Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

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

Our messy unity will be our strength.

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Trump should be leading, not lying.

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

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

The desire to stay informed is directly at odds with the need to not be constantly enraged.

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.

I might just take the rest of the day off and do even more nothing than usual.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

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

You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2018 / Repub Ratfvckery Open Thread: “This Is Why We Need Voter ID Laws!”

Repub Ratfvckery Open Thread: “This Is Why We Need Voter ID Laws!”

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Next Saturday, March 24, hundreds of Texas Democratic Party activists will gather at the Austin Hyatt Regency to nominate candidates for political office in Travis County, a kick-off event leading up to the 2018 midterm elections.

But some people who tried to register will not be attending, among them Candida McGruder. Gustavo Chubb. Geraldo Tinsley. Vincent Amundson. Roxie Male.

That’s because these five individuals and 43 others who signed up to attend don’t appear to be Travis County residents, or Texans, or even Americans. They might not even be real people. They may be pranksters — or they may be Russian trolls, and their appearance in Texas could represent the first public example of foreign probing of the 2018 elections.

Five senior intelligence officers, two current and three former, say the case of the Texas 48 looks like Russian meddling. And they tell NBC News that despite the clumsiness of the failed registrations, the Texas case fits a pattern of Russian behavior seen in its covert operations…

Despite the ham-handedness that announces an obvious Russian origin, said Kanuck, who served as the first national intelligence officer for cyber issues at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from 2011 to 2016, the methods and even the in-your-face nature of the trolling fit the pattern of “a Russian strategic campaign to delegitimize the democratic electoral process.”

“I would speculate that Russia is testing the waters for possible interventions or disruptions in the future,” Kanuck said…

And sure enough, in just the top dozen replies to the original tweet…

Doesn’t matter, for Repub purposes, whether those commentors are co-conspirators or just misled bystanders — if it helps them divert the conversation from “who benefits from the actions of these Russian trolls?” to “AIEEE brown people voter fraud!”, it’s all to their advantage.

Reader Interactions

156Comments

  1. 1.

    SFAW

    Where’s Alex Jones to scream “False flag by the Republicans!!!!!!”

    I crack myself up sometimes.

  4. 4.

    Ruckus

    Day by day I’m becoming more convinced that the entire republican party is just an extension of russia. What they want to do to this country sounds exactly like what current day russia is, a government like, by and for a modern day version of the mob.

  5. 5.

    Ken

    Hmm. “Richman” and “Reditwright”. Perhaps this is two-dimensional chess:

    1) Clumsily register with easily-detected fake names.

    2) Use that to call for stronger laws.

    (Of course it’s stupid, since the trolls got caught, meaning the existing process – you know, checking the name against the voter rolls, just like the election judges do – worked just fine at detecting the fraud.)

  9. 9.

    Adam L Silverman

    @NotMax: With poll axes!
    http://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/texas-law-allows-open-carry-of-knives-swords

    New Texas law allows open carry of large knives, swords
    by Abby AldrichThursday, August 31st 2017

    AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — As of Sept. 1, Texas House Bill 1935 will allow knives and blades longer than 5 1/2 inches in public.

    Meaning, residents walking around with swords and daggers will not be breaking any laws.

    Phillip Watkins, owner of The Knife Guys, said the law is going to make it easier on people with jobs requiring the use of larger knives.

    “It’s going to make it easier for hunters and people that have professional jobs where they use over-sized knives for their particular tasks,” Watkins says, “like lawn care and chefs, or these traveling chefs going to festivals, and then your hunters that go hog hunting and carry a tougher knife than just your general public.”

    However, long knives will still not be allowed in locations including bars, colleges, correctional facilities, government buildings, hospitals, places of worship, polling places, public and private schools, secured areas in airports and sporting events.

    The Amarillo Police Department said it does not expect many issues to come from the new law. APD’s Public Information Officer Jeb Hilton said a lot of complaints came in about the open carry law when it was enacted and that there would be big issues stemming from it, yet there wasn’t.

    “Most people in Texas carry a knife,” Hilton says, “and it is going to be a little bit of a shock to see someone carrying a machete or sword around, but once the law gets out and people know that, that’s okay, I don’t think we will get a lot of calls on it.”

    Watkins said the law is going to make people feel more relaxed.

    “Look at the open carry law,” Watkins said. “When they passed that, everybody thought it would be like the Wild West, but it isn’t and it’s going to be the same thing with this. It’s going to be people more comfortable about doing what they have already been doing.”

    If residents plan on carrying, Hilton says he suggests looking into the law, in order to know where you can and cannot carry. He adds businesses have the right to ask people to leave, if carrying on their property.

    “If there is a business that doesn’t want you carrying in there and asks you to leave, they can do that,” Hilton said. “That’s their right as a business owner. [APD] cannot come out and enforce anything other then making you leave. But, know where you are going to be going, especially if you’re going to be carrying a larger knife or sword.”

    APD wants to remind the public that residents can call if they notice any suspicious activity with people carrying the weapons.

    “If you see somebody and they are carrying a weapon in a non-threatening manner, there is probably no reason to call the police,” Hilton said. “But if somebody is out making a show, has the sword pulled out making threatening moves to people, definitely give the police a call.”

    Minors will still be unable to possess knives over 5 1/2 inches unless they are in a car, watercraft or supervised by a parent or legal guardian.

  10. 10.

    Corner Stone

    I suggest we get someone to meet with Putin and tell him, quite sternly, to “knock it off”.

  11. 11.

    hellslittlestangel

    Well, I’m impressed that Republicans didn’t say that the solution is to cut taxes.

  12. 12.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Reason # 4289 why I have — frequently — suggested that all the RWNJs be relocated to Nuevo Aztlan Tejas Texas, wall them all in, rename it Dumbfuckistan, and reclaim it when they’re done killing themselves.

    Naturally, current Texans of good will will not be required to stay. (Maybe set up Austin as a latter-day West Berlin? Dunno.)

  14. 14.

    SFAW

    @Corner Stone:

    I suggest we get someone to meet with Putin and tell him, quite sternly, to “knock it off”.

    I know just the guy, but he’s too busy furrowing his brow ever-so-deeply, and yukking it up with his pal Lindsey.

    ETA: Note to self: learn to type faster.

  15. 15.

    hellslittlestangel

    @Adam L Silverman:

    “Most people in Texas carry a knife,” Hilton says, “and it is going to be a little bit of a shock to see someone carrying a machete or sword around, but once the law gets out and people know that, that’s okay, I don’t think we will get a lot of calls on it.”

    It’s sure to scare tourists at first, but eventually you won’t hear from them about it. And you’ll have the Alamo all to yourselves, at last!

  20. 20.

    frosty

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Infiltration at all levels.

    A more delicate phrase than your usual.

    Or is there a real difference? Such as infiltration or filtration of stormwater treatment?

  24. 24.

    Jeffro

    @Adam L Silverman: did y’all see that WaPo article about the guy who got sliced and diced by his girlfriend, because she thought he was cheating on her (when he wasn’t spending 12 hours a day playing video games)?

    Sheesh. One more thing I have to warn my pre-teen about: “Be sure to check under the bed for a samurai sword”

  25. 25.

    frosty

    @hellslittlestangel:

    you’ll have the Alamo all to yourselves,

    When we were at the Alamo 3 years ago, some asshole was walking around with an AR-15 (or clone) on a sling. None of the people in line were enthusiastic about it, to say the least. I wouldn’t live in Texas on a bet.

  27. 27.

    Corner Stone

    @chris: I have known more than a few people who went to prison for a long stretch for using a blade to “defend” themselves. Almost always, emphasis on “almost”, if they had used a gun they would have been no-billed or never even referred.

  30. 30.

    Adam L Silverman

    @frosty: Some of the ladies were unhappy with the gendered connotations of penetration at all levels. So I’m trying to be more thoughtful.

  32. 32.

    mai naem mobile

    Jist saw on the teevee that Orange Lumpy Asshole is thinking about nominating Fucks and Friends’ Peter Hegseth to Sec. Of VA. Seriously ,what the fuckity fuck? The guy is a moron. M.O.R.O.N. What’s next? Mark Harmon as his Nat Sec Advisor? Patrick Dempsey as Surgeon General?

  37. 37.

    Davebo

    The last time the U of Houston Coogs won a NCAA tournament game I was a day or two away for leaving for boot camp.

    I watched them lose to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown at a USO facility on a layover on my way.

    Finally!

  39. 39.

    chris

    @Corner Stone:

    a few people who went to prison for a long stretch for using a blade

    How odd. So it’s better to shoot than cut? More “manly” or something maybe?

  42. 42.

    Steeplejack

    @frosty:

    I think he is responding (rightly) to concerns raised by Cheryl Rofer in a post several weeks ago about the (ridiculous) sexualization of foreign policy/​defense rhetoric.

    I applaud the change.

    @Adam L Silverman:

    “Some of the ladies were unhappy . . .”

    Please don’t start digging yourself a hole.

  43. 43.

    SFAW

    @Amir Khalid:

    Are they cosplaying as the Punisher or Crocodile Dundee?

    Porque no los dos?

    or, for you:

    Warum denn die Beide nicht? [Bitte, verzeihe mir my shitty grammar.)

  44. 44.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @chris: More “manly” or something maybe?

    Pretty much, since (and hence) there is no National Knife Association.

  46. 46.

    gene108

    My uncle (mom’s older brother) passed a way a week ago. He was in the hospital for a couple of weeks prior, but it was surprising he landed up in the hospital in the first place, so it came as a shock to all of us.

    Anyway, I am staying with my mom this week. It has hit her pretty hard. They were close.

    I put a load of laundry from the washer to my mom’s dryer and every few minutes the I hear the dryer tumble and then buzz. Like it wants me to get,out of bed at this hour and take the clothes out of it. But I don’t want to get out of bed.

    I find the whole thing perplexing. It is a war of the wills between me and the dryer. Do I stay in bed, listening to the dryer turn on and buzz or do I break down and take my clothes out?

  47. 47.

    Corner Stone

    @chris: I’m not a defense attorney. But from what I have been told from many sources is that the pictures and results of death by knife create a foundationally visceral and emotional reaction that bullet holes just do not.

  48. 48.

    frosty

    @Steeplejack:

    the (ridiculous) sexualization of foreign policy/​defense rhetoric.

    Yeah, that was something of an eye opener, wasn’t it? Cosplay at all levels.

  49. 49.

    Jeffro

    @Adam L Silverman: I think the lessons are twofold:

    1) Never let your girlfriend leave scratches that your other girlfriend can see, wonder about, and decide that a samurai sword can resolve

    2) Always feel around the edge of the bed for any samurai weapons that might be taped there.

    I guess, also too and threefold

    3) Think about doing something with your life other than playing video games for 12-13 hours a day. Karma is still karma…

  51. 51.

    frosty

    @gene108: Is your dryer connected to the internet? Have the Russian bots hacked it and taken it over?

    Note to self: turn dryer off before going to bed. Ours has the same annoying feature. Why can’t they just let my clothes sit there and wrinkle like in the Olden Days?

  53. 53.

    SFAW

    @gene108:

    Condolences to you and your mom, sounds like it would be a little traumatic for her.

    [Dryer thing: put some clothes back in the washer (to hold them temporarily), see if the behavior of the dryer improves.]

  54. 54.

    Steeplejack

    @SFAW:

    Okay, for everybody who wants to throw around the currently trendy phrase, it’s “Por qué no los dos?”

    Because porque means “because.” “Porque no los dos” = “Because not both.” Fail.

  59. 59.

    Steeplejack

    @gene108:

    Sorry to hear about your uncle. Can’t help you on the dryer. I’d turn it off and deal with it in the morning. Unless there’s something in there you need dry to start the day.

  60. 60.

    gene108

    @Corner Stone:

    Probably.

    @frosty:

    Not connected to the internet, thankfully. “Smart” appliances scare me because, I think one of two things will happen, either the Russians* will hack my fridge and wreak havoc on me or the appliances will gain consciousness and go all SkyNet on us.

    * Despite my fantasies, all this shot connected to the internet helped enable a large scale DDOS attack on the east coast a couple of years back, because the security settings aren’t good and hackers can get your Internet of Things device to ping the fuck out of a DNS provider, if they feel like it.

  62. 62.

    SFAW

    @Steeplejack:

    Fail.

    Thanks for the correction. The especially embarrassing part is that I used to speak Spanish reasonably well. Forty years ago, but still …

    Damn.

  63. 63.

    danielx

    @Adam L Silverman:

    From available evidence, the only prohibited edge/point-wise things in my fair state are ballistic knives and throwing stars. There is no prohibition on carrying any sharp pointy thing, concealed or openly. I have not noticed anyone carrying swords, etc, outside Renaissance fairs and the like. I own a couple of swords, and it has never been a temptation to haul them around in public; enough people think I’m a nutbar for owning them. Note: not that I can’t think of a few people who deserve to lose their heads….

    On the other hand, this isn’t Texas. I have no doubt that there will be people carrying anything you can think of because reasons.

  68. 68.

    Yarrow

    @gene108: It was the smart thing to do. Dryers are one of the most common causes of house fires. I never run my dryer unless I’m in the house and awake. Turn everything off before bed.

  69. 69.

    gene108

    @SFAW:

    [Dryer thing: put some clothes back in the washer (to hold them temporarily), see if the behavior of the dryer improves.]

    The dryer has been properly scolded and will do better next time. No reason for it to be jealous of the washing machine getting all the clothes.

  70. 70.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?

    Random question to someone knowledgeable:
    Assuming the “Star wars” program had somehow been possible, what would have resulted?

  73. 73.

    danielx

    @chris:

    From what I have heard (never done either, praise jeebus), it takes a different kind of head to use a blade instead of gun. Anyone who can stab or cut somebody can use a gun to shoot somebody, but the converse is not always true. Yeah, I know it’s a blanket statement, but it makes sense to me.

  76. 76.

    gene108

    @SFAW:

    Condolences to you and your mom, sounds like it would be a little traumatic for her.

    It is hard. This is first of her siblings to pass away. She is getting better. One of my cousins created a What’sApp group for the family, so it helped all of us commiserate, even though we are are in different parts of the country and world.

    Thank you for your condolences.

  79. 79.

    danielx

    @Jeffro:

    If I recall correctly, there was an article a couple of years ago in the post about some deal where some Georgetown students were menaced by a one man home invasion by a lone gunman (nyuck nyuck). Another roommate who was a Georgetown grad student and (evidently) a martial arts student intervened by cutting off the invader’s hand with a katana. He ended up dying from shock and blood loss…

  86. 86.

    Steeplejack

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Well, it’s fairly “pedantic” for someone to spice up their comments with quotes from a foreign language in the first place. If they are going to do that, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to ask them to get it right. If they can’t, maybe they need to stay out of the deep end.

  87. 87.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    As the purveyor of the doubleplusungood Spanish grammar, I was actually not bothered by the correction.

    I was bothered that I needed correction, however. (Or, “that my grammar needed to be corrected,” to be more precise.)

  96. 96.

    Corner Stone

    @SFAW: What’s your problem? This is a real life demonstration of the Unstoppable Pedant vs the Immovable Typo.
    This.Is.Science!

  97. 97.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Maggie Haberman @ maggieNYT
    Trump is done with McMaster and has been for some time. McMaster is also essentially saying “screw it” and not pushing to stay. But four admin sources say this anti-McMaster push is led much more by Kelly than Trump right now
    Kelly sees McMaster as being aligned with administration officials who undermined Tillerson with Trump. Kelly has been openly critical of the decision to fire Tillerson all week.
    McMaster was said by many ppl in the White House to be gone as soon as tomorrow – again, timing accelerated by Kelly. But, as Trump often does, a media story can push him away from where he was leaning in the first place and all around him end up tarred.

    what about the feathers?

  100. 100.

    piratedan

    anyone taking bets that McMaster is replaced by Bolton all so he can help instigate a shooting war so they can try and “distract” everyone (i.e. The Media) from the Mueller Investigation and cajole the MSM to rally around the President because we’re now in a “shooting war” and can’t “afford” for the country to be divided?

  102. 102.

    SFAW

    @Corner Stone:

    What’s your problem?

    Why, how NICE of you to assume (or so it seems) that I have only one! Others might disagree with your (apparent) estimate, however.

  105. 105.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?

    @SFAW:
    Omnes doesn’t have much of a sense of humor. Don’t sweat it.
    @Adam L Silverman:
    Ha ha. Would force fields projected into space break any treaties? I’m having trouble finding info on this (considering how impossible it is). ICBMs travel in a sub-orbital flight path. I wonder if satellites would be better than ground stations?

  107. 107.

    Jay

    @Yarrow:

    It’s the lint accumulation in the vent line, and the fact that almost everybody uses the expandable foil thingy, or the beer can guage aluminum ducting, even on gas dryers.

    All dryers should be vented using 16 guage galvanised steel ventung, with a few turns as possible.

    All dryer vents should be cleaned out annually to prevent build up.

  109. 109.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    All this talk about the dryer reminds me of the X Files episode that aired over here the other night. Mulder and Scully are terrorized by all of the computery type things in their homes because Mulder refused to tip the robot chef in an automated restaurant. It was a very funny look at how much that kind of stuff has taken over our lives.

  112. 112.

    Yarrow

    @Jay: Yep. And not everyone does that. Since gene108 is at his mom’s house and it isn’t his dryer he may not know how often she cleans it. Better to be safe.

  114. 114.

    SFAW

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    You don’ t get the joke.

    He’s young, can’t expect him to get the more subtle ones.

    Or the not-so-subtle ones? Let’s find out:

    “A preposition is a word you never end a sentence with.”

  116. 116.

    SFAW

    OK, so my reply to Omnes (around #114) is in moderation? Don’t notice any of the forbidden words, but maybe I’m having a senior moment.

  119. 119.

    Steeplejack

    @SFAW:

    Pro tip: If you make this comment—the “Hey, why did I get moderated?” one—a reply to the comment that did get moderated, once it shows up people will be able to navigate back to it from the link in this one. Almost guaranteed that the original comment will not be #114.

  122. 122.

    Aleta

    @gene108: If you have reason to suspect the Russians, don’t go down there.
    (Doctored photos, doctored organ theft. No telling what.)

    eta I was too late.

  124. 124.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?

    @gene108:
    I’ve always feared that the internet of things could be used to kill people Final Destination-style. That and spy on people.

  125. 125.

    Repatriated

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?:
    1. Increased likelihood of a Soviet first strike before the system was in place.
    2. Increased Soviet reliance on submarine-launched missiles, likely with an emphasis on cruise missiles.

    All that assumes the system was seen to be effective.

  126. 126.

    SFAW

    @Steeplejack:

    Good point. Hadn’t occurred to me. The 114-comment was more for Adam’s benefit, assuming he’s still here.

    As far as the whether-people-can-navigate-easily-back-to-the-mod’ed-comment thing: doesn’t really matter to me. The comment has replies within it, linking to the pertinent comments from Omnes and Goku. It’s a standalone, so to speak.

  129. 129.

    NotMax

    Watching the Valerian movie on Amazon Prime.

    Visuals are luscious*. Otherwise, B movie. If only the lead actor didn’t look like he’s 14.

    *Bonus points for the, um, adult club pole dancer scene.

  131. 131.

    Peale

    @NotMax: one of the weirdest endings to a movie, though. At least for me. Watch out. You are about to be hit and hit hard with a moral.

  132. 132.

    Steeplejack

    @SFAW:

    [. . .] doesn’t really matter to me.

    It’s a convenience for readers who might want to go back and see what you wrote without having to scroll around trying to pinpoint how long ago the comment was posted. Could be anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on front-pager attention.

  135. 135.

    Yutsano

    @SFAW: FYI: warum nicht Beide works just as well. Especially since it’s less formal.

    Aber deine Grammatik ist nicht so scheißig.

  136. 136.

    SFAW

    @Steeplejack:

    And, interestingly enough, the comment-in-question has appeared (thanks to Adam) at #114. Be that as it may, although my commenting here undoubtedly has something to do with a need for attention at some level, I don’t have any illusions that my comments are so fucking important that people need to find them later, etc., etc.

    That being said: not sure why you’ve suddenly developed this need to correct everything (so to speak) I’ve written on this thread. I don’t recall busting your stones at any time in the past — since I generally appreciate your comments — so I’m (tentatively) assuming you’re not trying to settle some old score. If I’m wrong about that, then feel free to continue “settling up.” But if this is just because of the “porque” vs “por que” thing — about which I said “Thanks for the correction” — and the ensuing other things I wrote which you didn’t like (or at least, felt the need to correct), then you might consider dialing it back a little.

  140. 140.

    Doug R

    @NotMax:

    Watching the Valerian movie on Amazon Prime.

    I couldn’t believe Cara Delivigne wasn’t the worst thing in it after stinking up Suicide Squad. That honor was reserved for Dane De Haan.
    That alt dimension bazaar was kind of cool, but there’s a decent hour and a half movie hiding in the 2 hours 17 minute run time.
    Rihanna is a delight every minute she’s onscreen, though.

  143. 143.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    @Adam L Silverman:

    New Texas law allows open carry of large knives, swords

    I am never, ever, ever going to Texas.

    And I was born there.

    (Also Florida, Oklahoma, Alafuckingbama, Colorado-except-Boulder, Eastern Washington … )

  144. 144.

    p.a.

    Maybe Texas just wants to become a destination for the enormous Punic and Peloponnesian War reenactor market?

  146. 146.

    Aleta

    “The internment of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans is no laughing matter, @SecretaryZinke,” tweeted Hirono, the first U.S. senator born in Japan and the first Asian-American woman elected to the chamber.

    During a House Natural Resources Committee hearing earlier in the day, Zinke was pressed by Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), a fourth-generation Japanese-American, to commit to refunding a National Park Service program that offers grants toward the preservation of confinement camps where Japanese-Americans were held during World War II.
    “Are you committed to continue to grant programs that are identified, I believe, as the Japanese American Confinement Sites grants program which were funded in 2017? Will we see them funded again in 2018?” Hanabusa asked.
    “Oh, konnichiwa,” Zinke replied, deploying a Japanese greeting typically used in midday.
    After a brief silence, Hanabusa corrected Zinke, using the Japanese greeting for “good morning.”
    “I think it’s still ‘ohayo gozaimasu,’ but that‘s OK,” she said.
    Zinke’s remark later drew scrutiny from the Hawaii senator online.
    “What you thought was a clever response to @RepHanabusa was flippant & juvenile,” Hirono wrote on Twitter.
    After the brief exchange at the hearing, Zinke said funding for the grants “probably got caught up” by larger 2018 budgetary items, and vowed to work with Hanabusa on the matter.
    “I will look at it and I will work with you on it because I think it is important,” Zinke told her.
    Hanabusa, who said her two grandparents were subjected to internment, framed the program as a necessity during the hearing.
    “I sit before you the granddaughter of two internees, both of my grandfathers were interned during World War II,” Hanabusa said. “It is essential that we as a nation recognize our darkest moments so that we don’t have them repeat again.”

    -Politico

    Zinke was before the House Natural Resources Committee to discuss the president’s proposed fiscal year 2019 budget plan for the U.S. Department of the Interior, whose more than 70,000 employees maintain national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges and other public lands.

    And Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, wanted to know about a number of deep cuts to programs.

    In particular, the Hawaii Congresswoman asked Zinke about a plan to zero out a $2 million in grants to institutions that help preserve Japanese-American internment camps in Hawaii and on the mainland.

    -Hawaii News Now

  147. 147.

    Matt McIrvin

    @SFAW: Texas has a quite large population of people on Our Side. Wouldn’t it be easier to use Wyoming? Hardly anyone lives there, and those that do are nearly all RWNJs already.

  148. 148.

    Matt McIrvin

    (…We could separate out the Western part, with the Wind River Reservation and Yellowstone.)

  149. 149.

    SFAW

    @Matt McIrvin:

    You make some good points. I guess I figured that it would be easier to (temporarily, until the dust clears) separate Texas from the United States — in other words, have it at the edge of civilization, rather than in the middle (so to speak) of the country. And I do realize that Texas demographics have been changing. And we’d be able to get rid of the Cheneys more easily, so there’s that.

    Hmmm. Might need to revise my “plan.” Thanks!

    ETA: Just saw your modification proposal. Makes sense.

  150. 150.

    d58826

    It seems to me, with so much being done on line and the need to show id in so many places, we need a strong secure photo ID (probably based on SSN) that every one has, starting at birth. It should be secure and easy to obtain in the sense that the physical locations are easy to get to (i.e. photo id locations in malls rather than the much rarer DMV office). If that is the case then showing photo id to vote should not be a hassle because every one has the id.
    That of course defeats the purpose of a photo id requirement since even the OTHER will have one.

  151. 151.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @gene108: War Of The Whirl….pool.

    Next load, find the little knob that turns on the buzzer notification, and turn it off. Man over MacHinery, ees so EZ!

  153. 153.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @d58826: Good idea so long as we make sure everyone gets ID painlessly. (Of course the fundanazis will scream about “the mark of the beast” or somesuch, but hey, in the great tradition of Lenny Bruce, unscrew’em.)

    IIRC Dad applied for SSNs for me & Lil Bro practically the minute he was born – my first SS card (which may still be in <strike.some junk drawer my uncategorized archives) will itself be eligible for Medicare in the near future (& will probably need it to repair the creases & tears…).

  154. 154.

    Uncle Cosmo

    And now I do not have permission to edit, i.e., fix, #153 supra. FYWP! (If some FPer would be so kind as to strike out “some junk drawer” & remove the extraneous crap…)

  155. 155.

    J R in WV

    @frosty:

    Good friend’s father was about to visit the Alamao. He was a colonel in the USAF, in full dress uniform. Outdoors, that requires (does NOT suggest, requires) him to wear a full dress cover (aka hat).

    But then a “Texas Ranger” guarding the Alamo (from what we will leave to the imagination of the readers!) confronted him and demanded that Col. Friend remove his hat to honor those who died in the defense of the holy shrine Alamo. With evident willingness to attack/arrest serving Colonel in full dress uniform, and total unwillingness to hear that military regulations required the hat.

    He left the Alamo, and Texas soon after. I hate Texas. I will never see my brother again, as he won’t be leaving Texas, and I won’t be going there. Yes, RWNJ, why do you ask?

  156. 156.

    WhyKnot241

    Somehow we need to light a fire under “The Media” to light a fire under Trump by demanding, on a daily basis, to do something about the f*vking Russians!

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