of the White House by being black taking off his suit coat in the Oval Office?

  159. 159.

    Suzanne

    Went to see “Dunkirk” with Mr. Suzanne tonight. I have been riveted by the news this week, but on the whole I am just absolutely disgusted by the country and I haven’t gotten over it yet. Playing lots of Pokémon Go.

    Scaramucci is absolutely revolting and I hold every Trump voter responsible for what they have wrought on us.

  161. 161.

    TriassicSands

    @Brachiator:

    The 27 percent base is clearly insane…

    I think the 27% base has grown since Bush was in office. Trump continues to maintain an approval rating of just under 40%. To approve of the job Trump is doing you have to be brain dead or totally insane.

  165. 165.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Mike J:
    Their votes won’t be ignored. They’ll just be in the minority. That’s the way it should be. You either win a popular majority fair and square or you’re not legitimate.

  166. 166.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Mike J: which is ironic, since their votes being ignored is literally something the people (or their representatives) of those states have already agreed upon, or would have, for future members.

    But I don’t think you can exactly change how electors are awarded in a couple months like you’d have to for anything to go wrong.

  170. 170.

    TriassicSands

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Fine, but that’s not evidence that the 27% hasn’t grown. I think the Republican Party as a whole has gotten worse since Bush, and they’ve elected the worst imaginable candidate for president. Maybe it’s still 27%, but maybe it’s more. We’ll probably get a chance to find out.

  172. 172.

    NotMax

    @Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe)

    U. S. Constitution, Article 1 Section 10 (emphasis added)

    3: No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

  173. 173.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @NotMax:
    Gain control of Congress. It will take some doing and many years, but it can be done. I have no illusions of how long this might take.

  174. 174.

    Major Major Major Major

    @NotMax: from the wiki article, the sentence after that portion is quoted:

    However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Virginia v. Tennessee, 148 U.S. 503 (1893), and in several more recent cases, that such consent is not necessary except where a compact encroaches on federal supremacy.[47]

  179. 179.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    Very shaky ground.

    The bugaboo is that while any individual state’s ability and right to determine who shall be electors nor how such electors’ votes shall be apportioned as determined by voting results within an individual state are not in jeopardy, claiming the right and ability to determine and mandate for whom electors’ votes shall be cast after an election has taken place – should such mandate differ from the apportionment as determined by the election within the state – creates a jeopardy by simultaneously exceeding and diluting the parameters of the college, absent specific Congressional authorization.

  182. 182.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    And not arguing with you either, nor would I here. Have been following this for quite some time.

    States, like individual people, are perfectly capable of doing boneheaded and/or unlawful things.

  186. 186.

    sm*t cl*de

    @Suzanne:

    Lugia is being a bastard. I’ve only caught one, despite probably 10 raids. Having better luck with Articuno…..I have 5.

    These sound like characters’ names from a Jacobean revenge tragedy.

  187. 187.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    In that vein, was watching a Spanish TV series earlier today and up popped a memorable line in the subtitles that made me snort.

    “Where the fuck is the duck, Julian?”

    Don’t quite know why I find it both amusing and unforgettable, but I do.

  190. 190.

    Matt McIrvin

    @BBA:

    The fundamental rule of Congress is anything can happen if there are 51 (or 218) votes for it.

    That wasn’t true when the 51 were Democrats.

  191. 191.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Yarrow: How real is the 49? Were some of those yes votes there because they knew McCain was going to shoot it down?

  192. 192.

    SFAW

    @Matt McIrvin:

    That wasn’t true when the 51 59 were Democrats.

    True either way. And if the Dems somehow reached 65, Lying Littledick and Tertle would be pushing to make it 66 (or 70 or 75) required, because “there’s no mandate.”

  193. 193.

    Anne Laurie

    @Brachiator:

    Yeah, I can’t see Clinton going along with such an obvious farce of an investigation. The 27 percent base is clearly insane, as is Trump. We will see if the House is both crazy and stupid.

    She can just say she’ll show up if she gets the same deal as Prince Jared: Closed-door hearing, and not under oath.

    Let the press decide whether Kushner or HRC is more popular, right now. Keeping in mind that HRC won the popular vote, whereas Young Jared reminds people of their least favorite boss’s idiot nepotism hire.

  194. 194.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @TriassicSands:
    The GOP certainly got crazier and more openly racist throughout Obama’s presidency, with a big jump the moment he got elected. Stuff that was fringe during Clinton became mainstream during Obama. A commenter here said White America would ‘flip their shit’ at a black president, and boy was he/she right.

    @Matt McIrvin:
    McConnell thought it was real. His mood changed fast when McCain showed up in the Senate and huddled with the Dems.

  195. 195.

    Ithink

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:

    The thougt of this happening LITERALLY makes me ill. I think and am fairly positive that there would indeed be a public civil & congressional revolt but it’d be exclusively on the part of the Left & Democrats. If the Republicans prove me wrong & finally put their country ahead & above their country, they would’ve emphatically redeemed themselves in my eyes from a historical stance. At least in such a moment…

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