Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.

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

Jesus watching the most hateful people claiming to be his followers

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

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

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

They don’t have outfits that big. nor codpieces that small.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

Let me file that under fuck it.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

Just because you believe it, that does not make it true.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

Everybody saw this coming.

Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. keep building.

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

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Monday Morning Open Thread: Positivity Is GOOD!

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  2. 2.

    Chyron HR

    It’s an egregious action on the existential issue of this election!

    I can’t help but read that in Daffy Duck’s voice.

  4. 4.

    JPL

    Mitch gave the democrats a winning message by saying that Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security needed to be cut by 2 trillion, in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. Because of today’s environment, the message will be drowned out. Instead we wake daily wondering who the nazis will target next.

    blech indeed

  6. 6.

    Kristine

    @rikyrah: Good morning ☀️!

    It’s been cloudy and so dreary here in far NE Illinois. Unseasonably chilly for weeks. I have end of year yard work to do—composting expired plants and mulching leaves—and can’t work up the will to do it. I’d love to see just a few hours of sunshine. Hell, even a few minutes.

  8. 8.

    J R in WV

    Saw Douthat’s piece in the FTFNYTimes, he is still more fucked up than anyone not actually employed by Drumpf.

    Wants to see a divided legislature, to keep the Scary Liberals from running wild. Hope the election smacks him in the face with reality!

    Imagine that?!

  9. 9.

    Mai Naem mobile

    Angela Merkel is stepping down as the leader of the German Ruling Party. That does not sound good. I can’t believe I am saying that about the traditional RW German Party. That’s how far right everything has moved.

  12. 12.

    J R in WV

    @JPL:

    I see from the story about Intel ceasing to fund King that Land O’ Lakes Inc, the butter and Purina manufacturer, is helping fund Congressman King of Iowa. I will be telling them as a cook and lover of good butter to cook with, I have tasted my last smidge o’ butter from Land O’Lakes and my critters will never taste another kibble of Purina.

    As long as butter comes from other providers I don’t need to provide funds to a company willing to support an open fascist who supports hate for immigrants, liberals, and the freedom concepts this nation was founded upon. I’ll be telling them so asap, too.

    And AMD makes good IT chips, also too!! Dropping support for a fascist doesn’t cure the deficiency in morals that allowed them to support a fascist in the first place, unless people who signed those checks are fired as well…

  17. 17.

    Immanentize

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    I like the non-animated version…. My volunteer and then transplanted roses will be put to bed next weekend probably. But there are two rosebuds on them right now. Odd.

  19. 19.

    Immanentize

    @debbie: nope. I gotta go check it out. Rays are fighters, no?

    ETA Wow. Those are so alien looking. But when you are snorkeling or diving (and they are not just hiding on the bottom) they are beautiful to behold swimming….

  20. 20.

    Phylllis

    Kinda wish I was still a Florida resident so I could vote for Gillum. And then crow about it to my MAGA brother just to watch him explode.

    I will be voting for James Smith for Gov here in SC as well as Sean Carrigan who is running against the execrable Joe Wilson and Constance Anastopoulo, who is running for AG against Wilson’s corrupt, useless spawn Alan.

  23. 23.

    JGabriel

    Politico via Anne Laurie @ Top:

    Trump Officials Irked That Border Patrol Union Endorsed 3 Senate Democrats

    So it’s Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, versus Donald Trump, Resident of the White House?

    “We’d like to thank our audience for joining us on today’s episode of: A-a-asshole Thunderdo-o-ome!!!”

  29. 29.

    randy khan

    The WaPo also does a battleground poll, and while it didn’t show that big a lead, the latest version showed a substantial edge for the Dems.

    Actually, the best part of that poll was the article focused on the Comstock-Wexton race, which spent four paragraphs talking about the challenges for Comstock before revealing that the poll gave Wexton a 13-point lead. I will say I’m a little suspicious of that, as the NRCC still is dropping substantial ad buys into the district, but I liked it anyway.

  30. 30.

    Brachiator

    @Mai Naem mobile: RE: Merkel. From BBC:

    Media reports, citing unnamed party sources, said Merkel would not stand for re-election as CDU chairwoman when the party holds a conference in early December.

    However, a spokesperson for the party said Merkel wants to remain as the leader of Germany until 2021 when the next federal election is due, Reuters reported.

    Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and her coalition partner in Berlin, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), saw heavy losses in the state election in Hesse.

    This is not good. Trump and Putin both hate and fear Merkel.

  34. 34.

    Kay

    Tom Perriello
    ‏Verified account
    @tomperriello
    22h22 hours ago
    More
    FWIW Soros pulled himself up by his bootstraps (unlike Trump) to earn billions (unlike Trump), then charitably donate 80% of his wealth (unlike Trump) to fight repression, bigotry & corruption (unlike Trump), making him feared by authoritarians & kleptocrats (unlike Trump).

  35. 35.

    Brachiator

    @randy khan:

    The WaPo also does a battleground poll, and while it didn’t show that big a lead, the latest version showed a substantial edge for the Dems.

    I would pay good money if people would stop paying attention to the polls. Doesn’t matter if they predict doom or victory.

    I early voted, but would never respond to a poll if contacted. My actual vote will count. That’s all that matters now.

    GOP efforts to lie and sow confusion will intensify.

    So, OK, some polls are hopeful. Let’s intensify the prediction by getting out the vote and making damn sure we do well.

  38. 38.

    NotMax

    Phew. Successful dinner for the guest, even with one delay involving how long it has been since used the stove top that forgot which control operated which burner.

    Solid 9 out of 10, perhaps a 9.25.

  41. 41.

    Kay

    Before we spend any more time puzzling over the mystery of why Lou Dobbs promotes racist conspiracy theories perhaps we should look at the fact that he’s paid 6 million dollars a year to promote racist conspiracy theories. That’s just salary. He probably doubles that with speaking engagements and endorsing horrible, low quality goods and services.

    They’re making a lot of money doing this. A lot of people are making a lot of money doing this.

  43. 43.

    Baud

    @Kay: Reagan brought racists and the wealthy into a coalition that has been one of the most enduring in American history.

  45. 45.

    low-tech cyclist

    Armando:

    Watch to see if there’s any segments on cable news about this poll. Dems +12 On Battleground Districts! Trump Effect Weighing Down Republicans! Yeah no- cable doesn’t want to hear that.

    Let it be a big surprise to the R’s next Tuesday. May they wake up nine days from now feeling the way we did the day after the 2016 election.

  46. 46.

    Brachiator

    Trump lies all the time. He just doesn’t care. It’s part of his Art of the Deal strategy. But the rest of the GOP is following Trump’s lead by lying their assess off about how they will prevent health insurance plans from denying coverage to people with pre existing conditions.

    Republicans are just shamelessly lying. The Dems are fighting back. This is good. If opportunity arises, we should make sure that right wing idiots we know get the message.

    For example, see this great WaPo piece.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/29/these-republicans-are-misleading-voters-about-our-obamacare-fact-checks/

    Also good stuff elsewhere.

    https://www.axios.com/republicans-hit-with-pre-existing-conditions-fd9b4a35-d1b9-4db5-a7cf-5343dedc197d.html

    Republicans are really desperate here. They think that their base are complete fools.

  47. 47.

    JPL

    @Baud: For a long time, the Soros conspiracy theories were on far right sites which many people ignored. Then they became mainstream. We should learn from this and as soon as the conspiracy theories start, we should put them down.

  50. 50.

    low-tech cyclist

    @Kay: I love Tom Perriello. He’s the guy Bernie Sanders should have been – progressive as all get out, voted for Obamacare knowing it would probably cost him his House seat (it did), and when he lost the VA-Gov primary to Ralph Northam, he campaigned his ass off for Northam.

  51. 51.

    Kay

    @Brachiator:

    Democrats did a good job getting a focus on issues early though. They’ve been talking about the Trump tax law and health care for months and it was completely under the radar, which gave them time to get ahead of Trump/political media shifting the focus to “the caravan” or whatever else Trump wants to talk about.

    I think they’re acclimating to the new (much worse) political environment.

  52. 52.

    Brachiator

    @Baud:

    Reagan brought racists and the wealthy into a coalition that has been one of the most enduring in American history.

    It wasn’t Reagan. This has always been part of the country.

    I’m not even sure that Reagan compounded the problem in the modern era.

  53. 53.

    Raven

    @Immanentize: Not much. A ray that got me jacked up when it knocked my rod out of the holder and was headed to the water. And some whiting. The capn’ wanted to delay the boat trip until noon because of better conditions. It is absolutely gorgeous here, 70’s and sunny so we’re having a great time. We had two couples and a couple of teens for the weekend and they are gone so I’m sitting on the porch watching the birds on the water.

  55. 55.

    TS (the original)

    @randy khan:

    the poll gave Wexton a 13-point lead

    Seems to be an outsider but RCP range for all the recent polls have her up at least 6 points. Google gives a newsmax link saying the two are tied – in their dreams – I didn’t give them a click.

  56. 56.

    Ken Shabby

    @Kay:

    Didn’t know this. I like knowing this. Also applies to many, many faux bootstrap buffoons besides our lovely, mafia don.

  57. 57.

    Brachiator

    @low-tech cyclist:

    Trump Effect Weighing Down Republicans! Yeah no- cable doesn’t want to hear that.

    This is interesting. Trump doesn’t see that he might be bad for GOP candidates. He’s got more rallies scheduled. Let’s hope that he continues to hurt himself and the GOP prospects.

  58. 58.

    Ken Shabby

    @Brachiator:

    I’m looking forward to answering my phone again. Likely sometime in late Nov.

    My contact list is relevant, efficient. That’s it.

  63. 63.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Raven:

    A ray that got me jacked up when it knocked my rod out of the holder and was headed to the water.

    Ha! Is there a bait fisherman alive who has never had to make the 10 yard dash?

  66. 66.

    Raven

    @OzarkHillbilly: Yea, it happened with this biggest bull red I’ve ever caught. I want up to my car and, when I turned around I couldn’t see the rod tip. I ran over the dune and I gut from Louisiana had seen ti go and grabbed it!

  67. 67.

    Chetan Murthy

    @OzarkHillbilly: I’m sure the residents of Bhopal, the Yemenis, Vietnamese, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, Salvadorans, and many other peoples, wish they could have had inoculation against the diseases Americans carry.

  68. 68.

    Butter Emails!!!

    @Baud:

    Reagan brought racists and the wealthy into a coalition that has been one of the most enduring in American history.

    As bad as Reagan was, I don’t think he can take credit for that. This coalition has existed since before we were even a country.

    I see others responded before I did. I’m going to add that this coalition was initially plantation owners and poor white farmers.

  71. 71.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Ken Shabby: When I was working in the states that had been part of the Soviet Union, the Soros Open Society Foundations were active in helping to educate legislators and others about democratic government. That was the first I heard of him. The Open Society Foundations continue the work of encouraging democracy, including in the United States. You can see why Donald Trump doesn’t like them. Nor does Vladimir Putin.

  72. 72.

    Kay

    @Brachiator:

    They do know he’s hurting them in some areas. He’s staying out of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which is amusing, because those are the states that supposedly had the “Trump Realignment” in ’16.

    Michigan is kind of interesting- it’s definitely going blue. IMO, Ohio tracks MI and PA in that it is further Right than those two states- so if Trump is down in MI and PA he will be even in OH.

  78. 78.

    Barbara

    @Butter Emails!!!: Brought them in may be too strong but he elevated their importance and made it clear they did not need to hide. Starting his campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi by bloviating about states’ rights was intentional and outrageous

  79. 79.

    JPL

    Trump is once again tweeting that the media is the enemy of the people. He needs to look in the mirror, because he has unleashed a hatred in our nation that threatens our very democracy.
    This week is going to be bad.

  80. 80.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I knew it, I KNEW Trump would call to congratulate the appalling new RWNJ president of Brazil.

    Had a very good conversation with the newly elected President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, who won his race by a substantial margin. We agreed that Brazil and the United States will work closely together on Trade, Military and everything else! Excellent call, wished him congrats!

    Never met a vile bigoted authoritarian he didn’t love.

  81. 81.

    GregB

    A crimson pall is descending all over the world. The world will not escape from this period without tragedy upon tragedy.

    Let’s hope this upcoming election is the beginning of the end of the fascist ascendence.

  82. 82.

    Kay

    You really cannot overestimate how disconnected voters are. I don’t know what it means or who is to blame but it’s the truth. I was at a political-themed house party yesterday afternoon at the home of people who are engaged enough to have signs in their yard and the spouse of the person hosting the party asked me what happened in Pittsburgh. Like- “was it a bombing…?” He’s conflated the FL bomber with the Pittsburgh shooter.

    So, ya know, try engaging on something like “preexisting conditions” with these people – it’s very difficult! Just hard.

  83. 83.

    PAM Dirac

    Half way through early voting in Maryland and so far so good for the Dems in Frederick County. About the same number of total votes as all of 2014 early voting. Breaks down as 49.5% D, 35.0% R, 15% I vs. 44.5% D, 41.5% %, 13.7% I in 2014. Keep in mind that 2014, unlike most of the rest of the country, was not a bad year for Dems in Frederick County. The caveat is that the early vote is unlikely to be much more than 15% of the total vote, so a lot of work to be done. For those of you in Maryland that want to check your jurisdiction go to https://elections.maryland.gov/press_room/index.html.

  87. 87.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @JPL:

    I heard that. Also, Pence is doing a couple of events with Kemp this week, but don’t know where.

  88. 88.

    Bruce K

    I just realized that here in Greece, where I’m obliged to vote in elections, I’d probably be categorized as centrist-leaning-conservative, although my attitude towards all the major political parties is at the point of throwing up my hands and wondering when the adults will come back from their smoke breaks and hammer some sense into the juveniles running things right now.

    That’s in Greece.

    Stateside, with no apparent change in temperament on my part, I’ve become a left-winger, castigated by MAGA-louts for using scare tactics because the left’s lost on policy, yada yada yada, Make America Great Again (*retch*)

    I mean, does this tweet:
    https://twitter.com/EVEMarcCallan/status/1056502868377849856

    If you're an American:Don't vote as though your lives depended on it.Remember your minority friends.Your LGBT friends (more numerous than you realize).Your Jewish and Muslim friends.Your immigrant friends.Vote as though THEIR lives depended on it.Because they do.— Marc Callan (@EVEMarcCallan) October 28, 2018

    warrant these responses?

    https://twitter.com/ImAukai/status/1056892065227911170

    https://t.co/1XcJKOP8awEvery time I see something like this, it makes me more committed to voting Republican. The fact that Democrats think it's okay to scare minorities into voting for their vapid and destructive doctrine because they can't win a policy debate is disgraceful.— Aukai (@ImAukai) October 29, 2018

    https://twitter.com/ImAukai/status/1056893817989804032

    https://t.co/1XcJKOP8awDo you know *why* they do this? Because authoritarian leftism lost the policy debate a long time ago.The doctrine of more tax, higher prices, gun confiscations & so forth can't win. Now they've moved onto demonizing and personality politics. Avoid!— Aukai (@ImAukai) October 29, 2018

    Honestly, am I missing something here?

  89. 89.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    I know it’s totally to be expected of him, but I still find it slightly unbelievable that Trump has plenty of time to extend friendship and congratulations to the likes of Bolsonaro but can’t be arsed to reach out to — or even name-check in prepared remarks — the MAGAbomber’s assassination targets.

  90. 90.

    Bruce K

    Eep – just learned that embedding too many tweets can get me into moderation. Sorry!

    Anyway, taking stock and I realized that I’m nowhere near a left-winger in Greek politics. More like centrist-leaning-slightly-conservative, if there was a political party acting like adults for me to support. And yet somehow, Stateside, I’m a left-winger. I still believe the same things wherever I am.

    Funny, that.

  93. 93.

    Gelfling 545

    @Chyron HR: Great. Now I keep hearing Daffy Duck in my mind spluttering “it’s an egregious action!” Better than the voices Trump hears, anyway.

  94. 94.

    Bruce K

    @schrodingers_cat: I’m not saying they’re left, I’m saying they’ve pegged me as “left-wing”. I mean, I’ll admit I’m to the left of David Duke and Joe Arpaio, but that’s a pretty low bar to clear…

  97. 97.

    The Very Reverend Crimson Fire of Compassion

    @Baud: No, he didn’t. Reagan co-opted the relationship between wealth and racism that can be traced to the foundation of the American south, as an offshoot of the Caribbean slave culture.

  98. 98.

    J R in WV

    @Chyron HR:

    It’s an egregious action on the existential issue of this election!

    Wife was simply astonished that anyone in the whitepower house would know these words well enough to use them more-or-less correctly in a sentence. Additionally, they prove they have no concept of a free and independent union managed and directed by the workers, NOT by the managers and political appointees.

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