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It’s the corruption, stupid.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

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“woke” is the new caravan.

Come on, man.

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Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

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You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Open Thread: Americans in General Not As Dumb As Trump Supporters

Open Thread: Americans in General Not As Dumb As Trump Supporters

by Anne Laurie|  December 27, 20189:38 pm| 126 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Dolt 45, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Trump Crime Cartel, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

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More Americans blame Trump for government shutdown: Reuters/Ipsos poll https://t.co/HaRIBOAI4p

— Bruce Stokes (@bruceestokes) December 27, 2018

… Forty-seven percent of adults hold Trump responsible, while 33 percent blame Democrats in Congress, according to the Dec. 21-25 poll, conducted mostly after the shutdown began. Seven percent of Americans blamed congressional Republicans.

The shutdown was triggered by Trump’s demand, largely opposed by Democrats and some lawmakers from his own Republican Party, that taxpayers provide him with $5 billion to help pay for a wall that he wants to build along the U.S.-Mexico border. Its total estimated cost is $23 billion.

Just 35 percent of those surveyed in the opinion poll said they backed including money for the wall in a congressional spending bill. Only 25 percent said they supported Trump shutting down the government over the matter…

Democratic Representative Jim McGovern tried to interrupt the brief Republican-run session in the House of Representatives by offering a measure to reopen shuttered government agencies and keep them running through Feb. 8. But he was ignored and his microphone was soon cut off. The House session lasted less than three minutes.

“That was a legitimate request and I should have been recognized,” McGovern told reporters later. “They wouldn’t even recognize me. This is the way they’ve been running this place.” …

Heck, even some Trump supporters aren’t as dumb as the Media Village Idiots still hyping the Oval Office Occupant…

When your approval is at 38% and yet only 33% back you on the shutdown, you’re losing. https://t.co/EoqWkC7uqr

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) December 28, 2018

Growing convinced that Trump’s shutdown strategy is to tweet so frequently that the rest of America badgers Congress into acquiescing so he’ll shut the hell up.

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) December 27, 2018

Meanwhile, Area Man who murdered parents demands clemency for being an orphan:

Trump's lawyers are using the government shutdown to ask for a delay in a court case over claims that he is illegally profiting from business his Washington hotel does with foreign countrieshttps://t.co/MRsxzA27g1

— POLITICO (@politico) December 27, 2018

And, of course…

We all knew Trump was gonna grab onto that wall-themed fundraising grift, right? https://t.co/X6EkJbTqM3

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) December 28, 2018

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Reader Interactions

126Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    The media will put a lot of pressure on Dems to cave in January. We need to have their backs.

  2. 2.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    December 27, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    My California driver’s license expires today (happy birthday to me, whoop-de-do). I have an appointment tomorrow morning at the DMV to finally get the ridiculous REAL ID, since I can no longer avoid getting a new license anyway. I collected all of the documentation required and am taking a few hours off work – and it looks like the Feds have pulled a bait-and-switch on California. I and a few million other people will have to do it all over again in a few years. I’m sure our votes in the presidential election had nothing to do with this – it’s all about “security.” I feel so much safer now.

    ETA: Fuckers.

  3. 3.

    dmsilev

    December 27, 2018 at 9:43 pm

    A Wall member? So he’s proposing to brick up his supporters or use them as rebar?

    Be right back, I’m off to make donations to Trump on behalf of certain other people. I’ve got a little list, they’ll be none of them be missed. And then, of course, I’ll reverse the credit card charges.

  4. 4.

    cain

    December 27, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    @Baud:
    No, we need to make sure that htey are very very afraid of us. Which means we call them and make threats. Then call the media and tell them that we are threatening Dem legislators and they should turn their spot light on us.

    They seem very enthusiastic about interviewing heartland trump supporters. Let them interview us for a change. Get Dems to say on TV that we are threatening them and they can’t make a deal. Keep repeating it. It is a really simple messaging and puts them off the hook. “Sorry guys, my base are threatening me, can’t negotiate a thing, you should ask them why!)

    For too fucking long, the media ignores us because apparently we don’t have great stories or something.

  5. 5.

    Yutsano

    December 27, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    @dmsilev: Use their cards. Can’t collect from a dead brick.

  6. 6.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 9:54 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Just bring two things with your name and address on them, that’s the dispute between the feds and the state. Yes, the feds are screwing with California on this.

  7. 7.

    rikyrah

    December 27, 2018 at 9:55 pm

    Crook ??

    Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) Tweeted:
    Reason obtained consumer complaints filed against the patent firm Matt Whitaker sat on the advisory board of:
    “My husband, who is a retired veteran, allowed me to use our savings. My fear … they have taken my money and never intended to file the patent.”

    https://t.co/IQWCz9bhfm https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1078369959191998464?s=17

  8. 8.

    danielx

    December 27, 2018 at 9:55 pm

    We all knew Trump was gonna grab onto that wall-themed fundraising grift, right? https://t.co/X6EkJbTqM3

    — The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) December 28, 2018

    And why not? It’s contributions for something he wants, ergo it’s his money – or so I would guess his thinking goes.

  9. 9.

    cain

    December 27, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    There is a blue light over Manhattan video at – https://twitter.com/socialdiva/status/1078474821590306816

    ETA – apparently a transformer – https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1078481086458593282

  10. 10.

    Mnemosyne

    December 27, 2018 at 9:58 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:

    I would bring a second address verification with you tomorrow — your car registration is one of the acceptable ones if that’s not the one you already planned to bring. I have an appointment to get my Real ID in February and that’s what I’m going to do.

  11. 11.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 9:58 pm

    Happy b’day. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCKXE0EBKyo&quot;Sweet wishes.

  12. 12.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 9:59 pm

    @cain: The media ignores us because we’re like their neighbors.

  13. 13.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    @NotMax:

    <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCKXE0EBKyo"Sweet wishes.

    Guess the new keyboard isn’t helping as much as you thought

  14. 14.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    @cain: Doesn’t work, especially when they are already doing the right thing and we want them to continue doing it.

  15. 15.

    Cheryl Rofer

    December 27, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    @cain:

    ADVISORY: The lights you have seen throughout the city appear to have been from a transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens. The fire is under control, will update as more info becomes available. Follow @fdny, @NYPD114pct and @conedison. pic.twitter.com/fdzQKs1wVV

    — NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 28, 2018

  16. 16.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    December 27, 2018 at 10:01 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Happy Birthday to you!

  17. 17.

    cain

    December 27, 2018 at 10:02 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer:
    Funnily enough I edited my comment because I saw your retweet on twitter. :D

  18. 18.

    Gin & Tonic

    December 27, 2018 at 10:02 pm

    If you have a valid US Passport you don’t need a “Real ID.”

  19. 19.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 10:03 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Well, if you want to carry your passport everywhere, I guess that could work.

    ETA: Most folk don’t have a passport(valid or not).

  20. 20.

    cain

    December 27, 2018 at 10:04 pm

    @Baud:

    @cain: Doesn’t work, especially when they are already doing the right thing and we want them to continue doing it.

    Sure, but I know some of them could use the shot in the arm. But if we encouraged them to tell the press (eg camera hungry ones like Kamala) that would make them focus on us. It’s important that legislator create some drama around Dem voters.

  21. 21.

    cain

    December 27, 2018 at 10:04 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    @cain: The media ignores us because we’re like their neighbors.

    Meh.. that’s so nutty. I just find the whole thing kinda nuts.

  22. 22.

    Cheryl Rofer

    December 27, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    @cain: I try to get stuff like that out as quickly as I can to damp down rumors. That was a pretty scary light show, partly because the cloud cover reflected it.

  23. 23.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    @cain: Why? Drama only helps Trump.

  24. 24.

    TS (the original)

    December 27, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    Blame for shutdown
    47% trump
    33% dems
    7% republicans

    I blame republicans more than trump. They HAD an agreement and then the house GOP decided to fall on their hands in front of the moron. Why do the GOP ALWAYS escape blame for the government stuff ups they create? people still believe the myth that republicans can govern!!!

  25. 25.

    randy khan

    December 27, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    @Baud:

    One of the reasons I think the Dems need to schedule a quick vote on the clean continuing resolution or the clean CR plus disaster relief funding is to put the ball squarely in the Republicans’ court. Make it harder for the media to blame the Dems.

  26. 26.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    @TS (the original): Agree.

  27. 27.

    James E Powell

    December 27, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    @Baud:

    The media will put a lot of pressure on Dems to cave in January. We need to have their backs.

    More than that, we need to let them know by our calls & letters that we expect them to hold the line.

  28. 28.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:07 pm

    @randy khan: Agree. I think it’ll be done on day 1.

  29. 29.

    SFAW

    December 27, 2018 at 10:07 pm

    What’s kind of fucked up is that almost five times as many people (33 percent) blame Dems as blame Rethugs (seven percent) for the shutdown.

    FTFTFNYT and the rest, because without their active Quislingness (Quislingitude?), the public would be informed enough to flip those numbers.

    Cyril Kornbluth is rolling over in his grave.

  30. 30.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:08 pm

    @James E Powell: I don’t see any need to make it negative.

  31. 31.

    Ruckus

    December 27, 2018 at 10:09 pm

    @cain:
    Most of us make sense. And we have enough differences that you actually have to talk and discuss issues with us. RWNJs just spout the same BS, as if in a chorus. Sure they sound (and are) nuts, but it’s always an easy and fast story to throw together. Bing, bang, stupid – and the article is written.

  32. 32.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:10 pm

    @SFAW: If people could only choose between Trump and the Republicans, I can understand why most chose Trump.

  33. 33.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 10:10 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA

    It didn’t come with a new set of eyes, sad to say.

    ;)

    Butchered link above works, though.

  34. 34.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 10:12 pm

    @SFAW

    Quislinguistics.

  35. 35.

    Creigh Gordon

    December 27, 2018 at 10:13 pm

    People who hate government like the Republicans do won’t feel bad about shutting down the government. They just blame Democrats because they always blame Democrats.

  36. 36.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 10:13 pm

    @NotMax:

    It didn’t come with a new set of eyes, sad to say.

    Next Christmas…

  37. 37.

    hells littlest angel

    December 27, 2018 at 10:13 pm

    BECOME AN OFFICIAL WALL MEMBER

    If you’re in a con game, and you don’t know who Mexico is, you’re Mexico.

  38. 38.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:14 pm

    @hells littlest angel: Heh. Mexico is really just a state of mind.

  39. 39.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 10:15 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA

    Gosharootie, only 363 shopping days left. Had better get my act together…

  40. 40.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 27, 2018 at 10:15 pm

    @Baud: The carrot is tastier, b/c the alternative is the stick. I’ll certainly be calling every Dem rep to whom I donated, to remind them why I donated, and what I expect them to do. And of course, I’ll call my own Rep (Nancy SMASH!) to thank her for doing a great job *grin*.

  41. 41.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    I’m off to Best Buy(and Costco) to see if they’ll match Costco’s sale price on a Galaxy Watch. Wish me luck.

  42. 42.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    @Chetan Murthy: The problem is that people become addicted to the stick and ignore the carrot.

  43. 43.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Good luck.

  44. 44.

    A Ghost To Most

    December 27, 2018 at 10:21 pm

    We’re gonna need a long wall to put all these MFers up against.

  45. 45.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 10:23 pm

    @Baud: The media’s or the Dems?//

  46. 46.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 27, 2018 at 10:24 pm

    O/T: Any NYC, especially Queens-area, jackals around? Did you hear the ConEd explosion and see the sky turn blue? Hope everyone is safe.

  47. 47.

    Baud

    December 27, 2018 at 10:25 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Based on this thread, definitely not the Dems.

  48. 48.

    HumboldtBlue

    December 27, 2018 at 10:28 pm

    Some 40,000 Coast Guard Personnel won’t get paid on Dec. 31st.

    The work the Coast Guard does is uniquely important to this country and the Coasties are genuine badasses.

    But at least they can get interest-free loans to cover their paychecks while the GOP burns the entire fucking thing down.

  49. 49.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 10:29 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA

    Humbling in a way to realize it hasn’t yet been 100 years since it was proved there existed such things as other galaxies.

  50. 50.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 10:30 pm

    @cain: @Cheryl Rofer:

  51. 51.

    Yutsano

    December 27, 2018 at 10:31 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Merry Womb Eviction Day!

  52. 52.

    Gin & Tonic

    December 27, 2018 at 10:32 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: What do you need a Real ID for, that a plain old driver’s license won’t do? Other than entering the US from abroad?

  53. 53.

    Anne Laurie

    December 27, 2018 at 10:35 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer: Not in the same class, but one of the weirder things I’ve witnessed came in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, when a mounted transformer some 20 yards from our front door blew up during the storm. Flames rising (another) ten feet in the air, while firemen in a cherrypicker tried to get their suppressing foam pumping hard enough to reach through the pouring rain. And, of course, we had a great view, because it was well after dark & the only illumination was from the floodlights mounted on the electric company’s vehicles…

  54. 54.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 10:36 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: If they won’t, Target will.

  55. 55.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 10:36 pm

    @cain

    Attention Kmart shoppers.

  56. 56.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 10:38 pm

    @Gin & Tonic

    Diver’s licenses without it gonna be increasingly unaccepted as valid form of ID.

  57. 57.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 27, 2018 at 10:46 pm

    @cain:

    Sorry, hadn’t yet scrolled through the thread and hadn’t seen your comment/video when I posted my @SiubhanDuinne.

  58. 58.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 27, 2018 at 10:48 pm

    “The Democrats have made it clear they care more about political games than the safety of American citizens”

    Always projection with this vile asshole. Always.

  59. 59.

    rikyrah

    December 27, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    @Baud:
    We will have their backs

  60. 60.

    Frankensteinbeck

    December 27, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    @Baud:

    The media will put a lot of pressure on Dems to cave in January.

    Nancy gives no fucks, thank goodness.

    @danielx:

    It’s contributions for something he wants, ergo it’s his money – or so I would guess his thinking goes.

    Sounds accurate to me. That’s how those justifications usually work, and he has a long history of raiding piggy banks like that.

  61. 61.

    patrick II

    December 27, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Commercial air travel

  62. 62.

    Lyrebird

    December 27, 2018 at 10:50 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: in the northeast you need separate proofs of every single bleeping thing. So proof of birth date can’t serve as proof of identity, proof of residence can’t either, ugh.

    I don’t know if it would help, but the New York State DMV has a handy interactive tool where you check off what you plan to bring (passport, ss card, etc) and it makes a little list for you to carry along and remember all of it.

  63. 63.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 10:52 pm

    Great googley-moogley!

    Here's the whole filing. Spoiler: It doesn't give away whose nude selfie Mueller now possesses, or how he obtained it. -> https://t.co/F7JkxqE3XT

    — Brad Heath (@bradheath) December 27, 2018

  64. 64.

    Gin & Tonic

    December 27, 2018 at 10:52 pm

    @patrick II: I use my Global Entry card for that. (Yes, I know, not everybody has a Global Entry card.)

  65. 65.

    B.B.A.

    December 27, 2018 at 10:55 pm

    Real ID was a Bush-era law that everyone hated at the time, and for the entire Obama administration states dragged their feet and DHS kept extending the deadline.

    The current occupying power is as inattentive as they are malevolent. DHS stopped doing the annual recertification that we weren’t ready for Real ID yet, so now it’s actually going into effect.

  66. 66.

    debbie

    December 27, 2018 at 10:55 pm

    I’m watching Star Trek Deep Space Nine, the episode where they get transported to San Francisco in the year 2024. Sanctuary cities, brown shirts, bullies. Kinda scary how close we are to this “fantasy.”

  67. 67.

    J R in WV

    December 27, 2018 at 10:56 pm

    That color of blue can only be coming from high voltage and very high current passing through a major installation. Quite a glow, like the Invasion of The Master Aliens From Mexico!

  68. 68.

    Cheryl Rofer

    December 27, 2018 at 10:58 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    dear God please tell us what we have done to deserve this I promise I will repent for the rest of my life but for the love of all that is holy do not release a nude selfie of *anyone* involved in the Trump campaign or make me comment about it on TV thank you amen ??? https://t.co/8e8ZLz5W2U

    — Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) December 27, 2018

  69. 69.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 10:59 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer: I second that!

  70. 70.

    cain

    December 27, 2018 at 11:01 pm

    @NotMax:

    Attention Kmart shoppers.

    Hah, I tweeted out the same thing with hashtag “IamOLD” :-)

  71. 71.

    Yutsano

    December 27, 2018 at 11:02 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer: @Adam L Silverman: Nope. Nope. Nopenopenopenopenopenopenopenope.

    In other words, HELL TO THE NAW!!!

  72. 72.

    SFAW

    December 27, 2018 at 11:05 pm

    @Baud:

    If people could only choose between Trump and the Republicans, I can understand why most chose Trump.

    Except it was a choice of three: Lying Littledick, and the two parties.

  73. 73.

    Yarrow

    December 27, 2018 at 11:08 pm

    @Yutsano: Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s Ivanka.

  74. 74.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 11:11 pm

    @Yarrow: Judge Jeanine. Or Rudy.

    Also: EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

  75. 75.

    Lyrebird

    December 27, 2018 at 11:12 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Always projection with this vile asshole. Always.

    Agreed. Maybe because he doesn’t care about of believe in the humanity of anyone not looking back at him from his own mirror. Not that I care about “why” in this case, I just want him indicted and preferably in prison. But I would settle for just having him resign and watch the tax fraud cases take away all his family’s ill-gotten gains.

    I was too late to contribute to the Sherrod Brown thread below, but one thing I don’t like about the “but he could beat T” argument is that it sounds so defeatist. Or blindly optimistic. If T is still in office and running for reelection in 2020, there will be so much more wrong than there is even now, things so chaotically wrong that whatever “electability” predictions people make now will probably need to be scrapped.

    I never got behind the “but it’s her turn” kind of pro-HRC argument, because she was a dem fine candidate who won the popular vote including lower-income voters tyvm. On the other hand, enough with the “but electability…” every time someone who is not white and male comes up.

    Comments aren’t syncing right on my browser, but I will see if this will post anyhow.

  76. 76.

    Raoul

    December 27, 2018 at 11:12 pm

    What I’ve been seeing, which I hope is what happens: as soon as the House is back in session Jan 3, as the 116th Congress, they’ll pass the bill that sailed through the Senate. Procedurally, I guess the Senate has to pass it again, but there should be hell to pay if what passed 100-0 doesn’t pass damn similarly (not that many seats turned over, and Mitch still won’t have his 60 to move something else).

    But Trump ain’t got sh*t in January. Being shut down these extra days to acknowledge reality is dumb. But everything Trump (and everything GOP) is dumb these days.

    If the Dems can’t run this play, then we should all just stand in an Astoria transformer farm and wait to be vaporized.

  77. 77.

    poleaxedbyboatwork

    December 27, 2018 at 11:13 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Brad Heath

    ✔@bradheath

    Here’s the whole filing. Spoiler: It doesn’t give away whose nude selfie Mueller now possesses, or how he obtained it. -> https://twitter.com/big_cases/status/1078393632690982912 …

    God help us all from the ghastly sprout of Individual-1’s Wall Member.

  78. 78.

    West of the Rockies

    December 27, 2018 at 11:15 pm

    @cain:

    Anger and emotion sells. There was a mother who lost a child to gun violence being interviewed on TV a while back. Her outrage was visceral, palpable, and compelling. She wanted something done about guns NOW. We need more of that.

    Republicans are all about rage, so the media pays attention.

    No, we shouldn’t abandon reason and evidence-based logic, but getting a bit angry might help.

  79. 79.

    Jay

    December 27, 2018 at 11:16 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Nope, it was part of the evidence seized from Concord Management, so it’s a Russian of some kind.

  80. 80.

    Marcopolo

    December 27, 2018 at 11:17 pm

    Apparently Elizabeth Wurtzel, the author of Prozac Nation, just discovered at age 50 that the man who she’s believed was her father for her entire life was not. She wrote a powerful piece about this discovery which I recommend folks read, if only because of her amazing writing & imagery. The kicker is it was her dysfunctional relationship with her now not-father and trying to figure it out that led to her writing career. Life is fucking weird much of the time.

    Life is just a shock to the system.

    It turns out that the man I have spent 50 years believing to be my father is not my father.

    My mother lied to me about who my father is. My father is Bob Adelman, the photographer, who most famously caught Martin Luther King Jr. in profile having a dream on the Lincoln Memorial. You know the shot. You know many of Bob’s pictures. When they say something is iconic, they just mean everyone knows it. Bob was early for history.

    Have a great weekend everyone.

  81. 81.

    poleaxedbyboatwork

    December 27, 2018 at 11:17 pm

    @SFAW:
    Ranked-choice polling prolly woulda been both damning and instructive, therefore not pursued.

  82. 82.

    Raoul

    December 27, 2018 at 11:18 pm

    @Gin & Tonic:

    If you have a valid US Passport you don’t need a “Real ID.”

    While this is correct, I personally don’t want to take my passport with me on domestic trips. I don’t do too badly on keeping track of things (except nightlights — those get left in hotel bathrooms too often. Pesky things turn off when the lights are on, we we forget to pack ’em!). Me, I’d hate to have to spend the time and money on a replacement passport because I didn’t get a $30 Real ID.

  83. 83.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    December 27, 2018 at 11:18 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Copy here on the birthday today so Happy Birthday to a fellow person born on this day under the astrological sign of Gus Goat.

    :)

  84. 84.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 27, 2018 at 11:21 pm

    @SFAW: Uh, wha? I don’t understand. When it came down to the general, it was Littledick(GrOPer) or Hillary (Dem). In the GrOPer primary, it was Littledick against a field of GrOPers, and absolutely that was a binary choice.

    But in the general? It was a binary choice. I mean, uh, Duverger’s Law, eh?

  85. 85.

    plato

    December 27, 2018 at 11:21 pm

    The totus turd touch at work again.

    The political paraphernalia on display, which Mr. Trump appeared to encourage during his speech by referencing the caps he had signed, has raised questions at the Defense Department about violations of military protocol by the troops who greeted him. One woman in uniform at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, for instance, welcomed Mr. Trump with a “Make America Great Again” flag, according to a photograph posted on Twitter by a Bloomberg News reporter who accompanied Mr. Trump on the trip.

    A directive from the department prohibits active-duty personnel from engaging in “partisan political activities” and advises that “all military personnel should avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign or cause.” Defense Department and Army regulations also prohibit military personnel from showing any political leanings while in uniform, Mr. Hertling said.

    An official said the department was aware of the situation and “trying to figure it out” by tracking down photographs of troops holding red caps and campaign flags, and piecing together where the campaign paraphernalia came from.

  86. 86.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    December 27, 2018 at 11:22 pm

    Seb Gorka.

  87. 87.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 27, 2018 at 11:22 pm

    @Raoul: There’s also a “passport card” which IIUC is valid for re-entry to the US, domestic air travel, but not accepted by other countries. You can get that in addition to your regular passport.

  88. 88.

    Yarrow

    December 27, 2018 at 11:22 pm

    @Jay: You have no proof “it’s a Russian of some kind.” Your speculation is just that, like everyone else’s. Selfies can be sent anywhere to anyone.

    Grossest speculation I’ve seen about it: Roger Stone. Ewwwwwwwwwww!

  89. 89.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 11:23 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: You can either fit his head or his body in the selfie. You can’t fit both in.

  90. 90.

    FlyingToaster

    December 27, 2018 at 11:24 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: You don’t need to carry your passport everywhere.

    RealID is there so that people who don’t have passports or Global Entry cards can get onto commercial planes and enter federal buildings. The only people who will ask for RealID are federal employees.

    @NotMax: Nope. Nobody will care but the Feds. At the Mass RMV website, they have a Q&A that notes that if you have a passport, you don’t need a RealID.

  91. 91.

    Mike in NC

    December 27, 2018 at 11:26 pm

    Never provide a penny to build Fat Bastard’s trophy wall.

  92. 92.

    MobiusKlein

    December 27, 2018 at 11:28 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: How about this hypothesis:
    Somebody got a hold of Anthony Weiner’s outgoing feed, and was using it as blackmail / bait / etc, and it was found on some person’s device, like Roger Stone’s.

  93. 93.

    PaulWartenberg

    December 27, 2018 at 11:28 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Superhero Origin! Calling it!

  94. 94.

    Jay

    December 27, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Concord Management’s role is as the “bank” for the IRI, not part of the Trump/Russia cooperation team or the Emailz/Hack/Wikileaks crap.

    Because of that, it’s highly unlikely to be anyone from Trumpistan.

    But speculate away,

    Just remember, repeated applications of brain bleach damages the fibers.

  95. 95.

    Jackie

    December 27, 2018 at 11:31 pm

    @poleaxedbyboatwork: @Raoul: In Washington state it’s $78. Not cheap. If I want to fly across the country, it’s required.

  96. 96.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 11:32 pm

    @MobiusKlein: The issue isn’t whether this is possible, it is whether it is plausible and/or probable. We just don’t know at this point.

  97. 97.

    PaulWartenberg

    December 27, 2018 at 11:35 pm

    @MobiusKlein:

    the people arguing against its exposure make it seem like it’s someone within the Republican or trump ranks.

  98. 98.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 11:37 pm

    @Flying Toaster

    Mandatory to have if don’t happen to be carrying a passport in order to enter any federal building beginning October 2020.

    The Department of Homeland Security has mandated that all driver’s licenses used as identification to board flights and enter all Federal buildings must bear the gold star by October 1, 2020. Passports can be used as alternate identification to board flights. Source

    Won’t be long until mission creep sets in and some states follow suit.

  99. 99.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 11:43 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Board a domestic flight, enter a federal building, or enter a military base.

    ETA: Thanks for the wishes of luck, Costco apparently has a different model number and Best Buy(spits) won’t price match. No Galaxy Watch for me today, I’m pissed.

  100. 100.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 11:43 pm

    @Odie Hugh Manatee

    Loyal and true blue Odie birthday wishes..

  101. 101.

    FlyingToaster

    December 27, 2018 at 11:43 pm

    @NotMax: Unlikely that states will require their own residents to have RealID. It *might* be an issue if you’re coming from another state. But probably not for normal stuff (renting cars, municipal or college parking permits, etc.).

    Hereabouts some bars/liquor stores don’t accept out-of-state IDs (due to lack of competency with detecting fakes); they might be forced to accept RealIDs. First-World College-Town problem, I guess.

  102. 102.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    @FlyingToaster: Hmmm, if you’re a POC that might be an immigrant, best to carry a passport card or a Real ID. Madame and the kid carry both.

  103. 103.

    Steeplejack

    December 27, 2018 at 11:45 pm

    @Chetan Murthy:

    They’re not talking about the election; they’re talking about who’s being blamed for the shutdown, per the main post.

  104. 104.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 11:51 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Target will match the price!

  105. 105.

    Chetan Murthy

    December 27, 2018 at 11:52 pm

    @Steeplejack: O.I.C. But isn’t it obvious that the Dems are responsible? After all, only Dems have agency. [Murc’s Law]

    One of the reasons I’m glad Nancy SMASH is in charge, is that we at least have a -chance- of pinning the blame for this on Shitler. I’m quite convinced that if Schumer were one in charge, we’d have *already* surrendered.

  106. 106.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 11:53 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: I don’t have a gift card for Target.

  107. 107.

    FlyingToaster

    December 27, 2018 at 11:54 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: And that’s the kicker that I didn’t think of.

    Although I’m pretty damn white for a mud-person, and HerrDoktor and WarriorGirl are nearly glow-in-the-dark white; the rest of my family (people married to or descended from my sibs) are anything but. And I know BIL carries his passport when in-country (he lives and teaches in “the other Cambridge”), and still gets given shit at ports-of-entry.

    We live within 100 miles of a “Border”, i.e., 11 miles from Boston Harbor or the Atlantic Ocean, so CPB wanders around here like Gestapo-wannabes. So yeah, if you’re not lily-white or nearly so, it might be worthwhile to buy one of these damn things. GRRRRRRR.

  108. 108.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 11:55 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: If I had a gift card at Costco, I’d gotten it last night. The kid gave me a Best Buy gift card, so I’m stuck with those assholes.

    (Remind kid not to give me a Best Buy gift card, Amazon or Costco’s fine.)

  109. 109.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 27, 2018 at 11:56 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Sorry bout that.

  110. 110.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 27, 2018 at 11:57 pm

    @FlyingToaster: I think of that because Madame is an immigrant(Korea) and the kid is Korean even with the blonde hair(both Madame and her ex were born in Korea).

  111. 111.

    NotMax

    December 27, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    @Flying Toaster

    Mandatory in Hawaii for interstate or inter-island intrastate travel.

    I’m long done with foreign travel so no longer have a passport.

  112. 112.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 28, 2018 at 12:03 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Can you take the gift card to a grocery store that sells those things and exchange it for one at CostCo? Or Amazon? I know that in Florida that Publix grocery stores will exchange them, as long as they’re for same value and, of course, haven’t been used.

  113. 113.

    NotMax

    December 28, 2018 at 12:04 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA

    No Best Buy here. Visited the one at Roosevelt Field on Long Island when at Mom’s and was mightily underwhelmed by the variety, depth, and value of what they offered. Hope the one near you is better.

    Maybe you can find a better price or selection at Best Buy online?

  114. 114.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 28, 2018 at 12:08 am

    @NotMax: Prices online are the same, I’ll wait for a sale and see what happens. I’m pretty disappointed, but not entirely surprised(I read up last night and knew this was a possibility).

    @Adam L Silverman: I scratched off the thing over the card number to find out how much it was worth, so probably not an option.

    ETA: The only place you can get Costco Cash is Costco.

  115. 115.

    Yarrow

    December 28, 2018 at 12:12 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: You could try buying something and then returning it and getting cash back. Don’t know if it would work but it might.

  116. 116.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 28, 2018 at 12:12 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Sorry bout that.

  117. 117.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 28, 2018 at 12:15 am

    @Yarrow: Might work, but they probably would just give me another card. I’ll just wait.

    It was a bit weird, I saw the sale price at the local Costco last night, but the price at Costco Burbank was the regular price tonight, but I drove back to the local Costco and they still had the sale price posted.

    ETA: It’s not unusual for Costco merchandise to have different model numbers than other stores, sometimes they have extra stuff in them.

  118. 118.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    December 28, 2018 at 12:18 am

    @NotMax:

    I know that I can be a real stinker but that is funny!

  119. 119.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 28, 2018 at 12:27 am

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: Happy b-day to you as well.

  120. 120.

    Mike in Pasadena

    December 28, 2018 at 12:34 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: If you renew your passport, get the “passport card” that is the size of a credit card. It is for travel between the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. However, doesn’t it also meet the need for a “real ID”? At least with the passport card, I think you don’t have to carry the passport just to fly between Boise and San Jose. Have I got that right?

  121. 121.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 28, 2018 at 1:10 am

    @Mike in Pasadena: Cripes, it’s like we’re living in the old Soviet Union with “internal passports” being issued to fly inside the country.

  122. 122.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 28, 2018 at 1:11 am

    @Mike in Pasadena: Yeah, the “real ID” does pretty much the same as a passport card. It just verifies that you’re a citizen. Madame and the kid have both. BUT if you have neither the “real ID” driver’s license OR a passport card, you’d need your VALID passport to travel domestically. When Madame applied for her ‘real ID” DL, they said that an expired passport would be acceptable, when she got to the DMV that proved not to be the case, so she had to go home and return with her naturalization certificate.

  123. 123.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    December 28, 2018 at 1:15 am

    @Villago Delenda Est: My problem is with the federal government requiring states jump though hoops on this crap, I’ve never had a problem with a national ID card(we sort of have one with a Social Security card anyway). But if the federal government wants to put restrictions and make requirements, they should fund it and do the job themselves(would help with the voter ID problem too). A driver’s license is so that you are certified to drive a car PERIOD.

  124. 124.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    December 28, 2018 at 1:49 am

    @Gin & Tonic:

    If you have a valid US Passport you don’t need a “Real ID.”

    I know, I know. In fact, I’m bringing my passport card as one of my forms of ID. But I have to get a new license anyway – I’ve run out of automatic renewals – and sooner or later they’re going to make all of us jump through this absurd hoop, so I might as well get it out of the way.

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Ugh, no kidding. The Feds are making this hard on purpose, to put a burden on the states.

    Thanks for all the birthday wishes – just back from a lovely dinner en famille at a great little French restaurant. I should get older more often.

  125. 125.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    December 28, 2018 at 1:51 am

    @NotMax: Ha! That’s hilarious and slightly terrifying. Thanks!

  126. 126.

    evodevo

    December 28, 2018 at 8:02 am

    @Chetan Murthy: Yes. I thank FSM every day for her presence at the top….

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