Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

I’m sure you banged some questionable people yourself.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

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

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

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

Let there be snark.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

Everybody saw this coming.

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / A Fish Called Lefty (Open Thread)

A Fish Called Lefty (Open Thread)

by | 190 Comments

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Here’s Lefty, who is a dwarf gourami, pictured with some neon tetra friends lurking in the background as well as a panda cory acquaintance:

He’s called “Lefty” because his political identity is based on opposition to whatever nominated or elected Democrats and their supporters do. If you took his policy wishlist and made it the party platform, he’d just keep moving the goddamned goalposts. Don’t even try to bring him into the fold — this fucking fish will never be satisfied because he doesn’t derive satisfaction from political victories but rather from feeling morally superior to the likes of grubby, compromised you.

Nah, I’m just kidding — the fish is named Lefty because I have two male dwarf gouramis (not recommended), and they dislike each another. In a manner that is remarkably mature for fish, they divide up the tank between them. One fish, Right Side Fred, lives on the starboard side of the tank, and Lefty lives on the port side.

The photo doesn’t fully capture the beauty of his colors, but trust me, he’s gorgeous. And yes, I am aware I have a snail issue. Open thread!

Reader Interactions

190Comments

  1. 1.

    LAO

    I read that as “Right Said Fred” which was confusing but I thought extremely funny.

    Anyone notice the RW twitter meltdown over the Vogue cover and Statute of Liberty?

    We're going to have to create a full #MAGA shadow cultural industry because the Opposition Media can't even do fashion without attacking us pic.twitter.com/NRPf2JUfsy— John Carney (@carney) August 10, 2017

    Its super funny.

  3. 3.

    efgoldman

    The ad to the right is

    “Umask the Deep State / Stop Susan Rice [?? ed] and Deep State cronies from subverting the president”

    That Susan Rice – she’s a wiley one.

  7. 7.

    bystander

    Heather Nauert alert: She’s condescending live on MSNBC right now. I’m going to watch imagining a young Catherine O’Hara doing this on SCTV.

  9. 9.

    Jeffro

    I am seeing AP reports that Trumpov has (at a press conference? some other speech?) said, “You can ask the question” of whether or not McConnell should step aside as majority leader(!!1!) Now THAT’S strategic…not.

  13. 13.

    Nicole

    I love gouramis! I had oodles of them in my fish tanks as a child. Their inner ear developed into a sort of lung, which is why they need to breathe at the surface (due to natural habitat being slow-moving water). I think that’s cool.

    I think a lot of so-called extreme leftys are pretty racially prejudiced; they just don’t want to admit it. Ergo why they are content to demand an impossible ideal- because letting the perfect be the enemy of the good keeps them on top.

    I read a comment somewhere yesterday on how the Democrats lost after RFK’s assassination, when they gave up on the economic populism and embraced the cultural shifts as their main focus and blah blah blah, and I thought, “No, you dumb shit; they lost when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act, because this country is fucking racist and so you get punished for doing the moral thing.”

  16. 16.

    Jeffro

    Love the fish Betty but now I’m going to have Kevin Kline’s “Otto” voice in my head all afternoon…it might turn out okay, though…

  18. 18.

    bystander

    Meme alert (while I’m on alert): Bill Clinton’s gift of nuclear reactors to North Korea is the reason we are on the brink of war. It is surpassing the story about Hillary’s sale of 20% of the nation’s uranium supply to her pal Vlad.

  19. 19.

    efgoldman

    @Nicole:

    “No, you dumb shit; they lost when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act, because this country is fucking racist and so you get punished for doing the moral thing.”

    And in fact LBJ said so, straight out “We’ve lost the South.”

  22. 22.

    Yarrow

    @LAO:

    We’re going to have to create a full #MAGA shadow cultural industry

    I’m sure that’ll go just as well for them as the wingnut comedy industry.

  26. 26.

    TenguPhule

    More drama in Trumpland: Gorka publicly shuns Tillerson’s effort to scale back North Korea red line

    Sebastian Gorka appeared on BBC radio Thursday and delivered one of the most aggressive takes to date on what Trump might do — even allowing that a mere threat from North Korea could be construed as an act of war, as Trump seemed to do earlier this week. In doing so, Gorka played down Tillerson’s role in all of this.

    “You should listen to the president; the idea that Secretary Tillerson is going to discuss military matters is simply nonsensical,” Gorka said in a recording shared with The Washington Post. “It is the job of Secretary Mattis, the secretary of defense, to talk about the military options, and he has done so unequivocally. He said, ‘Woe betide anyone who militarily challenges the United States,’ and that is his portfolio. That is his mandate. Secretary Tillerson is the chief diplomat of the United States, and it is his portfolio to handle those issues.”

    These idiots are going to get a lot of people killed.

  29. 29.

    TenguPhule

    @bystander:

    Bill Clinton’s gift of nuclear reactors to North Korea is the reason we are on the brink of war. It is surpassing the story about Hillary’s sale of 20% of the nation’s uranium supply to her pal Vlad.

    George Traitor to his Country Bush just disappears down the memory hole.

  31. 31.

    rikyrah

    @Jeffro:

    I am seeing AP reports that Trumpov has (at a press conference? some other speech?) said, “You can ask the question” of whether or not McConnell should step aside as majority leader(!!1!) Now THAT’S strategic…not.

    He’s so phucking clueless.
    The Turtle has been doing blocking for him. He really doesn’t get what would happen if the Turtle took his thumb off the scale and said ‘ get at him’.

    No.damn.clue.

  32. 32.

    tobie

    @Major Major Major Major: If–by magic–we switch to single payer, will employees see their wages rise immediately as employers put the dollars they used to spend on the company’s health insurance plan into salaries? I doubt it…which means that for 70% of Americans single payer will mean a really nasty tax hike. I feel like I’ve been saying this till I’m blue in the face but why won’t any Dem talk about the Bismarck model of health insurance, used in Germany and Switzerland? It would be the easiest way for the US to transition to universal health coverage with minimal disruption to the economy.

  33. 33.

    Betty Cracker

    @Jeffro: Jeebus, hadn’t seen that! But Trump has been dragging the Senatortoise on Twitter, so I’m not surprised. I’m sure it’s just a super-brilliant negotiating tactic, kinda like how threatening the planet’s other nuclear-armed loon is a brilliant opening gambit to achieving world peace.

    @Nicole: I didn’t know that about gouramis’ inner ear/lung! How bizarre! I do know they dislike currents and prefer to hang out at the surface. The flow from the filtration system creates a bit of current in the middle of the tank, and that seems to form the dividing line between their territories. They do encounter each other when chasing food flakes, and they’ll charge and chase, but no serious fights, thank dog.

  34. 34.

    gene108

    @LAO:

    It is interesting right-wingers now hate the Statue of Liberty.

    If I was in a better mood, I’d laugh ? ?

  35. 35.

    dedc79

    He’s called “Lefty” because his political identity is based on opposition to whatever nominated or elected Democrats and their supporters do.

    Should’ve gone with Nina.

    A spread of donuts and water had also been set up for the Our Revolution party. Turner took particular issue with the donuts and water, which she called “hand-out trinkets.”

    “They tried to seduce us with donuts and water,” she said. “They’re pompous and arrogant enough to say to the people, you’re not good enough to be on our property — and, oh by the way, we’re just gonna hand you donuts and water over the barricade. That is insulting. Absolutely insulting.”

  39. 39.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Betty Cracker:

    I’m sure it’s just a super-brilliant negotiating tactic

    What’s funny is, I’m pretty sure the Republican Senate caucus hates McConnell by now, but they’re still going to be infuriated by Trump trying to tell them what to do. It might help McConnell keep his job.

  42. 42.

    Mnemosyne

    @LAO:

    I want this Twitter commenter to be my new BFF:

    shauna @goldengateblond
    ·
    19m
    If the photo of an iconic symbol of freedom feels like an affront to your sensibilities, maybe the problem isn’t the photo. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  44. 44.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @tobie:

    That was the model the ACA provided, until SCOTUS allowed the red state governors to block the expansion of Medicaid – the government subsidies for the poorest – because it would hurt “those people”. Leftists are a bunch of low info idiots who haven’t a clue about what single payer means, and how it bakes in 2nd class citizenship for women as long as abortion isn’t allowed. Also as if somehow the all white male conference to write the health care bill for women wouldn’t also be making decisions on what gets covered under single payer.

  49. 49.

    Alain the site fixer

    This post reminds me of an old goldfish I had in a pond. Upon arrival, as I was acclimating him, I put the bucket on the table and went to get my smokes and came back, and he’d jumped out and landed on the hot brick patio. I hurridly grabbed him and put him into the pond. After a tense minute or two, he began to swim. “Phew,” I thought as he descended a bit oddly.

    I assumed he was still shaking off the drop/splat onto the brick. But no, he never recovered. He could only swim in corkscrew patterns and so we named him “Sideways Guy”. He was a hoot – plucky, healthy, and as large and happy as the other two similar goldfish. Sadly, I returned from a work trip one afternoon to find a neighborhood cat had speared him with its claws, just about to start eating him. I chased kitty away, but Sideways Guy was not for this Earth. So I buried him in the garden.

  50. 50.

    LAO

    @Mnemosyne:

    Different topic — but similar sentiment:

    We're one misplaced @ away from the president telling North Korea to pass tax reform and threatening Mitch McConnell with military action— Ariel Edwards-Levy (@aedwardslevy) August 10, 2017

  51. 51.

    gene108

    @drkrick:

    Dems didn’t really start losing in the South until the 1980’s, which picked up in the 1990’s.

    There was a generation of inertia in the system that kept Dems in office in the South throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.

    We are really looking at one generation of Republican rule in the South.

  52. 52.

    TenguPhule

    @rikyrah:

    He really doesn’t get what would happen if the Turtle took his thumb off the scale and said ‘ get at him’.

    Trump has avoided any real consequences for his actions his entire life.

    This needs to change.

  53. 53.

    tobie

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne: I still think the ACA can be made to work, if some fixes are allowed, but the Republicans will never hear of this and the left will brand you a neoliberal shill for suggesting this. Sigh. I just heard Trump on N Korea and it’s so alarming that hardly anything else seems to matter at the moment.

  54. 54.

    gene108

    @tobie:

    I feel like I’ve been saying this till I’m blue in the face but why won’t any Dem talk about the Bismarck model of health insurance, used in Germany and Switzerland? It would be the easiest way for the US to transition to universal health coverage with minimal disruption to the economy.

    Because the German / Swiss model will not lead to the utter destruction of for profit health insurance companies, which is the first step towards the glorious social$ist revolution.

    Seems for some lefties the destruction of for profit health insurance is as much a goal as universal coverage.

  55. 55.

    Walker

    @gene108:

    Virginia is nearing solid blue, Georgia and NC are turning blue. In NC’s case, with a lot of kicking and screaming.

    SC is probably hopeless for the long term, as are the gulf coasts.

  56. 56.

    TenguPhule

    @LAO:

    We’re one misplaced @ away from the president telling North Korea to pass tax reform and threatening Mitch McConnell with military action

    Its a sad testament to the times we live in that this would be a vast improvement over the current situation.

  58. 58.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    This is bewildering to me

    Dan McLaughlinVerified account @ baseballcrank
    Defense Intelligence Agency concluded in 2013 that North Korea had mini-nukes. Obama Admin dismissed the warning
    Tom Nichols‏Verified account @ RadioFreeTom 1h1 hour ago
    Just a note (and remember, my view is my own only), this is one reason I am holding some skepticism here. DIA might be getting even w/BHO.

    I gather FoxNews is already all over this– and McLaughlin’s responses are all ODS ranting and raving, of course– but I don’t understand Obama- (and trump-, TBF) hating paleocon Nichols’ comment– I assume the “revenge” is for Flynn? or Obama trusting the CIA estimate over theirs? Leaving him aside for the moment: the new theory is that Obama knew about the nukes in 2013 and ignored them. Only the DIA knew, not those peaceniks at the CIA, not the South Koreans, the Japanese, nothing leaked out from China or any other Pacific powers, and then then the DIA kept them secret until trump’s approval ratings dropped below 30. Anybody get out of the boat in Fox waters ?

  59. 59.

    rikyrah

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne:

    That was the model the ACA provided, until SCOTUS allowed the red state governors to block the expansion of Medicaid – the government subsidies for the poorest – because it would hurt “those people”.

    Obamacare was the largest expansion of the American Social Safety Net that DID NOT IN ITS DESIGN..(unlike Social Security and Medicare)

    Exclude huge swaths of the American populace.

    It took the John Roberts Court to do that.

  60. 60.

    Ocotillo

    Listening to right wing radio yesterday, so you don’t have to. Hannity was calling for Turtle’s head for his failure to get Skinny repeal through. Said Mitch should have taken chairmanship’s from Murkowski and McCain, no mention of Collins for some reason.

    Focus on the Family is besides themselves that the filibuster continues to exist. It’s not in the constitution you know. They also were on the Judge Roy Moore for Senate bandwagon.

    Call it undue optimism but I think there may be a genuine case of Republicans in disarray going on.

  61. 61.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Walker: GA and NC can probably cheat, gerrymander and vote-suppress that transition away for a good long time, though.

  62. 62.

    Major Major Major Major

    @tobie: the lefties in question will brand you a neoliberal shill for using a brand name Kleenex after sneezing, once democrats are back in power we can fix the ACA and their opinion will be less valuable than a warm bucket of spit.

  63. 63.

    Matt McIrvin

    @rikyrah: And a whole lot of state governments.

    Fortunately, the effort to use the people in that hole as evidence that Obamacare is a failure and therefore everybody else must be thrown into the same hole has not worked well so far.

  67. 67.

    Miss Bianca

    @LAO: My God, that is hilarious. And the hits just keep on coming! Do these guys ever delete tweets out of sheer embarrassment? Or is that too much self-awareness to expect?

  70. 70.

    catclub

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Defense Intelligence Agency concluded in 2013 that North Korea had mini-nukes.

    was that when most of their underground nuke tests were still failing? Actually I think they said one was a tiny yield on purpose – which was not considered believable.

  71. 71.

    rikyrah

    @Mnemosyne:

    shauna @goldengateblond
    ·

    19m
    If the photo of an iconic symbol of freedom feels like an affront to your sensibilities, maybe the problem isn’t the photo. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    Amen.

  72. 72.

    catclub

    @bystander:

    Meme alert (while I’m on alert): Bill Clinton’s gift of nuclear reactors to North Korea is the reason we are on the brink of war.

    Funny how George W Bush’s fuckups get so quickly forgotten. I would have blamed Carter.

  73. 73.

    A Ghost to Most

    I’m a bit surprised that Right Side Fred didn’t toss Lefty out and take the whole damned tank for hisself.

    The BernieBros were holding purity court in WaPo comments today; I was wondering why.

  74. 74.

    different-church-lady

    @Nicole:

    I think a lot of so-called extreme leftys are pretty racially prejudiced; they just don’t want to admit it.

    I think they’re just clueless, sheltered, and utterly UTTERLY blind to systemic racism. They don’t hate minorities, they just don’t have any in their social circles and won’t even try to identify with them. And then concoct narratives that cover for it. The world consists solely of their personal experiences and all their political theories are based on that.

  75. 75.

    Betty Cracker

    @Walker: Florida isn’t hopeless — at least not for the prospect of Democratic governance, I mean, though the wingnut interior and panhandle will make it tough to achieve a Democratic statehouse.

  76. 76.

    TenguPhule

    @efgoldman:

    The ad to the right is

    “Rand Paul says we can sidestep Roe vs Wade. SIGN THIS PETITION”

    Cole, you need better ad sponsors.

  77. 77.

    The Moar You Know

    LBJ was optimistic. He said we lost the South for a generation as the last few Baby Boomers were being born.

    @drkrick: LBJ was pretty much the last person anyone would accuse of being an optimist, but in this case he was – I think we’re on Gen 3 of Unrepentant Southern Racist Fuckers and they’ve gotten worse, not better.

  78. 78.

    rikyrah

    @Matt McIrvin:

    @rikyrah: And a whole lot of state governments.

    Without that decision, the only thing those states would have done was submit waivers for the different kinds of Medicaid programs that they were going to set up. Not IF, but WHAT KIND of program they would set up.

    MILLIONS were denied healthcare because of John Roberts.

  80. 80.

    Brachiator

    @LAO:

    This is what always happens. Trump: Grandiose inflammatory statementAides: He didn’t mean thatTrump: I SUPER meant that— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 10, 2017

    Yes! Sometimes followed by “Blame Hillary.”

  84. 84.

    Ian G.

    Lefty is the name of my father’s sun conure that I’m trying to get the in laws to take, mainly because I don’t want to have to take on a pet when I’m about to become a father, and because my in-laws are nearby and retired and would like a pet. I just need to convince them of the joys of bird ownership.

  85. 85.

    TenguPhule

    “Trump has drawn a red line,” Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said on CBS. “He’s not going to contain the threat; he’s going to stop the threat.”

    Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said on CNN: “Why not give it a shot to say: ‘You talk about fire and fury, you say you are going to bury the United States in fire and fury. Hey, we got some fire and fury for you, too, if you want to play that game.’ ”

    I hate these stupid fuckers so damn much.

  88. 88.

    gene108

    @Walker:

    SC is probably hopeless for the long term, as are the gulf coasts.

    I think SC had at least one Dem Senator until either 1996 or 2002.

    Georgia had a Dem Senator until 2002.

    Alabama had a Dem governor in 2001, before he got in legal trouble.

    Edit; not that long ago Dems got elected in the South

  89. 89.

    TenguPhule

    @tobie:

    I was recently at a breakfast joint where someone asked for a vegan, gluten-free breakfast burrito. I’m not sure what that would be.

    Corn tortellia with beans and rice.

  90. 90.

    Miss Bianca

    @different-church-lady:

    I think they’re just clueless, sheltered, and utterly UTTERLY blind to systemic racism. They don’t hate minorities, they just don’t have any in their social circles and won’t even try to identify with them. And then concoct narratives that cover for it. The world consists solely of their personal experiences and all their political theories are based on that.

    I think this is actually one of the most cogent explanations of Lefty-Whiteyness that I’ve ever seen. And their blindness to systemic racism – and their utter, knee-jerk defensiveness when it’s pointed out to them – is part and parcel of the system. Le sigh.

  91. 91.

    kindness

    I put a Loach in each of my tanks and that took care of the snails. One Zebra & one Clown. The Zebra Loach is better at it.

  92. 92.

    trollhattan

    Gouramis are beautiful and interesting, being anabantids and building bubble nests. Dwarfs are relatively mild-tempered compared to others and I’ve found do best in trios or larger numbers in heavily planted tanks.

    I’m sad because today I lost Darth, my favorite and one of my oldest koi at roughly nineteen, older than my kid. He/she (one seldom knows except around spawning time look for who’s chasing who) was looking pale and not his exuberant self–Darth was always the first in line for chow, the first to explore some new pond situation and the others always followed his lead. They’ll have to find a new leader of the pac…school now.

  93. 93.

    Mike in DC

    The Nation has a new article citing “research” that “confirms” that the DNC wasn’t hacked but it was, instead, an inside job. Curious about what actual cybersecurity folks think. My BS detector is pinging loudly though.

  95. 95.

    Mnemosyne

    @Mike in DC:

    If it was an inside job and the worst they could come up with was that some staffers were getting slightly impatient with the Sanders campaign, that’s even more pathetic.

    Sadly, I’m assuming the article is by a Seth Rich Truther trying to prove the DNC murdered him to prevent John Podesta’s risotto recipe from being revealed to the world.

  100. 100.

    ruemara

    @dedc79: That donuts and water debacle needs to be front pages. It’s repulsive. I am sick of Nina Turner and every Bernie Bro/Our Revolution asshat.

    @different-church-lady: They know minorities. 1. Of each type. They’re close, have similar views, economic classes and educational levels. So they’re convinced they don’t have bias’ or bigotry. Lately, many white liberals I know are learning I’m not just their black friend, I’m a fully fledged person who doesn’t agree with them and is sick of their fuckshit. The left needs a massive reckoning slap. You’d think a goddamned NeoNazi autocrat would be one, but nooooooo. Also, fuck Nina Turner. She’s another Cynthia McKinney and I left the Greens over her nutcake self.

  101. 101.

    Brachiator

    @TenguPhule:

    Trump has avoided any real consequences for his actions his entire life.

    That’s the American Dream, baby. The American Dream.

    But good point. Even saying that Trump is privileged would be insufficient. And his ability to avoid consequences is matched by his arrogance, infantile insecurity, and clear signs of mental instability. It is also telling that he abuses presidential authority to construct an even bigger wall against consequences for himself and his immediate family.

  102. 102.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    John Larson (D-CT) on MSNBC taking about (bipartisan?) move to expand Medicare buy-in down* to fifty. I think this is a winning issue (and I turn fifty next month, so….)

    ETA: *Stabenow’s bill from last week, with half a dozen co-sponsors, called for buy-in to start at 55.

  104. 104.

    trollhattan

    Oh FFS.

    U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta ruled earlier this week that the State Department had not been sufficiently thorough when responding to Freedom of Information requests for messages Clinton may have sent related to the attack that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, on September 11, 2012.

    The State Department found 348 Benghazi-related messages among the 30,000 emails handed over by Clinton in December 2014 after it emerged that she had been using a personal email server during her time as Obama’s secretary of state, Politico reported. But, responding to a challenge by the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, Mehta ordered the State Department to also conduct a search of its own systems.

  105. 105.

    different-church-lady

    @dedc79:

    Turner rejected the idea that a new DNC fight would stir up old feelings of division and mistrust. “I want to flip that on its head,” she responded. “Why won’t the Democratic Party partner with the progressive left — i.e. Our Revolution?”

    In another interview, Rotten professed bafflement at the furore surrounding the group: “I don’t understand it. All we’re trying to do is destroy everything.”

  106. 106.

    ruemara

    @Mnemosyne: That is a hell of a recipe. I know I could get stabby over my lemon pepper seasoning recipe getting out. Or my orange sake smoked tofu.

  107. 107.

    Kay

    Isn’t Tillerson amazingly…unimpressive?

    CEO’s are taking a real beating the last 10 years, I must say. WILDLY over-rated :)

    There’s some false bigotry of low expectations going on here, or something. We need a skills gap review of our human capital, pronto. Starting to think the problems are mostly at the tippy-top of the wage scale.

  108. 108.

    germy

    So now I learn that “Diamond and Silk” (the anti-Hillary duo who are often featured on Hean Shannity) were paid by the drumpf campaign.

  109. 109.

    Jeffro

    @Betty Cracker:

    Jeebus, hadn’t seen that! But Trump has been dragging the Senatortoise on Twitter, so I’m not surprised. I’m sure it’s just a super-brilliant negotiating tactic, kinda like how threatening the planet’s other nuclear-armed loon is a brilliant opening gambit to achieving world peace.

    Well remember he “…is like, you know, a smart person”. Best words and all that.

  111. 111.

    Mnemosyne

    @Miss Bianca:

    Here’s another person who needs to come sit by me:

    Christian Glawe @ChristianGlawe
    ·
    2h
    Replying to @carney
    You need a safe space from the Statue of Liberty?

  112. 112.

    Jeffro

    @Calouste: LOL. “When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room…accept no substitutes.” Love that!

  115. 115.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @dedc79: “They tried to seduce us with donuts and water,” she said. “They’re pompous and arrogant enough to say to the people, you’re not good enough to be on our property — and, oh by the way, we’re just gonna hand you donuts and water over the barricade. That is insulting. Absolutely insulting.”

    Now, I am going to #expressmyunpopularopinion and say that there is something very, very odd about sending out donuts and water. If all you have is water, no coffee, you don’t send out donuts, just the water. I said it, I don’t care who reads it.
    That said, Nina Turner has gone nuts. She lost the Ohio SoS race, by more than 20 points, to an R who is one of the most ambitious vote suppressors in the country. Maybe take the fight to him?

    also, too, this is apparently sincere?

    and it’s been evident in her first few weeks at the helm of Our Revolution, where she seems eager to take on her own party. (“Be sure to ask her about donuts and water,” one Our Revolution staffer advised.)
    In addition to the Tuesday email, the group has used footage of Turner’s remarks at the petition drop in July — a pointed response to the DNC barricades, donuts, and water
    (Ellison, the deputy DNC chair and a leading progressive, found himself in the middle of the petition upset, assuring Turner that he hadn’t known anything about it beforehand, that he was “shocked” to hear about the greeting, and would take the issue to the chair, according to Turner.)

    Good to see Ellison’s got priorities, too.

  116. 116.

    Immanentize

    I’m not trying to hijack this thread, even though it is proving wide open, but I have not had a chance really to be around to update my situation. For those interested, Mrs Imm has now moved from active therapy to pure palliative. It has been a weird week in which everything went in the wrong direction. Cancer is wicked smaht. We are hoping she can be stabilized for home hospice care which, thank Dog, s a well oiled machine in the Boston area.

    The Immp is coming home from Texas this evening and much discussion will follow. Everyone here has been so kind, supportive and constructive. Thank you all.

  118. 118.

    Betty Cracker

    @ruemara: Didn’t Turner lose her last election by more than 20 points? Why does anyone give a shit what she has to say about politics, doughnuts or anything else? Instead of running her mouth, she should run for office somewhere, WIN, and then come back with something worth hearing.

  121. 121.

    Mnemosyne

    @ruemara:

    You — and every commenter of color on this website — have my full permission to invoke me as your One White Friend who disagrees with those white people and thinks they’re morons.

    (Edited for clarity about who the morons are.)

  123. 123.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    “Be sure to ask Mr Trump about his chocolate cake”, said one White House staffer
    ETA:

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Have you selected an onion for your belt yet?

    Ha! Still deciding between a sporty red and a more cosmopolitain Vidalia

  124. 124.

    Betty Cracker

    @Immanentize: Oh damn, I am so very sorry to hear that. Please know that you are in our thoughts, and if there’s anything we can do to help, just ask. Will be thinking of you.

  126. 126.

    lollipopguild

    @A Ghost to Most: I think deep down they want a right wing version of the old soviet union. One party(them) running things and having total police state control of everything. Freedumb!

  129. 129.

    Mnemosyne

    @Immanentize:

    I’m so sorry. It’s a terrible diagnosis to have to come to terms with. Lean on your friends and family, including us.

    I wish peace for your family and a pain-free transition for Mrs. I.

  131. 131.

    TriassicSands

    One fish, Right Side Fred, lives on the starboard side of the tank, and Lefty lives on the port side.

    Do tell, Betty, how did you determine the bow of the fish tank?

  132. 132.

    Jeffro

    @TenguPhule: @LAO: Oh good, glad to see the GOP Klown Kaukus is weighing in and egging Donnie on.

    I guess they haven’t figured this part out (and it’s not really complicated):
    – Trumpov rants and keeps threatening
    – DPRK decides to show it’s serious and lobs a single nuke at/near Guam, or Hawaii, or L.A., or as far as it can (doesn’t even really matter)
    – Trumpov gets wound up and decides its time to light up DPRK (conventionally, nuclear, doesn’t even really matter)
    – DPRK launches everything it has (conventional and nuclear)…10 million South Koreans and the world’s 11th largest economy go up in smoke…10 million Japanese and the world’s 3rd largest economy go up as well…

    And that’s all if we’re lucky, and China and/or Russia don’t launch.

    It’ll be unthinkable right until it happens.

  133. 133.

    rikyrah

    @ruemara:

    @dedc79: That donuts and water debacle needs to be front pages. It’s repulsive. I am sick of Nina Turner and every Bernie Bro/Our Revolution asshat.

    I hear you. BOY, do I hear you. Every inch of the mockery being thrown her way is deserved.

  134. 134.

    Immanentize

    I’m really not ready for this, but what the hell, not much to do but experience the ride.

  135. 135.

    rikyrah

    @ruemara:

    The left needs a massive reckoning slap. You’d think a goddamned NeoNazi autocrat would be one, but nooooooo.

    THIS.

    If what you see before you since January 20th doesn’t convince you..I ain’t got shyt to say to you.

  137. 137.

    rikyrah

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    John Larson (D-CT) on MSNBC taking about (bipartisan?) move to expand Medicare buy-in down* to fifty. I think this is a winning issue (and I turn fifty next month, so….)

    50 would be amazing. The number of people it would help……A lot of people in that age group and a bit older, are staying at their jobs because they don’t want to wind up like my sister- retired, but paying the equivalent of a luxury car note monthly for health insurance until she turns 65.

  139. 139.

    germy

    from wikipedia:

    Nina Turner has been characterized as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

    In 2016, she was offered the role of vice-presidential running mate by Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein, but declined, citing her commitment to the Democratic Party.

    On July 1, 2013, Turner declared her candidacy for Ohio Secretary of State, challenging Republican Jon Husted with whom she has differed significantly, especially on the issue of voting rights. On September 18, Bill Clinton officially supported Turner’s candidacy. (She was defeated 60%–35% by Husted.)

  145. 145.

    rikyrah

    @Kay:

    Isn’t Tillerson amazingly…unimpressive?

    CEO’s are taking a real beating the last 10 years, I must say. WILDLY over-rated :)

    Don’t know if it’s fair to judge CEO’s by him….Dolt45, yes…but the Secretary of Exxon?
    It’s not like he actually wanted the job.
    I will NEVER believe that he expected to be in this job 6 months later. I simply don’t believe that.

  146. 146.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @rikyrah: This Trump the coward here; likely he gets it so he’s attacking McDonald as a bluff to hide Trump’s fear. Remeber in Trump world there are only WINNERS and SAD low engery betas, no allies.

  147. 147.

    rikyrah

    @germy:

    So now I learn that “Diamond and Silk” (the anti-Hillary duo who are often featured on Hean Shannity) were paid by the drumpf campaign.

    Black folk knew that they were coons on the pole…no shock in the least.

  151. 151.

    Betty Cracker

    @Immanentize: Not much else you can do except try to be strong for her and the Immp. And don’t forget to take care of yourself as best you can. You’re in our thoughts, friend, and we’re here night and day.

  152. 152.

    LAO

    @Immanentize: whatever you need, from a faceless, nameless stranger on the internet, just ask. Because everything you and your family is going through, is the worst. Just the fucking worst.

  153. 153.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    My god. Norah O’Donnell promising a “really stunning” flow of words from trump on North Korea, Iran and other subjects. Iran not living up to the “spirit” of the nuclear agreement”. “Let’s see what [Kim] does with Guam”–, so our policy is, “Oh yeah? dare ya!”

  154. 154.

    Riley's Enabler

    @Immanentize: I’m so sorry to hear this, Imm. Sending white light and peace to the ImmClan for the duration. Safe travels for the Immp as well.

  157. 157.

    A Ghost to Most

    @Kay:
    When I started my career, the average CEO made 20 times the average worker. Now it is 400 times.

    I’d like to see the estate tax upped from 40% to 80%, to claw back some of the ill-gotten gains.

  158. 158.

    Immanentize

    @Betty Cracker:

    we’re here night and day.

    That is comforting. And a bit scary….

    Everyone has been so helpful.already. J, my wife, and I have a tight bond and we have been able to work through this together pretty well so far It’s our son we fret about. He hasn’t done anything to deserve the hurt he is about to experience.

  159. 159.

    Gravenstone

    @Geeno: At a guess, they’re pissed off because their soulless messenger boy Stephen Miller let out their little racist secret about how they really view the Statue of Liberty (symbol of white power). So now they get embarrassed when they think they’re being called on it.

  162. 162.

    dedc79

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Now, I am going to #expressmyunpopularopinion and say that there is something very, very odd about sending out donuts and water. If all you have is water, no coffee, you don’t send out donuts, just the water. I said it, I don’t care who reads it.

    If they had provided lobster: “You think we can be bought off with lobster?! How insulting!”
    If they had provided just plain water: “You ask us to show up and all you give us is water? No food?! How insulting!”
    If they had provided beer: “You think we’re here to get drunk?!? How insulting!”

  166. 166.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Immanentize:

    Imm, I am more sorry than I can say to hear this news. As with greennotGreen, you are extremely generous to share Mrs. Imm’s condition and your family’s tough decisions with your BJ community. I hope your wife is granted much pain-free time, and I wish you, Mrs. Imm, and the Immp all strength and comfort. Gentle {{{{{hugs}}}}} to all of you.

  171. 171.

    efgoldman

    @Immanentize:

    He hasn’t done anything to deserve the hurt

    Nobody, but nobody, even the nastiest evil people, “deserves” it. Nobody asks for it. Nobody. He will do what he has to do, which probably will include some acting out. Hugs and patience all around.

  175. 175.

    Sloane Ranger

    @Jeffro: But only foreigners will die, and brown ones at that, so it’s all good. In fact it gets rid of economic competition so it will help MAGA.

    Ok, there will also be massive casualties among US troops in Korea but they’re all volunteers and will willingly give their lives to the cause because the troops love me – Trump.

    Snark, just in case there’s any doubt.

  178. 178.

    satby

    @Immanentize: I’m so sorry it’s been a bad week of results and news. Our best wishes for comfort and pain free days to Mrs Imm, you, and the whole family on this journey.

  179. 179.

    spudgun

    @Immanentize: Extremely late to this thread, but I just saw your comment right now so hope you see this – I am so, so sorry…coming out of lurkdom to send you big internet hugs.

  180. 180.

    Argiope

    @Immanentize: Another lurker here to send you and your J and Immp much Light and energy for the time ahead. Immp will of course be changed for a lifetime through this experience—but perhaps not entirely for the worse. My family lost a parent when we kids were just barely into our 20s. We still hate it that it happened, 21 years later, but the manner of its happening–at home, with hospice–left a lifetime of love and a lessened fear about dying. The love and connection and resilience that you adults have for one another does filter into the yoot. Loving, gentle care to you all. We jackals are rooting for you.

  181. 181.

    Mnemosyne

    @Immanentize:

    If I can tag onto what Argiope said just above me, in an odd way your Immp has an opportunity to really make peace with his mother in a way most people never get to. My husband and I lost our fathers within 6 months of each other and we each have lingering questions about the past that will never be answered now.

    So I would (gently) urge both your wife and the Immp to have that difficult conversation they’ve been avoiding about whatever lingering hurts and resentments they still have between them, because this is a chance that very few people get, and most of us regret missing it.

    And, needless to say, you should take the same opportunity to make sure that nothing is left unsaid between yourself and Mrs. I. It will make both of you feel better.

  182. 182.

    Argiope

    @Alain the site fixer: Sorry to hear this, Alain. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better verb than ripping in this context; it’s so apt. We’re doing the cancer thing again too, and it can be so, so hard. Know you aren’t alone.

  187. 187.

    Amir Khalid

    @Immanentize:
    I came back to this thread in the morning and read your sad news. You’re all in my thoughts, and I hope you find the strength to deal with what comes ahead.

  189. 189.

    J R in WV

    @Immanentize:

    I’m late to B-J today, heavy rain killed our Internet service till after dark, so I’m late to your update.

    I’m so sorry to hear your news.

    We’re all with you in spirit, please keep us informed.

    Hospice is a miracle of compassion, so I know they will be a huge source of support for all of you, and especially for Mrs Immanentize.

    Best wishes from WV !

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