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You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Dolt 45 / Open Thread: BE WORST – The Grinch Who Stole Santa

Open Thread: BE WORST – The Grinch Who Stole Santa

by Anne Laurie|  December 25, 20189:04 am| 206 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, All Too Normal, Clown Shoes, Ever Get The Feeling You've Been Cheated?

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Props to the trolls who decided to let the President talk to children on camera, to see what would happen.

— StylinSteelSlatHat (@Popehat) December 25, 2018

telling a 7-year-old Santa isn't real is the only time I've seen him genuinely smile https://t.co/xspNQMaivY

— grantpa (@grantpa) December 25, 2018

If their lawyers have any smarts, this clip will feature prominently in the Trump kids’ eventual “How could we know all that stuff was illegal, look at the guy whose genes we inherited” defense…

Santa baby, hurry down the chimney tonight and take his phone. https://t.co/V4fKQw4j2G

— Schooley (@Rschooley) December 24, 2018

Trump learned that there was no Santa yesterday when the Joint Chiefs of Staff were assembled to calm him down about the NORAD Santa tracker so now he has to share it with everyone.

— Sigh Hersh, Work in Progress (@Ugarles) December 25, 2018


Any minute now…

Steve Mnuchin: “I spoke to multiple Santas and they said it’s not true that have no toys and tomorrow will be filled with sorrow and crippling despair. Merry Christmas!” https://t.co/UPA2XsQ2ZJ

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) December 25, 2018

Tell the kid about Santa, just don't tell him about climate change and the national debt.

— Mig Greengard (@chessninja) December 25, 2018

SO MANY People told themselves and anyone within screaming distance that Christmas's very survival depended on electing the guy who spent today sitting alone, deliberately keeping the tree lights off, and telling random 7-year olds that they're kinda lame for believing in Santa.

— Zeddy (@Zeddary) December 25, 2018

Hold for Krampus. pic.twitter.com/lBhNYwQwhV

— Schooley (@Rschooley) December 25, 2018

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Previous Post: « On the Road and In Your Backyard
Next Post: Merry Christmas from Zooey and Ric! »

Reader Interactions

206Comments

  1. 1.

    MattF

    December 25, 2018 at 9:07 am

    Have I mentioned that Trump is an asshole?

  2. 2.

    Ben Cisco

    December 25, 2018 at 9:09 am

    @MattF: Can’t be stated enough.

  3. 3.

    mad citizen

    December 25, 2018 at 9:09 am

    Per the holiday, Jesus Christ what an asshole.

  4. 4.

    mapaghimagsik

    December 25, 2018 at 9:12 am

    Sweet Christmas, what an asshole

  5. 5.

    Emma

    December 25, 2018 at 9:13 am

    Not this morning. I had a lovely Nochebuena with my immediate family and got some moderate-priced but beautiful presents. I’m not letting the orange baboon upset me.

  6. 6.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 9:16 am

    What a horrible, despicable human being. Cheer on, Evangelicals!

  7. 7.

    Ladyraxterinok

    December 25, 2018 at 9:17 am

    He didn’t really speak to several kids and say this, did he? Not really?!!!

  8. 8.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 9:20 am

    Everything trump touches dies. Why should the fables a 7 yr old believes in be any different?

  9. 9.

    Ken

    December 25, 2018 at 9:21 am

    Last night, the President was visited by three spirits who showed him the terrible mistakes he had made in the past, the calamities he’s creating in the present, and the horrifying future he is creating. He awoke much refreshed and reassured.

  10. 10.

    Eric U.

    December 25, 2018 at 9:22 am

    @debbie: there is a subspecies of evangelical that thinks Santa is evil. They probably are cheering

  11. 11.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 9:23 am

    @Ladyraxterinok:
    Yes, really.

  12. 12.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 9:24 am

    @Ladyraxterinok: He did.

    In one conversation, Trump asked a 7-year-old named Coleman: “Are you still a believer in Santa?” He listened for a moment before adding: “Because at 7, it’s marginal, right?”

  13. 13.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 9:25 am

    @Eric U.: I’m not an evangelical and I know Santa is evil.

  14. 14.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 9:26 am

    @Eric U.:

    One can only hope they would be kinder to their children.

  15. 15.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 9:26 am

    But the biggest threat to the nation is Beto, you guys. David Sirota told me so, in Guardian no less. BS and the brosphere is out maligning him in full force.

  16. 16.

    Chyron HR

    December 25, 2018 at 9:27 am

    We know who these kids are, right? Can’t we take them away and put them with parents who don’t use them as sacrifices to the fat god?

  17. 17.

    sdhays

    December 25, 2018 at 9:27 am

    I was making some tea and my dad said that Lord Dainty Digits had said this to a child, and, literally, I thought he was quoting an editorial cartoon, not reporting what President Dump had done last night.

    To be fair to myself, I didn’t realize that the word “marginal” was in his limited vocabulary, so that threw me quite a bit.

  18. 18.

    Wapiti

    December 25, 2018 at 9:29 am

    The last tweet suggests Turnip is Krampus. I think he’s more of an embodied Caganer, taking a dump behind the nativity manger on Xmas morning..

  19. 19.

    chopper

    December 25, 2018 at 9:35 am

    apparently the bad guys in the War on Christmas have a double agent at the very highest level.

  20. 20.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 9:36 am

    @schrodingers_cat: The Guardian’s bias has been obvious for a while now. Sloppy wet kisses for Wilmer, a shrieking harpy to any one who might challenge the anointed one.

  21. 21.

    oldster

    December 25, 2018 at 9:36 am

    Merry Christmas, y’all!

    I’m in a good mood, so I think we’ll survive Trump.

    But I worry that next time we’ll get horrible people who are competent.

  22. 22.

    Aleta

    December 25, 2018 at 9:38 am

    “Do you still believe in democracy? Because in 2018 we the GOP believe it’s marginal.”

  23. 23.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 9:41 am

    @schrodingers_cat: Repost from below: And Trump’s NYT HandMags is gleefully adding fuel to fire with Tweet pimping David Sirota’s hit job.

  24. 24.

    Mary G

    December 25, 2018 at 9:43 am

    The body language between the Orange Shitgibbon and his horrible spouse . in that photo screams a mutual hatred of each other. Abraham Lincoln above them must be horrified to be looking at them.

  25. 25.

    plato

    December 25, 2018 at 9:43 am

    In an ideal scenario the President of the United States and the worst human being in the world would be two different people.

    — God (@TheTweetOfGod) January 29, 2018

  26. 26.

    Aleta

    December 25, 2018 at 9:45 am

    “Are you still a believer that I’m president?” “Because by now, it’s marginal, right?”

  27. 27.

    Brachiator

    December 25, 2018 at 9:45 am

    In one conversation, Trump asked a 7-year-old named Coleman: “Are you still a believer in Santa?” He listened for a moment before adding: “Because at 7, it’s marginal, right?”

    So, Trump is really the Grinch, stealing Christmas from a little kid.

    This explains much.

  28. 28.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 9:46 am

    @Ken: I’m sure the shrieking from the traumatized children who still believed in Santa made his day. I’m surprised he didn’t tell them if they were bad this year Paul Ryan would come to their houses and take their food and health insurance.

  29. 29.

    BretH

    December 25, 2018 at 9:47 am

    @Ken – think we’re done here, hats off.

  30. 30.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 9:48 am

    @schrodingers_cat:
    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Yeah, I don’t trust their reporting on that issue. Much like the NYT domestic political desk can’t be trusted.

  31. 31.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 9:50 am

    @Kathleen: To be fair, Paul Ryan would do that to good kids too.

  32. 32.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 9:53 am

    @Baud: Silly me. How could I, of all people, underestimate his vileness and venality? And Happy Holidays, Baud!

  33. 33.

    Sab

    December 25, 2018 at 9:53 am

    Any furlowed lower wage federal worker with automatic withdrawal to pay things like utilities or cable is about to be hit with lots of bank fees for overwithdrawals. The telephone company, utility company, cable company deduct the usual fees, and the money ain’t there. So $20, $30 bucks a day overdraft fees until they are back on payroll.

    ETA to correct grammer

  34. 34.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    December 25, 2018 at 9:54 am

    @sdhays: I was sure it was a fake story. But no. Trump surpasses my ability to believe.

  35. 35.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 9:54 am

    @Kathleen: To you as well, Kathleen.

  36. 36.

    RedDirtGirl

    December 25, 2018 at 9:56 am

    Good morning, jackaltariat! You know your niece is now a teenager when you have to wake her up on Xmas morning! Sending all of you good wishes for the New Year!
    My newest button idea…
    PELOSI
    2019!

  37. 37.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 9:56 am

    @Baud: I just ignore those articles, not worth the trouble. They have other stuff far more worthy of reading.

  38. 38.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 9:57 am

    BTW, I believe that these kids who got patched into Trump were kids who were calling into NORAD about Santa.

  39. 39.

    noncarborundum

    December 25, 2018 at 9:58 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: “Santa” is “Satan” spelled sideways.

  40. 40.

    sdhays

    December 25, 2018 at 9:59 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: I’m glad I’m not the only one…

  41. 41.

    Mike R

    December 25, 2018 at 9:59 am

    @MattF: Not often enough.

  42. 42.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 10:00 am

    @Sab:

    I’m pretty sure they’ll be able to call and make some kind of arrangement about payments during the shutdown.

  43. 43.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:01 am

    @Baud: Guardian has always been on the purity left end of the spectrum. In fact I credit them with making neoliberal (Before BS bros made it into an all purpose insult for Ds, totally devoid of meaning) a slur. And they did this when BS was a back bencher during the Clinton presidency.

    ETA: Unlike most BJers I am not a Guardian fan. They have supported disastrous purity left politics in India too. That’s what they do, that’s who they are. I am not surprised with their Bernie love, at all.

  44. 44.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    December 25, 2018 at 10:02 am

    @Sab: The ones still working aren’t getting paid either. At least my FBI friend isn’t.

  45. 45.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 10:04 am

    @noncarborundum: Santa, Satan… Accident? I think not!

  46. 46.

    Sab

    December 25, 2018 at 10:07 am

    @debbie: Why are you so sure?
    Just assuming the world is fair? Maybe in DC, but in the rest of the country they are just random underpaid workers.

  47. 47.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 10:08 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Sure. Me too. But the propaganda is still out there.

  48. 48.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 10:09 am

    @Sab:

    No, because this is what happened in previous shutdowns.

  49. 49.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:09 am

    To clarify my comment at #43. I am not a fan of neoliberal economic policies (popularized by Milton Friedman and the Chicago school, put in practice by Reagan and Thatcher) myself. But calling Ds, neo-liberals is disingenuous. They have been mostly Kensyian in their economic policies not neoliberal.

  50. 50.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 10:10 am

    @schrodingers_cat: They have some good stuff when they are not pushing an agenda. Not much you can do about it except to call out the bad stuff.

  51. 51.

    Brachiator

    December 25, 2018 at 10:12 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Guardian has always been on the purity left end of the spectrum. In fact I credit them with making neoliberal (Before BS bros made it into an all purpose insult for Ds, totally devoid of meaning) a slur. And they did this when BS was a back bencher during the Clinton presidency.

    The Guardian sees Bernie Sanders as the divine manifestation of Jeremy Corbyn in America.

    ETA: I like much of the Guardian’s reporting, but with a huge grain of salt with respect to their politics and editorial opinion.

  52. 52.

    Uncle Cosmo

    December 25, 2018 at 10:12 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Cue the dyslexic devil worshiper who sold his soul to Santa…

  53. 53.

    Sab

    December 25, 2018 at 10:12 am

    @debbie: @debbie: Thank you. I needed to know this. Also did not mean to sound snarky. Thanks.

  54. 54.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 10:14 am

    @Brachiator: I wonder how many chances Corbyn will have to beat May. If he can’t do it in the next election in light of Brexit, it would seem like it would be time to try something else.

  55. 55.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 10:15 am

    @Sab:

    Here.

    Call your creditors. Put your pride to the side and get on the phone. Call every creditor and ask for a reprieve on paying your bill. Explain your situation and see if you can get a month or even two months of deferral.

    Don’t be afraid of being turned down for more time. Better to ask for help than stay silent and suffer as you try to manage bills with money you don’t have.

    This situation is no different (in regard to bills) than those that follow FEMA disasters.

  56. 56.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:15 am

    @Baud: I do like their reviews of Hindi movies, much more knowledgeable than the orientalist drivel put out by NYT, for example.
    @Brachiator: They too had elebenty one stories of T voters in fucking diners, saying how they would support T even if he conducts human sacrifice.

  57. 57.

    A Ghost To Most

    December 25, 2018 at 10:18 am

    Worst Bad Santa ever. The MFer isn’t even drunk.

  58. 58.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:18 am

    @Baud: But he rides a bicycle, doncha know.

  59. 59.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 10:20 am

    @Sab:

    No worries. It’s got to be stressful for everyone affected by this idiocy.

  60. 60.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:21 am

    BS was the mirror image of T when it came to discrediting HRC, down to the bogus election fraud allegation when he didn’t win in the primaries. He is going to repeat his performance in 2020. Whether he wins or loses Putin benefits, by undermining the one institution that Putin has not been able to take down yet.

  61. 61.

    Mike in NC

    December 25, 2018 at 10:21 am

    In the WaPo, presidential historian Douglas Brinckley described Fat Bastard’s Xmas Eve behavior as “Scrooge on steroids”. Such a loser. Sad!

  62. 62.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 10:22 am

    @Baud: Propaganda is everywhere. I just refuse to get upset about it.

  63. 63.

    zhena gogolia

    December 25, 2018 at 10:23 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    I HATE this misuse of “neoliberal.” The day after the election of 2016, a student said, “This just shows the failure of neoliberalism.” I had no idea what she was talking about, because I was still using the accepted sense of neoliberalism. That was the first time I heard this misuse.

  64. 64.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 10:24 am

    @Uncle Cosmo: And Santa gave it to some kid in Trenton.

  65. 65.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 10:25 am

    @schrodingers_cat: I didn’t know.

  66. 66.

    Sab

    December 25, 2018 at 10:26 am

    @debbie: Public service announcement by you, in case the public service announcement people have been deferred. Thank you.

  67. 67.

    Uncle Cosmo

    December 25, 2018 at 10:27 am

    @Sab: Should’ve checked spelling while you were at it, Sparky – it’s “furloughed.”

  68. 68.

    Chief Oshkosh

    December 25, 2018 at 10:28 am

    When the newly-elected governor of Missouri says that sometimes the will of the people must be overturned, does that mean it’s OK to tie him and his family to a stake in the middle of a frozen field for the duration? I mean, I know that he’s talking about the overwhelmingly popular referendum on campaign finance and voting redistricting reform, but you know, goose, gander, etc.

  69. 69.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 10:28 am

    @schrodingers_cat: What is Sirota blathering about, anyway? I didn’t want to read the article, altho’ after getting in a FB spat with one of my Feel the Bern acquaintances I know I probably should. Frankly, I’d rather eat cold lumpy oatmeal. That”s at least nutritious.

  70. 70.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:29 am

    @Baud:Here you go.

  71. 71.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:30 am

    @Miss Bianca: Beto is not liberal, he is in the pocket of oil interests and if you support Beto, you hate the planet.

    ETA: Didn’t read Sirota, this I gathered from the blathering of random BS supporters on Twitter.

  72. 72.

    Brachiator

    December 25, 2018 at 10:31 am

    @Baud:

    I wonder how many chances Corbyn will have to beat May. If he can’t do it in the next election in light of Brexit, it would seem like it would be time to try something else.

    I don’t claim to understand the complexities of British politics, but I think that Corbyn would have to call for and get a successful no confidence vote in order to trigger an election. Otherwise, the next election would not happen until after the first aspects of BREXIT had been implemented. And May has announced that she will not stand for re-election.

    I don’t think this helps Corbyn. But others applaud his tactics.

  73. 73.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 10:32 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    The Graun’s football page is excellent. Best part of the whole damn paper.

  74. 74.

    ThresherK

    December 25, 2018 at 10:33 am

    Merry Xmas, Happy Holidays to all the jackals.

    One cat threw up her breakfast and I did not step in it. The little miracles keep me going.

  75. 75.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 10:35 am

    A question for the jackal gitaristas: If I buy an acoustic guitar, should I expect to get the truss-rod adjustment tool in the box?

  76. 76.

    Cheryl Rofer

    December 25, 2018 at 10:35 am

    At Christmas morning photo opp to call troops, Trump gives long defense of the wall and then veers, unprompted, into a discussion of firing Jim Comey.

    — Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) December 25, 2018

    And now I’m going to make a challah for a friend who loves it but doesn’t have a bakery that makes it. I am trying to stay away from the negativity.

    Merry Christmas all!

  77. 77.

    jeffreyw

    December 25, 2018 at 10:35 am

    @Uncle Cosmo:

    Cue the dyslexic devil worshiper who sold his soul to Santa…

    All of Santa’s elves are dyslexic. Now you know The Rest of the Story.

  78. 78.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:36 am

    @Cheryl Rofer: You should post a recipe. I am in the same boat as your friend. How are the kittehs?

  79. 79.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 25, 2018 at 10:36 am

    @debbie: They love their guns more than they love their children.

  80. 80.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 10:37 am

    @Chief Oshkosh: My inner pedant says I have to correct you on this part: He was never elected Governor. He was elected Lt.Governor and replaced Grietens when he was run out of Jeff City. His first run for Gov, should he choose to, will be in 2020.

    Everything else you’ve said I totally agree with.

  81. 81.

    Brachiator

    December 25, 2018 at 10:39 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    I do like their reviews of Hindi movies, much more knowledgeable than the orientalist drivel put out by NYT, for example.

    I like the Guardian arts section. I don’t think I’ve ever read or paid attention to a NYT review of contemporary Indian films.

    They too had elebenty one stories of T voters in fucking diners, saying how they would support T even if he conducts human sacrifice.

    I thought the stories of Trump supporters were useful and informative. There should have been more about Democratic Party supporters.

  82. 82.

    cmorenc

    December 25, 2018 at 10:40 am

    @oldster:

    But I worry that next time we’ll get horrible people who are competent.

    Scott Walker is the epitome of a horrible person with enough political competence to stay in office long enough to do terrible damage to his home state. I suppose Scott Walker doing the bidding of his sponsor the Koch Brothers would be an improvement over Donald Trump doing the bidding of his sponsors in the Kremlin, but somehow I can’t warm up to the benefits of this hypothetical trade, even though with Trump it’s not even a trade since Trump is doing the bidding of both the Kremlin and the Koch Brothers.

  83. 83.

    rikyrah

    December 25, 2018 at 10:41 am

    He literally can’t do anything right.???

  84. 84.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 10:41 am

    @schrodingers_cat: I am just revolted now by lefties who pull this shit. We have actual fascists – fuck “neoliberals”, we have an actual FASCIST in the White House, and the best use of their time and resources is to keep pushing the “Democrats are the REAL enemy” bullshit? A hissing shame on all their heads.

  85. 85.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:43 am

    @Miss Bianca: The attacks on Beto seem well coordinated with an assist from the usual suspects at the Vichy Times and other MSM outlets. Its like they learned nothing from 2016.

  86. 86.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 10:45 am

    @Chief Oshkosh: You got a link to that story? I heard something about it on the radio in passing but my google-fu is lacking.

  87. 87.

    Frankensteinbeck

    December 25, 2018 at 10:45 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    But calling Ds, neo-liberals is disingenuous.

    @zhena gogolia:

    I HATE this misuse of “neoliberal.”

    It drives me up the wall. For the most part they even know what ‘neoliberal’ means, they just live in a fantasy world where the Democratic Party supports those positions. They really think Democrats support tax cuts for the rich, deregulation, and austerity.

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Unlike most BJers I am not a Guardian fan.

    They’re much better than American reporting in general, but yeah, they’re way too friendly to the Greenwald side. They were the ones backing up Snowden with that story about the guy who got visited by the NSA for using suspicious search terms at work. Waaaaaaaay down at the bottom of the article they admitted the NSA had nothing to do with it, he was visited by local police, and the search terms were detected and reported by the company he worked for’s IT department. Among many other GG-pushed misrepresentations they swallowed whole and eagerly regurgitated to the masses.

  88. 88.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:46 am

    @Brachiator: Yes when it was done the first time. Lost its charm when it was repeated n+1 th time, where n is a very large number. It reinforces the fake belief that no matter what T does he is invincible. He is not.

  89. 89.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 25, 2018 at 10:46 am

    @schrodingers_cat: Obviously, Beto is the greatest threat to Wilmer.

  90. 90.

    chopper

    December 25, 2018 at 10:48 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    hard to say. every guitar i’ve ever bought didn’t come with one, but then every guitar i’ve ever bought was either a private sale/swap or from a shop.

  91. 91.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:48 am

    @Frankensteinbeck: Guardian is the voice of the purity left. It always has been. It was pushing the neoliberal canard against PM Manmohan Singh. Who was one of the most competent PMs India has had since Nehru. But he was “neoliberal” because he pushed economic reforms on the moribund Indian economy in the 90s as the finance minister.

  92. 92.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:49 am

    @Villago Delenda Est: Yes that’s what I concluded too.

  93. 93.

    jeffreyw

    December 25, 2018 at 10:50 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Its like they learned nothing from 2016.

    Wrong
    They learned that it works.

  94. 94.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 10:52 am

    @jeffreyw: That means they are complicit in foisting T on us. I didn’t want to make that accusation since the proof against them is circumstantial, so far and not definitive.

  95. 95.

    zhena gogolia

    December 25, 2018 at 10:54 am

    @jeffreyw:

    Just what I was going to say.

  96. 96.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 10:56 am

    @schrodingers_cat: Oh, they learned something, all right…they learned that “Bernie totally woulda won against Trump if only all those neoliberal Democratic primary voters hadn’t got in his way!”
    And so now they are busily sowing the acres of what’s left of the Commonwealth with salt. For our own good. And we’ll eat that dirt and *like* it, by God, or we’ll just be exposed as neoliberal enemies of tue people.
    @Frankensteinbeck: Back in the 80s, one of my first real jobs out of college was indexing the Guardian. Back in the Thatcher/Reagan days I found it a real eye-opener, so I have some residual fondness for their domestic and arts coverage, but I can’t stand their US political coverage now – way too much ink spilled on cranks and cranky positions.

  97. 97.

    Ladyraxterinok

    December 25, 2018 at 11:00 am

    @schrodingers_cat: Claiming anyone who questions their motives are the REAL enemies who POSITIVELY HATE free speech!!

  98. 98.

    Fair Economist

    December 25, 2018 at 11:01 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    But calling Ds, neo-liberals is disingenuous. They have been mostly Kensyian in their economic policies not neoliberal.

    Are you talking about facts and the actual meaning of words? You sellout neoliberal!

  99. 99.

    The Dangerman

    December 25, 2018 at 11:01 am

    Well, on the plus side, at least he didn’t tell the 7 year old how much he’d like to date Ivanka.

  100. 100.

    Ken

    December 25, 2018 at 11:04 am

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    At Christmas morning photo opp to call troops, Trump gives long defense of the wall and then veers, unprompted, into a discussion of firing Jim Comey.

    But did he bother to thank the troops, or wish them merry Christmas?

    Blurting out stuff on Comey reminds me of Mnuchin’s “no problems at the big banks” message yesterday. Something on your minds you want to tell us, guys?

    I heard reports that Trump insisted Mnuchin make the calls and the announcement. Actually I think I saw that Mnuchin said it, which if true sounds like CYA to me.

  101. 101.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:04 am

    @Villago Delenda Est: Beto has the nerve to be another white male who might run for President. That’s Bernie’s niche!

  102. 102.

    Ken

    December 25, 2018 at 11:05 am

    @The Dangerman: “Do you like gladiator movies, Bobby?”

  103. 103.

    zhena gogolia

    December 25, 2018 at 11:06 am

    This is from Nov 2017, but I never saw it. It’s pretty funny — members of the Trump administration as Bond villains:

    https://twitter.com/KevinMKruse/status/931004201391489024

  104. 104.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:06 am

    @The Dangerman: Or how much he’d like to date the seven year old.

  105. 105.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:08 am

    @Ken: I was trying to think of that line!!!! Well played, Sir!

  106. 106.

    Cheryl Rofer

    December 25, 2018 at 11:08 am

    @schrodingers_cat: I am using the King Arthur’s recipe. The kittehs are fine, although irritated that the temperature outside and activity of lizards are not conforming to their expectations.

  107. 107.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:10 am

    @Villago Delenda Est: They certainly think so. Kind of interesting.

  108. 108.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    December 25, 2018 at 11:12 am

    @Kathleen: Beto also has excited followers, which is also Bernie’s niche. It’s like a battle of the bands.

  109. 109.

    Ken

    December 25, 2018 at 11:12 am

    @zhena gogolia: My, a lot has changed in a year. Remember when we used to have actual, Senate-confirmed cabinet secretaries who stayed for the entire term? Now it’s a new “acting” secretary every month.

  110. 110.

    The Dangerman

    December 25, 2018 at 11:13 am

    @Kathleen:

    Or how much he’d like to date the seven year old.

    I think we should be fair and stipulate that Trump wouldn’t consider dating anyone until they are eligible for a Teen Beauty pageant.

  111. 111.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:14 am

    @jeffreyw: Ding ding ding.

  112. 112.

    Frankensteinbeck

    December 25, 2018 at 11:14 am

    @Kathleen:

    Beto has the nerve to be another white male who might run for President. That’s Bernie’s niche!

    So much worse. Beto is guilty of paying lots and lots of attention to racism and other issues of bigotry, when everything would be fine for white men if the rich were torn down.

  113. 113.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:15 am

    @Ken: Remember when Obama’s czars were controversial?

  114. 114.

    Frankensteinbeck

    December 25, 2018 at 11:15 am

    @The Dangerman:
    Yeah, evidence suggests Trump prefers them around fifteen.

  115. 115.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:17 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Yeah, I bet they have a lot of the same small donors in common. That may be the main thing driving this.

  116. 116.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 11:17 am

    @The Dangerman: What makes you so sure of that?

  117. 117.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:19 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Don’t you think Trump has earned the benefit of the doubt?

  118. 118.

    Burnspbesq

    December 25, 2018 at 11:21 am

    @schrodingers_cat:

    The Guardian is a lot like the WSJ; stay away from the opinion pages and you can find a lot of value there.

  119. 119.

    geg6

    December 25, 2018 at 11:22 am

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    This. But really, both.

  120. 120.

    Patricia Kayden

    December 25, 2018 at 11:22 am

    @Baud: Remember when President Obama being black and in the White House was controversial? I sure do.

    Now we have an orange President who couldn’t tell the truth if his life depended on it.

  121. 121.

    Mike in DC

    December 25, 2018 at 11:24 am

    It does get annoying contending with the notion that there are only two kinds of Democrats: neoliberals, and Democratic Socialists. Most rank and file Democrats, I suspect, are either moderate liberals, or social democrats(one notch to the right of democratic socialists). There was an impulse to cozy up to business and adopt watered down “moderate” Republican policy proposals in the 90s, but for the most part that movement is a spent force. The other thing that drives purity types nuts is the reality that all politics is local, and politicians are loathe, with good reason, to buck their local industries and local political constituencies for the sake of the “greater good”.

  122. 122.

    geg6

    December 25, 2018 at 11:27 am

    I just can’t with this shit. Between the Shitgibbon and my John watching Dr. Phil with a woman who claims to have been pregnant for 3 1/2 years, I just can’t.

    Good thing it’s time to shower, gather up everything that needs to go (about half is already in the car) and head over to my sister’s to help her prep for the 4:00 onslaught. Have a merry Christmas, jackals! ???

  123. 123.

    Burnspbesq

    December 25, 2018 at 11:27 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    should I expect to get the truss-rod adjustment tool in the box?

    Probably not, and in the 45 years I’ve owned my Guild D-35 i have left that job to the professionals.

  124. 124.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:28 am

    @Mike in DC: Agree completely.

  125. 125.

    debbie

    December 25, 2018 at 11:28 am

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    On the bright side, he’s stopped bitching about the size of the crowd at his Inauguration.

  126. 126.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:29 am

    @geg6: You too geg6.

  127. 127.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 11:30 am

    @Baud: You owe me a new keyboard.

  128. 128.

    WereBear

    December 25, 2018 at 11:30 am

    Merry Christmas to all my fellow jackals.

    Or whatever Winter Holiday you prefer. We do many of them…

  129. 129.

    Frankensteinbeck

    December 25, 2018 at 11:31 am

    @geg6:

    both.

    Yeah. And probably a few more reasons besides. The remaining Sandersites have their heads pretty damn far up their asses.

  130. 130.

    ArchTeryx

    December 25, 2018 at 11:32 am

    It’s a very mixed Christmas for me. On the other hand, I survived a suicide attempt two weeks ago (thank goodness). On the other, I’m with my closest friend in the real world and we’ve already had a wonderful Christmas dinner this weekend. I’m very glad to be alive, for my Flock, and the Orange Monkey isn’t going to change that.

  131. 131.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:32 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: OMG!!!! (Squeals!!!!!!)

  132. 132.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:32 am

    @jeffreyw: This.

  133. 133.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 11:34 am

    @ArchTeryx: Glad you’re still with us.

  134. 134.

    Baud

    December 25, 2018 at 11:35 am

    @WereBear: You too.

    @ArchTeryx: I missed the news about your struggles. I’m glad you made it through.

  135. 135.

    zhena gogolia

    December 25, 2018 at 11:36 am

    Jon Zal did a pretty good job with “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” It doesn’t entirely scan, but pretty good:

    https://twitter.com/OfficialJonZal/status/1077272801877331968

  136. 136.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    December 25, 2018 at 11:36 am

    @Kathleen: I think some of the Bernie stuff is stirred up by Russian actions. (I feel like a lunatic saying that, but the last two years have taught me that lunatic actions really do happen sometimes.)

  137. 137.

    Firebert

    December 25, 2018 at 11:36 am

    @Amir Khalid: Seems to be the costlier the instrument, the more likely there will be a truss rod wrench. I work for a high-end instrument company, and someone’s in trouble if we forget the wrench. With a lower-end instrument, they may not want a beginner to be tempted to try an adjustment.

  138. 138.

    Cheryl Rofer

    December 25, 2018 at 11:36 am

    "Are you still a believer in North Korea unilateral nuclear disarmament? Because at 72, it's marginal, right?"
    ? pic.twitter.com/u7FUIJ6TYO

    — Joseph Dempsey (@JosephHDempsey) December 25, 2018

  139. 139.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:37 am

    @Ken: Per Richard Painter on Twitter:

    We shouldn’t be surprised if we find out later that insiders in the circle of realDonaldTrump have been selling short for the whole month of December.Confusing signals from Washington send markets plunging <

  140. 140.

    cliosfanboy

    December 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

    @zhena gogolia: great! Thread.

  141. 141.

    Brachiator

    December 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

    @Ken:

    Now it’s a new “acting” secretary every month.

    And oddly enough, we have an “acting” president.

  142. 142.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

    @The Dangerman: So noted and I stand corrected. Even Trump has boundaries, which makes him Prezidentullll!

  143. 143.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    (I feel like a lunatic saying that,

    At this point, one would have to be stupid to not at least suspect the Russians are behind some of this shit.

  144. 144.

    Fair Economist

    December 25, 2018 at 11:42 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    I think some of the Bernie stuff is stirred up by Russian actions. (I feel like a lunatic saying that, but the last two years have taught me that lunatic actions really do happen sometimes.)

    That’s not remotely lunatic; that’s the probable interpretation. We already know, from court filings, that the Russians were supporting Sanders. And if there’s something that’s harmful to Democrats, where is it probably coming from, genuine Sanders supporters or Russian bots? Obviously the bots.

    There was a fair amount of voting support for Sanders coming from Republicans, also. Haven’t heard anything directly about their twitter activity, but I’m guessing they weren’t silent and like the Russian bots they’d obviously be posting in bad faith.

  145. 145.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:42 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: I think most of it is, frankly, and it would be irresponsible not to suspect Russian trolls at work. I think it’s glaringly obvious that the same old scripts are being trotted out.

  146. 146.

    Fair Economist

    December 25, 2018 at 11:43 am

    @ArchTeryx: I am also glad you are still alive. Merry Christmas and (many more) Happy New Years!

  147. 147.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:45 am

    @Frankensteinbeck: Oh, for the hastening of the bern down so we can welcome our rightful rulers, the white male socialist overlords! Which would make a good band name.

  148. 148.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 11:45 am

    Does this count as a Christmas carol?

  149. 149.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:47 am

    @Frankensteinbeck: Yes. Beto is betraying his race and gender! Which is why Bernie should be “First and Last White Man Standing”.

  150. 150.

    oldgold

    December 25, 2018 at 11:48 am

    Kim Jong Un, “Are you still a believer in North Korea unilateral nuclear disarmament? Because at 72, it’s marginal, right?”

  151. 151.

    The Dangerman

    December 25, 2018 at 11:48 am

    @Kathleen:

    ….selling short for the whole month of December.

    It almost a sure thing that someone in Trump’s orbit has been making bank in this whole shitshow. My bet is on Jr., with Jared a close second.

    I surely hope Nancy and Chuck are practicing their negotiation responses to the shutdown (seems to be a binary, alternating between “NFW” and “I have your Five Billion right here” (with appropriate pointing, of course)).

  152. 152.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:50 am

    @Patricia Kayden: There is a new script percolating that is seeking to trash Obama. Mainslime Media has to alternate between demonizing Obama and Clinton to make sure they demonstrate their disdain for both African American people and women.

  153. 153.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 11:51 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Oh, dear, I will never not have that image in my head now! And since Beto’s actually been in bands, and Bernie can only sing one note, it ought to be no contest! Curse you, Red Baron, for making me laugh so hard!//

  154. 154.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:52 am

    @ArchTeryx: I am glad to survived and are here. May you enjoy peace, good health and prosperity in the new year.

  155. 155.

    J R in WV

    December 25, 2018 at 11:53 am

    On a non-neo-liberal, non-political slant:

    Merry Christmas, Jackals~!!~

    Thanks for being there for all the other Jackals.

  156. 156.

    realbtl

    December 25, 2018 at 11:54 am

    @Amir Khalid: Echoing others you likely won’t need one. If you need one virtually all use either a hex key or a small socket. These shouldn’t be too hard to find.

  157. 157.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 11:54 am

    @Firebert:
    I don’t actually expect to do any truss-rod adjusting, but it’s always nice to have the tool available for my friend Mr Justin Case. With a Yamaha or Cort guitar, what kind of tool would I probably need, and what size?

  158. 158.

    Kathleen

    December 25, 2018 at 11:55 am

    @The Dangerman: Agreed. At least I have confidence that smart grown ups will be responding for a change.

  159. 159.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 11:56 am

    @realbtl:
    Thanks.

  160. 160.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 11:59 am

    @Baud: Are you sure, it might be Putin. Because the same anti-Hillary playbook is being used.

  161. 161.

    James E Powell

    December 25, 2018 at 12:06 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    A question for the jackal gitaristas: If I buy an acoustic guitar, should I expect to get the truss-rod adjustment tool in the box?

    When I bought new Taylors I got the tool, but I don’t know about other brands. That said, I’ve never adjusted the truss rod on either Taylor. I’ve always had techs do it because I’m afraid I’d screw it up.

  162. 162.

    Boussinesque

    December 25, 2018 at 12:07 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: I remember “Beto in the pocket of the oil industry” being a thing a while ago, but I thought it was just because of a willful misinterpretation of the campaign finance data—when they grouped contributions by industry, it includes everyone who tagged themselves as working in that industry, and there’s a world of difference between random employees supporting you and getting donations from oil and gas companies directly (especially in a place like Texas, where the oil and gas industries are major sources of employment for communities). Do you have any idea if this is just a rehash of that, or something new?

  163. 163.

    James E Powell

    December 25, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    The attacks on Beto seem well coordinated with an assist from the usual suspects at the Vichy Times and other MSM outlets. Its like they learned nothing from 2016.

    While it is true that every Republican is an asshole, not every asshole is a Republican.

  164. 164.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 12:15 pm

    @Boussinesque: It seems like a coordinated Twitter attack, bunch of handles trashing Beto with an almost identical argument. David Sirota’s Guardian op-ed three days ago, retweet by MAGA Habs of NYT and a long Twitter thread by Politico alum Jonathan Allan, this week. Coincidence? I think not.

  165. 165.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 12:15 pm

    @Boussinesque: His voting record in Congress is pretty supportive of the oil and gas industry. I know, absolutely shocking for a 3 term Texas Representative.

  166. 166.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 12:21 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly: It’s almost as if he had to support the industries that employ his constituents or something. Obviously, that makes him the prime candidate to inherit the mantle of World’s Greatest Monster from HRC.

  167. 167.

    Boussinesque

    December 25, 2018 at 12:24 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: Politico, Guardian, and MAGA Habs? Trifecta of bad-faith argumentation there. I think you’re right to suspect someone directing the twitter assault.

    @OzarkHillbilly: I’d be curious to look at the exact things he voted on, since there’s a difference between voting for subsidies or something and voting to gut all regulation on the oil industry EVAH, which is what it seems like we are being told to interpret it as by Our Progressive Betters. Also whether a protest vote against would’ve stopped any of them from passing, since why bother taking flak from a home-state interest when your vote won’t change anything in a particular case? I’ll have to look into this…

  168. 168.

    RedDirtGirl

    December 25, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    @ArchTeryx: So glad you are still around!!!

  169. 169.

    hedgehog mobile

    December 25, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    Merry Christmas/Festvus to the jackaltariat. Watching A Christmas Story and on my second glass of prosecco. Quiet day with me and the mr. Thank you all for keeping me sane. Fuck Fat Bastard.

  170. 170.

    hedgehog mobile

    December 25, 2018 at 12:30 pm

    @ArchTeryx: Glad you are here!

  171. 171.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    @hedgehog mobile: Merry Xmas to you and the mister, Hedgie! Right now reading a book on how good riders get good, realizing that I will need to embark on a physical/mental fitness regime, but not today – today is dog walkies and a bottle of Danish mead with D. Cheers!

  172. 172.

    Firebert

    December 25, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    @Amir Khalid: I’d have to dig in my toolbox to know for sure, but I think they’ll likely use a 6 mm hex-end wrench (allen wrench.)

  173. 173.

    The Thin Black Duke

    December 25, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    Thankfully, even though these ridiculous (and coordinated) attacks on Beto make me angry, I think they won’t pick up any meaningful traction in the long run. Bottom line, it wasn’t the berniebros that flipped all those seats in the House. And the people that did don’t give a damn what the NYT or the Guardian writes.

  174. 174.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    @Boussinesque: Here’s a tool at ProPublica:
    Head to Head: Compare Voting Records

    Compare Beto O’Rourke’s voting record to any other representative in the 115th Congress.

    I read this at Vox:
    Beto O’Rourke’s voting record is more conservative than the average Democrat’s
    It’s about what you’d expect from someone running a statewide campaign in Texas.
    .

  175. 175.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    @ArchTeryx: Thankful you survived and are still with us.

  176. 176.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 25, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    Judging by the reactions of the various wings of the R party (BS bros, MSM, National Review, and mouthing breathing right) Beto is the man to beat.

  177. 177.

    The Moar You Know

    December 25, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    A question for the jackal gitaristas: If I buy an acoustic guitar, should I expect to get the truss-rod adjustment tool in the box?

    @Amir Khalid: I have unboxed thousands of guitars, from the dirt cheap to the expensive, and every last one of them has had the tool that no beginner should ever be provided with, a truss rod Allen key. But hey, you learn by breaking stuff.

    The answer is “yes”, it should have one. If not, just cruise down to your local music store and ask for one. They likely have a pile of them.

  178. 178.

    r€nato

    December 25, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    the one time he tells the truth about something…

  179. 179.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 25, 2018 at 12:48 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: He certainly scares them the most.

  180. 180.

    James E Powell

    December 25, 2018 at 12:48 pm

    @Miss Bianca:

    Obviously, that makes him the prime candidate to inherit the mantle of World’s Greatest Monster from HRC.

    No doubt we will soon hear demands for the transcripts of speeches he gave to every industry luncheon.

  181. 181.

    The Moar You Know

    December 25, 2018 at 12:50 pm

    I’d have to dig in my toolbox to know for sure, but I think they’ll likely use a 6 mm hex-end wrench (allen wrench.)

    @Firebert: 4mm. The real old Asian instruments used 5mm, but anything from the last 15 years will be 4mm.

  182. 182.

    Boussinesque

    December 25, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly: thanks, Ozark! I’ll have to check it out once the morning unwrappings are finished.

  183. 183.

    Amir Khalid

    December 25, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    @The Moar You Know:
    I bought my Squiers online, and they were both shipped to me bubble-wrapped, in a box, with both hex keys (for the truss rod and the saddles). I bought the Epi Les Paul in a shop run by a music retail chain. They had thrown away the box when they put the guitar on display, and I had to bring my own gigbag so I could bring Sister home. I also had to go back and ask for a truss-rod hex key.

  184. 184.

    HeleninEire

    December 25, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    Happy Christmas from across the pond. Just got back from my Christmas lunch at the Westin Hotel. As always it was fabulous. I’m about to go into a food coma.

  185. 185.

    FlipYrWhig

    December 25, 2018 at 1:14 pm

    Re: Sanders vs. O’Rourke, it’s fun to watch poseur podcast-bro lefties try to reconcile “we must reconnect with labor and the proud honest men of the white working class!” and “resource extraction is raping the planet!”

  186. 186.

    dopey-o

    December 25, 2018 at 1:15 pm

    @Amir Khalid: giving the neck-adjustment wrench to a guitarist is the best way to transform a $300 instrument into junk. Take it to the music store and pay $25. You’ll thank me later.

  187. 187.

    BroD

    December 25, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    WaPo: “Trump’s White House tried to calm markets. It backfired.”

    This is scary. Not only is he irrational, he’s totally incompetent.

  188. 188.

    p.a.

    December 25, 2018 at 1:20 pm

    First time in decades Trump tells the truth, and it has to be to a kid about Santa. Cheesh…

  189. 189.

    p.a.

    December 25, 2018 at 1:24 pm

    @FlipYrWhig: Yep. Their focus is on the Wwc, not the working class, which is very much a multiracial, multi ethnic stew.

  190. 190.

    hedgehog mobile

    December 25, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    @Miss Bianca: To you as well! Cheers!

  191. 191.

    Bill Arnold

    December 25, 2018 at 1:40 pm

    @BroD:

    WaPo: “Trump’s White House tried to calm markets. It backfired.”
    This is scary. Not only is he irrational, he’s totally incompetent.

    Or, it was deliberate. Do not reject that possibility. (It beats starting a war, especially a nuclear war.)

  192. 192.

    rikyrah

    December 25, 2018 at 1:44 pm

    @ArchTeryx:
    I am glad that you are here. Hope that you are getting help. Sending you positive thoughts.

  193. 193.

    p.a.

    December 25, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    @ArchTeryx: Use every resource available. Don’t make choices that can’t be undone!

  194. 194.

    TomatoQueen

    December 25, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    That payment arrangements guff for furloughed feds consists of a form letter from OPM which says nothing much beyond please be nice to this federal employee if you would please and has absolutely no significance, power, legal meaning, or with my landlord in any case effect. Rent is still due. Daycare is payable in advance. Maybe you can get food from a food bank but you don’t qualify for any type of means-tested public assistance. Some feds maybe will qualify for UC but there is a two week lag to receive benefits and it will not be a full paycheck’s worth; excepted service employees are not available for other jobs so don’t qualify for UC and must turn up daily for work without compensation. This is to say nothing of all the maintenance crews of various types who have federal contract jobs but no work if the gov’t is shut down. So you can take your payment arrangements and call them marginal.

  195. 195.

    MomSense

    December 25, 2018 at 2:14 pm

    @ArchTeryx:

    Hey you. I am so grateful you survived. I think of you often and worry about you when I don’t see you here. I know that you struggle and I also know that there are people like me who care about you. What can I do to help?

    My email is Maine coast made at the gmail dot com. I will give you my number. You can text me in the middle of the night – whenever. Sending you a big hug.

  196. 196.

    MomSense

    December 25, 2018 at 2:17 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    My kid says no.

  197. 197.

    frosty

    December 25, 2018 at 2:22 pm

    @Amir Khalid: Yes, but it’s usually just an allen wrench. I’ve got one that the Ikea tool fits. The website might tell you the right size.

  198. 198.

    frosty

    December 25, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    @Amir Khalid: @Amir Khalid: Yes, but it’s usually just an allen wrench. I’ve got one that the Ikea tool fits. The website might tell you the right size.
    ETA Sorry for the repeat, got moderated because of clumsy thumbs.

  199. 199.

    Ruckus

    December 25, 2018 at 3:20 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:
    They learned what they wanted to learn. Nothing more.

  200. 200.

    Miss Bianca

    December 25, 2018 at 3:20 pm

    @FlipYrWhig: ok, I am laughing way too hard at this, I must be an even more awful person than I thought!

  201. 201.

    Ruckus

    December 25, 2018 at 3:39 pm

    @ArchTeryx:
    Glad you are here.
    Enjoy your day.
    And please stay.

  202. 202.

    Ruckus

    December 25, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    @Amir Khalid:
    May I suggest for your guitar tools and information, Stewart McDonald or Stew Mac as they call themselves.
    Tools for building, tools for repair, Y Tubes on how and how not. Very informative.

  203. 203.

    Dan B

    December 25, 2018 at 4:21 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly: Thanks for the info about Beto’s voting record. (I was going to say record and not say voting record but was afraid I’d have folks looking for cd’s of his band.)
    There are several votes that concern me. From my memory, he voted for a bill that would reduce liability for oil spills in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The details matter. Was it certain to pass so a yes vote would be a no brainer for a Texas rep.? He reportedly believes in global warming so this vote would be odd. Then again a conservative Dem might be the best choice for getting policy passed that would not scare the oiligarchs. We need to nudge the feds far enough to allow States to move the needle and slow enough that the average voter doesn’t feel afraid for their pocketbook. WA state tried to pass a gas tax but lost because people were persuaded that it would cost a lot.
    Anyway, it would be helpful to know the details of Beto’s “conservatism”.

  204. 204.

    AnotherBruce

    December 25, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    @Miss Bianca: The left in this country are worse than useless, They keep insisting that the Democratic primary was rigged in 2016. And they are also upset that if Sanders wants to run, he has to register as a Democrat. They are delusional.

  205. 205.

    Barbara

    December 25, 2018 at 4:54 pm

    @ArchTeryx: I am glad you are alive as well. Please be kind to yourself.

  206. 206.

    Leto

    December 25, 2018 at 5:02 pm

    @ArchTeryx: I’m glad you’re still here with us. We need every Jackal right now, even if it’s for just groan worthy puns. Hope everyone is having a good holiday and that we can keep it going into the new year. Happy holidays everyone :)

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