Here’s Badger hanging out on the Lido Deck:
(This is a rerun if you follow me on Twitter — sorry!)
In the links worth sharing department, here’s a disturbing piece in the March edition of The Atlantic by Franklin Foer:
Russian-Style Kleptocracy Is Infiltrating America
When the U.S.S.R. collapsed, Washington bet on the global spread of democratic capitalist values—and lost.
Turns out the high dollar real estate and development business as engaged in by the Trump crime cartel is the perfect vehicle for global money laundering. How conveeeeeeeenient!
Speaking of convenient, The Post has a story up about how Trump used undocumented immigrant labor to build his Jersey golf resort:
It’s not new; we knew Trump imported laborers from Poland to work on NYC projects. I think The Times even ran a story about it in the run-up to the election between deep dives into Hillary Clinton’s email problem. But it’s worth a read.
The WaPo story also reveals that Trump wants to start a family cemetery at his Jersey golf club, which I hadn’t heard before. Again, convenient!
Open thread!
WaterGirl
Badger’s face is so expressive! Oh my gosh, have his ears always been that big or is he in a phase where body parts are growing at different rates?
My kitty Miss Willow had the tiniest head on her otherwise growing body for months and months and months. Eventually everything evened out, and then I missed her little head. :-)
edit: I just love Badger’s side-eye. So adorable.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
I was thinking, all that stuff that came out with Bezos and National Inquirer’s extortion; that certainly puts a twist on Trump’s “I will be treated fairly or else” statements he does.
The Moar You Know
At least 1/6 of the entire City of London is owned by Russian nationals. That money didn’t come from selling each other vodka.
WaterGirl
I have my niece’s pups for a few days, the same ones who stayed here last year when they were 4 months old. They are still crazy, though slightly less so. They have been here for three and a half hours, and the visiting pups and my two dogs have been totally wound up the whole time. Until about a minute ago when my dog settled in on his bed; hoping everyone will settle down soon.
They are adorable, but two hands with 4 dogs is not sufficient!
Yutsano
BADGERPUPPEH!!!
I am having a very quiet snowy day at work. My only debate right now is do I want to pull the plug early or just tough it out until the end of the day? I am actually a really good snow driver and I have all seasons on my car so I’m not worried there.
Oh and we’re gonna get HAMMERED with snow all weekend. So the odds of my office being open on Monday are diminished.
Betty Cracker
@WaterGirl: His ears have gotten longer over the last few months. He’ll be a year old on March 1st, and he’s right at 20 lbs. The vet doesn’t expect him to get much larger, so maybe he’ll always have Batman ears!
Yutsano
@The Moar You Know: And a fair tick of it is owned by Chinese nationals as well. Whatever needs to be done to get the money out of the home country so it can be exploited when everything falls apart back home.
NotMax
Not sure if it a full and complete listing, but (from 2016) FYI, A timeline of Donald Trump’s 30 years in N.J..
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: Badger is only 20 pounds? That’s a nice size. I had him pegged at more than thirty. The batman ears are fun! You should make him a batman outfit for halloween. Nothing that would annoy him, but I’ll bet you could whip up something simple that would totally say BATMAN! BAM! POW!
Patricia Kayden
Badger always looks so fierce. Such a cutie!!
I wish Nadler would declare Whitaker to be in contempt and then subpoena his behind. His nonanswers are rendering this hearing almost useless.
Mnemosyne
I have accepted that the only way to get our living room to a reasonable level of clutter for my brother in law’s impending visit is to jam everything into boxes and hide them in my craft room. Sigh. ?
J R in WV
Ok, I’m in AZ so still barely morning out here.
But back east, where the legal action happens that we care a lot about, it’s afternoon already. And no new indictments are handed up! No one has been frog-marched into arrest. No retirements from Congress after being delivered a target letter from the prosecutor’s office!
What’s wrong with this picture~!!??!!~ WHY NOT ARRESTS!!!!
Just the lame hearing with non-answers from DumAss Acting AG Whittaker. Can we at least get a referral for perjury for his statements under oath?
So Sad. Want arrests and humiliation for the traitorous scum!
WaterGirl
@Patricia Kayden: I think the letter I saw was that they would not subpoena him “on or before Feb 8”. So there’s always tomorrow!
WaterGirl
@J R in WV: I know, earlier today I had such high hopes for a Mueller Friday, and now I am feeling a lot less hopeful.
Also, isn’t today the day that Cohen is testifying in private?
Wapiti
So Senator Warren’s wealth tax. Would that apply to foreign-owned real estate as well?
JGabriel
Betty Cracker @ Top:
Combover Caligula probably wants to make sure his grave is guarded so no one pisses on it like a Russian hotel bed.
NotMax
@WaterGirl
Pushed back to Feb. 28.
rikyrah
Badger is ADORABLE :)
NotMax
@JGabriel
The Great Pyramid of Pee-ops.
Brachiator
@Yutsano:
A long time ago, I realized that neither bosses nor co-workers appreciated my toughing it out, whether it was dealing with bad weather, or working through a cold, etc.
If you can leave reasonably early, and can enjoy the rest of your snow day, why not?
That’s my half cent’s worth.
WaterGirl
@NotMax: Darn it! I thought it was pushed back from Feb 7 to Feb 8. Thanks for letting me know.
JGabriel
@Yutsano:
Pull the plug an hour or two before it gets dark. That way you get some work done while it’s quiet, but don’t have to drive home on the snowy roads in the dark.
Josie
@Mnemosyne:
Lol. My late husband used to say that I specialized in the layered look in decorating, and that he had to throw a party once a month or so to get me to clear everything. Of course, I was working full time and raising three boys, so I had my reasons. Boxing up stuff that can be unboxed later sounds like a good solution to me.
Pogonip
Did they find anyone to take Mom Cat?
frosty fred
@Josie:
Ask me how long some of my stuff has been in boxes (or grocery bags).
On second thought, don’t ask.
VeniceRiley
Honey, Badger don’t care.
(Adorbs!)
NotMax
Hm. Brushed my hair back and my forehead feels like it’s on fire. Yet don’t feel hot or feverish in any way.
Tazj
Badger really does look like he’s posing for a calendar.
Yes, I believe you’re correct that a few stories did run about Trump hiring undocumented labor to build his golf resort and to staff Mar-a-Lago. However, not many people seemed to care or question him about his hypocrisy. No, he was the guy who stood up for the working class.
Nicole
I know there’s speculation on which Democrats have been pulled to the Russian dark side- I hate to say it, but the mayor of NYC is top of my list. There was such weirdness about his election, from the “Anyone But Quinn” movement that started in the primaries, funded by real estate, to the fight over the carriage horses. It was framed as animal welfare (of animals that are already covered by over 1000 NYC regulations), but it was clear to anyone that it was about the land that the stables take up in the Midtown West area- prime area for high dollar development (again, funded by a real estate mogul who insisted, insisted he wasn’t interested in purchasing the properties himself). The majority of NYC’ers were against the anti-carriage movement, de Blasio refused to even visit any of the stables or talk to any of the drivers, it was such a weird hill to want to die on. The Teamsters finally balked (one group I can see not being afraid of Russians) and City Council shut it down. Now de Blasio is at it again, via backhanded methods and I just keep coming back to why?
Tinfoil hatting, maybe, but Russian real estate money funding his campaign, makes a lot of sense.
Yutsano
@Brachiator: I’m angling for a 3pm departure. That takes me past the last appointment I have today (if they show up, the roads are getting uglier as I type) so no one gets inconvenienced but still enough time to have some solar energy to keep the travel from being too bad.
(I’ve developed a bad habit of not finishing my sentences in written form even though I’ve formulated them in my head. I’m just hoping it’s because I’ve been tired as hell lately.)
Immanentize
@WaterGirl: The reason for the delay was interesting — “for the good of the investigation” which generally means that federal prosecutors asked that the hearing not take place and possibly disturb ongoing inquiries. Although soon thereafter the Senate decided to make Cohen come in and talk to them.
eemom
That is an exceptionally handsome doggie. ❤️
Brachiator
@Mnemosyne:
You could always put the stuff in one of those rental storage places.
A friend actually did that once when in-laws came for a long visit.
khead
30+ posts. Not a single Lido Shuffle. What is wrong with you folks?
WaterGirl
@Immanentize: Interesting. There is definitely something afoot, but I can’t tell whether it’s angling from the good guys or angling from the bad guys. Both is an option, too, as always.
The 4 pups are wearing me out — I’m going to go take a nap and see if that helps everyone to settle down. Somebody wake me if anything Mueller-like happens!
trollhattan
Imaging my now-teen daughter at about three, squealing “Bagoo!” and rushing in for a hug. You could not have kept her away.
Brachiator
@Yutsano:
Sounds like a plan. Have a good day, and safe travels home.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
Silly question alert:
Let’s say the SCOTUS makes such an egregious decision (like deciding that same-sex marriage isn’t constitutional after all). What if a state like California refuses to recognize that decision? Obviously, in modern history, the federal government has tended to avoid sending in the marines and has rather preferred to either withhold federal funds from that state or sue that state’s government. In the mid-20th century, the state’s national guard was federalized and they enforced the law.
What do you commenters of BJ think would happen in such a situation? Would the feds try to cut off federal funds to California? California is the fifth largest economy in the world, so I’m not sure whether California could survive without federal funds or not. Given the above, let’s say the feds decide to sue the state of California and a court rules agianst the state. What’s to stop the state from ignoring that ruling?
And yes I know, this would set a terrible precedent but so would the SCOTUS. I’m afraid that, given the Kleptocracy Infiltrating America article, it will become harder and harder to fix this awful culture that is developing. It may be soon in allies’ interests to remove the GOP from power.
NotMax
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
You’ve provided the response.
Bruce K
Well, at least now I know where to go when the time comes to spit on Twitler’s grave.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@NotMax:
“Silly question” is merely rhetorical. I’m actually serious. I don’t put it past these fucks to try to take us back to the middle ages. They’re brazen and they don’t care how it looks.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Bruce K:
Why do you think he’s doing it? So people won’t be able to piss on his grave. It’s a members only club and the security would probably be high. The most infuriating thing about Trump is his ineptitude that fucks over everybody else besides himself (most of the time) but at the same time he has enough of a survival instinct to try to insulate himself from consequences.
chopper
@Bruce K:
you do realize that means you’re going to have to go to new jersey, right? new jersey.
NotMax
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
Shortest possible answer: The Supreme Court does not make laws.
Other than that statement, will not be goaded into another of these hypothetical flights of fancy.
khead
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
Dude. Relax. Ain’t gonna happen.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@NotMax:
How have I “goaded” you into doing anything? I asked a sincere question and I appreciate your answer, but I don’t understand that. It’s not like other commenters haven’t posed similar hypotheticals before.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@khead:
Probably not. That Kleptocracy article scared the shit out of me though.
Martin
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
Well, California may not be the best example to use here, because California can fuck y’all right up in ways that other states can’t. To begin with, CAs economy is sufficiently large that we can probably survive quite a long time without the federal funds. It would suck, but we could probably do it. I’m assuming here that the feds would keep paying for the 30+ military bases and 200,000 troops stationed here, along with all of the federal defense contractors and other things that the feds are very dependent on. That’s a big chunk of our federal funding.
CA produces half the nations fruits and nuts and a substantial fraction of vegetables outside of staple crops like corn. We’re the 4th largest agricultural economy in the world. We could cut off export of those goods to other states. We could also cut off transport of goods in and out of the ports here. Seattle and Portland are big ports, but you’re cutting trade with China and other pacific nations by about 75% if you shut down the CA port traffic.
What’s more CA has good relations with China and Mexico (in some respects, better relations than we have right now with the US govt). I’m guessing we’d leverage that to keep trade going. We’d keep the Mexico border open because it’s good for trade We’d sell our crops to them instead. It’d be a complete shitshow all around, don’t get me wrong, but I think CA could make it painful enough for the rest of the country to bring it to a quick end. Roberts is a dick, but he’s not going to burn the country. That’s why he decided in the ACA case the way that he did. You’d see a lot of other actions come to pass long before any of this kind of stuff.
We have a very capable state government. We have a $20B+ budget surplus. We have massive wealth we can tap into. We can fight back. TX can fight back. NY can fight back. After that though, it gets really tough for states.
Brachiator
@khead:
Actually, it might.
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
Short answer, you get pointless confusion. States that wanted same-sex marriage would continue along, states that didn’t want same-sex marriage would abolish it. Worse, a same sex marriage in California would not be recognized in a state that abolished it. Trump and Congress would direct the IRS not to recognize same-sex marriage on federal returns and would create all kind of other mischief.
Shorter answer: vote for Democrats!
khead
@Brachiator:
No it won’t. Really. See Martin above.
Mnemosyne
@frosty fred:
Do you also have unopened boxes that have moved to at least two dwellings? And you lived in each of the previous places for 8-10 years?
Though for me those boxes are mostly papers that need to be sorted through, but I lose the will to live after peeking inside.
Major Major Major Major
So the Green New Deal rollout had a confusing aspect yesterday. Apparently AOC (or somebody on her team) posted an FAQ about it to her website, which they then took down, which had some interesting aspects. Here it is on archive.org. Among other things that are absent from the actual resolution, it includes the “economic security to all who are unable or unwilling to work” bit. Instead of discussing how to pay for it, it links to an article about Modern Monetary Theory, which can only slightly uncharitably be described as the theory that deficits are fake.
Econ twitter had a field day (it leaked through into my timeline from following Noah Smith, who I’d describe as left-liberal). Nobody’s quite sure where the FAQ came from or where it went. Weird!
khead
A lot of folks on my FB feed suddenly care a lot about whatever AOC has to say nowadays. Not sure if they are mad at her because of her views or because they can’t have sex with her.
Doug R
@The Moar You Know: I suspect the only people who can afford a place in metro Vancouver are gangsters and early boomers.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I’m supposed to be writing a blog post but that is hard, so instead, I’m still reading Wonkette’s liveblog of the hearing. It is so entertaining. I love Ds being in the majority.
NotMax
@Mnemosyne
Have boxes which have remained unopened and untouched since I moved here over 35 years ago.
Am I in contenti0on to win a kewpie doll?
:)
Brachiator
@khead:
I read Martin’s comment. It is not relevant.
Right wingers are hot to outlaw abortion, reverse same-sex marriage, de-legitimize transgender people. And they will do so with a strong conservative Supreme Court majority.
Martin’s comment ultimately supports me. California does not have to fear federal economic retribution for retaining same-sex marriage, but this does not affect what a right wing nutjob Supreme Court may do.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@NotMax: Holy cow. Do you know what’s in them?
Jeffro
@JGabriel:
Yeah well too bad, it’d be worth the price of membership (ok, the cost of driving up and sneaking in at night, but still Jersey tolls!) and it is WAY high up on my bucket list at this point.
@khead:
Overused but oh so apropos: Por que no los dos?
Johannes
@Betty Cracker: He’s adorable!
NotMax
@Dorothy A. Winsor
A vague idea. Definitely nothing perishable.
Toss a throw over the big ones and they become furniture. ;)
tobie
@Major Major Major Major: From the get-go, one of my problems with the Sunrise Movement’s GND proposal was that it seemed to be a guaranteed universal basic income package dressed up as a climate proposal. The idea of using the shift to renewables as a massive jobs program is hardly new. It was central to Clinton’s manufacturing revival and jobs plan. Heck, Obama proposed a green-blue alliance. But a guaranteed universal basic income program is another kettle of fish. I’m glad the language concerning economic security has been taken out. Sorry it came up inadvertently yesterday.
jl
Don’t have to read the link on Russian corruption in detail right now, but looked through it. Looks good. I think it goes far too light on the role of the the US on making Russia the criminal kleptoligarch paradise it is today. Very misguided, and perhaps corrupt, advice from free market fanatic US economists had an important role in the direction of the Russian economy and financial system after the end of the USSR and communism. The US government blessed banking loan practices that almost guaranteed a concentration of wealth and ownership of large sections of the Russian economy at the first economic downturn.
Not saying Russian history or culture played no role. Maybe problems we see today would have existed to some degree, maybe a large degree. But the current oligarchs didn’t have to work much to get what they have now, the concentration of wealth and ownership would have not occurred so fast or so intensely with so little effort (legal or illegal) without a lot of very silly and bad ideas, blessed by the US government, from US reactionary economists.
Lots of complaints in the article about US not turning down crooked oligarch money. I didn’t see a paragraph on the US’ role in creating so many so wealthy oligarchs in the first place, who had to put so little effort to get their loot.
China was smarter, it went to liberal and progressive economists from US for advice for its ‘capitalist accumulation’ stage of development program, and in a setting that allowed an equally excellent group of Chinese economists to collaborate, and new cohort to be trained.
Edit: and re Russia mess, the name Larry Summers plays an unfortunately large role for giving bad advice, and also endorsing others’ bad advice, that helped make Russia what it is today.
Doug Gardner
@Bruce K: I’m willing to provide public funding to populate the place with as many of his family as possible.
Origuy
Badger looks a lot like my sister’s dog Snoopy. He has a bit more white in the body and is blind in one eye. I stayed with them around Christmas. Snoopy barked at me the first day. By the second he was letting me hold him.
Major Major Major Major
@tobie: I think it’s safe to assume that the FAQ posted on AOC’s website is the Justice Dems et al.’s actual plan, and what emerged as the actual resolution is tempered by people like Markey who understand governance.
Mike J
Guessing Trump is going to bury tax records and try to use graverobbing laws to keep them from being released. I seem to recall he has lots of land zoned as farms even though they grow nothing except tax breaks.
frosty fred
@Mnemosyne:
Sorry for the late reply (trying to clean house before picking up company at the airport) but yes, yes I do.
Gin & Tonic
@jl: I know this may be a novel theory, but sometimes the economies of large sovereign countries succeed or fail based on the socio-economic conditions native to those countries, and not as a result of American influence.
tobie
@Major Major Major Major: Markey signing on was a very good thing, then. In other climate news, Pelosi announced the members of the Climate Crisis subcommittee yesterday, and they look really good. I expected Castor and Bonamici but was happy to see Jared Huffman (former director of the NRDC) and freshman Rep Sean Casten on it. AOC was invited to join but declined because of other committee assignments.
jl
@Major Major Major Major: The full JD GND package is too big. Like LBJ proposed the whole Great Society in one bill But if Justice Democrats are just making the point that they don’t come to the negotiating table with half a loaf, that they don’t negotiate themselves down before they make a proposal, I don’t see much harm in it. We’ll see how things develop. Everyone in the House knows they have two years of planning and negotiating with each other and Senate Dems before anything meaningful can pass, and maybe that shows in the original proposal.
Whether the original humongous mishmash is just an opening gambit to let people know what they are aiming for, or a serious demand that can’t be adjusted much is the important issue. Time will tell us.
frosty fred
@NotMax:
Some of mine have been sitting 38 years this month, except that this is their third dwelling. Just so you know. (Also have a few that belonged to my late in-laws.)
jl
@Gin & Tonic: I allowed for the novel theory you mention in my comment,and I think amply so, thank you very much.
The role of the US economists and government in working with new Russian government in designing it’s banking system and encouraging certain types of loan and bankruptcy practices is well documented public history, and it may be a novel theory, but history plays a role too.
RAVEN
I’m going down to Melbourne Beach to fish next week. We’re staying in the joint from Stranger Than Paradise. The trip advisor and yelp reviews are all over the map but I don’t really care since it’s fishin!
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@jl:
Under Xi, perhaps not so much anymore.
RAVEN
@jl: fuck lbj
NotMax
@frosty fred
Doff my chapeau in your direction. After a while they become like familiar old friends.
Major Major Major Major
@jl: I can’t imagine having anybody who believes in Modern Monetary Theory at the table would be helpful.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Major Major Major Major:
Ugh. The Justice Dems. The smarmy Kyle Kulinski was apart of that group until Cenk Uygur’s scandal.
Gin & Tonic
@RAVEN: Did a day of fly fishing when I was in Patagonia last week. First time, had a lot of fun. Caught a bunch of perch, supposedly the stream had rainbow trout, too, but not a tickle.
Mnemosyne
@Major Major Major Major:
AOC still seems to have some economic left-loonies on her staff who are providing her with bad information. There was also that time a couple of months ago where she seriously misrepresented the Pentagon audit and had to publicly retract what she’d said.
She should probably ask Pelosi to recommend some new staffers before the ones who try to write legislation based on memes strike again.
Mnemosyne
@NotMax:
If I can find the kewpie doll that I’m sure must be stashed in one of my unopened boxes, it’s yours! ?
Millard Filmore
@Jeffro:
I’ll join you in a flash mob to flummox the club’s security.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Mnemosyne:
But then she would become a neoliberal sellout wh*re, just like Pelosi! //
But yeah, that Pentagon thing was pretty embarrassing. It would be a good idea.
RAVEN
@Gin & Tonic: Oh man!
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@NotMax:
Unrelated to this comment:
Did I say the wrong thing again?
Jeffro
OT: I will be in Louisville KY for a conference in about two weeks, staying right near the convention center. Never been to Louisville before. Open to any and all restaurant, brewpub, music venue suggestions!
Gin & Tonic
@RAVEN: Really fucking cold, though.
Major Major Major Major
@Mnemosyne: @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Oof, yea, I forgot about the Pentagon thing.
Remember a few years ago when Sanders jumped on board Ron Paul’s “Audit the Fed!” train?
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: stop asking that and move on after somebody expresses disapproval of you
Gin & Tonic
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Give it a rest.
Dorothy A. Winsor
What? Do tell.
RAVEN
@Gin & Tonic: I bet but for a New England striper fusherman. no problem!\ I’m wearing my Point Judith Snook shirt as we speak!
Brachiator
@Mnemosyne:
I haven’t been following her responses in deep detail. It may be that her chief of staff needs to do better.
Pogonip
@Jeffro: Their zoo has a small, but lovely, reptile house.
DMcK
@Nicole: Your suspicions are well-founded. Remember when the NY Post and NY1 News sued the city for access to the Mayor’s communications with his outside advisors — records that, by law, should be publicly accessible? Turned out those advisors consisted mostly of consultants working for high-end RE developers, and, to a lesser extent, Wall St. firms. The records revealed an entirely unprecedented level of influence on the crafting of policy; I believe one City Councilman described them as “de-facto cabinet members”. So, yeah, DiBlasio is yet another progressive white knight unmasked as an utter fraud.
NotMax
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
No, not wrong. Realize though that sincere and silly are not mutually exclusive, a question can be both.
And before you ask, no, am/was not angry with you. Not anything worth even contemplating becoming angry about.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Major Major Major Major:
The disapproval part I’m fine with. I just don’t like making enemies of out of friends (?), that’s all, especially when it’s my fault.
I’m probably reading too much into it. Again. Sorry.
Holy shit, no I don’t! Cranks of a feather flock together. I never heard about this, probably because Sanders was a backbenching nobody then. Well, he still is.
Major Major Major Major
@Brachiator: Her CoS has not been amazing. His response to the FAQ fiasco was that folks had gotten their hands on a “bad copy.”
rikyrah
@Nicole:
Maybe, but, his anti-stop and frisk…cannot be underestimated at how that propelled him.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@NotMax:
Good.
Hitlesswonder
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: I think the outcry over the pentagon inaccuracy was pretty disproportionate compared to the constant stream of lies and inaccuracies from the current administration. How’s the deficit doing? Kudlow said it was going down….
Major Major Major Major
@Nicole: Nothing that can’t be explained by run-of-the-mill cronyism.
@rikyrah: And most of his stuff, like this, is consistent with run-of-the-mill leftism, for better and worse.
Immanentize
@rikyrah:
And how much good that one thing did for communities of color. Shit, the NYPD used to go to poor black and brown communities to practice stop and frisk with new recruits
RAVEN
Our fucking KIA (4000 miles) has been in the repair show for 12 “business days”. They estimated 9 and are seeing if the last piece of trim they just got in is the correct one. We have about and hour an 15 minutes to get it or it will be at least Monday! The swines.
khead
@Brachiator:
Well, I can’t speak for Martin but I am pretty sure his comment supports the idea that there are states out there who can give weight to certain ideas and throw a wrench into things like:
Brachiator
@Major Major Major Major:
Ah. Very unfortunate.
Immanentize
How do people think shit gets done? You get elected, wave your magic power wand supplied by the government and laws and policy happens? For progressive people who have to administer while trying to be a change agent, it is all push, pull, nudge, cajole and pray.
This is not a command economy, nor is it an executive law dictatorship. Getting anything done that lasts is hard and requires endless compromise -+ especially with people who supply jobs and provide the resources for the community. I e. Rich folks.
Yutsano
@RAVEN: Ugh. Sounds like they’re milking the insurance money for all it’s worth. I hope you’re giving the shop owner an earful about it.
NotMax
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
With rare, conspicuous and disappointing exceptions, don’t hold much with classifying folks as enemies. Prefer to think of them as allies who have yet to see the light.
;)
Jeffro
@Pogonip: thank you. Mentally I cannot put “lovely” and “reptile house” together, though, so I will hope for some additional recommendations of the brewpub variety ;)
RAVEN
@Yutsano: They already got the check and they are a USAA certified shop so I hope that part is not the case. Here’s what I think is bullshit
“The part we were waiting for Just arrived – Our technician is checking the part to make sure they sent the correct one. I will let you know in a few minutes what the result is.”
Shifting the blame to KIA.
NotMax
@RAVEN
Get thine tuchis in gear.
;)
Brachiator
@khead:
States will have no direct impact on how the Supreme Court may rule.
And Trump is too stupid to consider the political dimension of the importance of California or other states.
rikyrah
Damn! Trump’s inaugural was paying @realDonaldTrump’s Hotel $175,000 PER DAY for event space. https://t.co/eFCCgTm0gE
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) February 8, 2019
NotMax
@RAVEN
IIRC it was the grill for landlady’s vehicle that Subaru sent to wrong part to the repair shop. Twice.
RAVEN
@NotMax: Whoop tee dooo!
khead
@Brachiator:
Lol. States have no impact? Ok.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@NotMax:
Thanks. That’s good advice!
ruemara
@khead: the latter. It’s kinda gross.
Immanentize
@RAVEN:
But USAA is giving you a rental, aren’t they while your car is in the shop?
Yarrow
Isn’t today when Trump’s supposed to have his annual physical at Walter Reed? Isn’t Dr. Ronny Jackson back in charge of that?
Gravenstone
@Jeffro: Not exactly what you were inquiring about, but visited Louisville way too many years ago for an online guild gathering. Because we’re all gaming geeks, we spent a day touring the Frazier History and Arms Museum.. Given the nature of the group, we all found it quite interesting, but really only recommend if you’ve several hours to spend there.
Immanentize
@Yarrow: The good doctor was supposed to do the
autopsyphysical, but he ended up drinking from home today.Brachiator
@khead:
I repeat:
You have a counter-example that can enlighten me?
khead
@Brachiator:
Gay marriage is the obvious one.
Gravenstone
@RAVEN: My Challenger was in the body shop for six damned weeks this past summer. Between insurers playing games, then the shop couldn’t find a damned replacement door (of all things). I know your frustration.
NotMax
@khead
Same sex marriage, please. There is no requirement that either or both of the couple be gay, just as there is no requirement that either or both be straight in an opposite sex marriage.
Yutsano
@RAVEN: I can see that bullpile from here. Git ’em.
Martin
@Brachiator:
Well, I don’t think the supreme court is suicidal. Let’s start with that. Protests would be apparent. Voices out of congress would be loud. I would not rule out some level of at least property violence – riots and the like. California would make clear our intentions with respect to adhering to the ruling and some actions would likely begin – CA would pass new laws, take steps to minimize the impact of a ruling, form coalitions with other states, etc. It would be somewhat apparent what the consequences of such a ruling would be. That’s the context they’d be making their decision.
What’s more, there would be an entire process after that from the state to get new legislation passed at the federal level, and then new rounds of protests and whatnot.
Now, I think there’s 0 change that same sex marriage would be overturned, but lets say it was RvW. Even in that case nothing would change at the sate level because our state constitution enshrines that right. USSC would have to resolve those issues through entirely new rulings. So, yeah. Shit like this doesn’t happen quickly. There’s a lot of levers that still get pulled, and USSC knows this. They know what kind of hell they are unleashing.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Yarrow:
According to CNN:
--bd
@Immanentize (&RAVEN): Did you rent your temp vehicle from a Hertz/Enterprise/etc. nearby? Many times the dealer also owns that, which give them incentive to take their time. I have one of those shit “dual -clutch” transmissions that Ford put into Fiestas and Focuses 5-8 years ago. They made me bring it in four days before their transmission guy was actually able to look at it to fix it under warranty. Found out later that the dealer also owned the Enterprise that I got my temp rental from. Kinda pissed.
Immanentize
@Brachiator: I could give many examples but it’s not worth it —
Most cases of value come up through State courts. The State Supreme Courts generally get first crack at construing State statutes and explain why they are or are not. The US Supreme Court has rules of deference that favor State High Court rulings unless clearly erroneous or unconstitutional.
So in real world, States have huge DIRECT effect on how the Supreme Court rules in many cases. (In addition to their role as litigants, amicus, etc.)
RAVEN
Well they got it done except for the wheel. The dude said they had to order seven different one’s because there is such variation! Oh, 2k over the estimate.
khead
@NotMax:
That’s not really the argument here. The issue – as far as Brachiator is concerned in responses to me – is whether or not states made a difference with respect to the Supreme Court. I’m pretty sure that the actions of individual states definitely led to the Supreme Court acting to a result that led to same-sex marriage.
khead
@Immanentize:
Yeah, this.
RAVEN
@–bd: Nope, I declined the rental coverage (I have since picked it up). We have three vehicles so I just drove my 66 chev!
Yarrow
@Mnemosyne: Perhaps AOC likes her staff and how they perform just fine. If she keeps them on then that is a reasonable conclusion.
I know a lot of people are very enthusiastic about her. I am still reserving judgment. Her closeness with the Justice Dems gives me pause.
@RAVEN:
I’m sure “show” is a typo for “shop” but it seems rather fitting given the situation. Sorry it’s such a pain.
dm
John Dingell’s parting gift:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/john-dingell-my-last-words-for-america/2019/02/08/99220186-2bd3-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html
Be sure to read as far as the civics lesson involving Wile E. Coyote.
Immanentize
@–bd: That would totally piss me off. The body place I have sadly had to use three times with this car is not associated with a rental place (but USAA like Enterprise, for sure). I think if what happened to you happened to me? I would have a pleasant chat with USAA because they are the ones getting shafted. I think a lot of USAA and I don’t think that would make them happy.
J R in WV
@ Goku :
Goku,
I have told old B-J friends to go fuck off with farm implements late at night, when we got excited, often when I was awake at 3 am due to stress related insomnia. We get over that shit after a shift or two, like adults who expressed extreme irritation with one another.
I’m imagining the other guys were also up too late, perhaps had partaken of mood altering substances like scotch or et al. Stress can do funny things even to someone who is 95% peace maker laid back hippy dude.
So just chill, don’t worry, be happy. No one here hates you, even when you are (as we all can be) infrequently somewhat annoying. Big diff between annoyed and hatred, which most of us save for fascists, nazis and other republican soldiers.
mrmoshpotato
Was the Whitaker hearing within Badger’s earshot? That is the sideeye for these times.
Immanentize
@Martin:
There is an old saying — The Supreme Court doesn’t follow public opinion, but the Justices read the newspapers.
Steve in the ATL
@Jeffro: was about suggest you ask Edmund Dantes, le Compte et al, but he seems to spend less time in Louisville than I do in Atlanta….
Steve in the ATL
@Immanentize: SCOTUS is historically analyst two generations behind society. Much like the the federal bench. Courtesy of turtle/trump, we may have to increase that by several generations.
Immanentize
@Steve in the ATL:
Law is a conservative profession?
ETA But love is a many splendored thing.
Aleta
Extract them from the WH before they build a fake pres library (no books) ringed by condo deals on wetland he owns.
Immanentize
@Aleta: All on tax free property
ETA I support putting the Trump Library in Levenworth, Kansas so his family will have ready access through the book exchange program for inmates.
Immanentize
Ooopsie. Second public accusation against Fairfax in Ol’ Virginny. This time, the woman claims he raped her in law school.
ETA this whole mess is really depressing to me. I thought the blackface stuff was horrible. But these sexual assault allegations are just horrendous. Please, men, don’t.
--bd
Oh, I didn’t have rental coverage. This was out of pocket. It was too complicated juggling two adults, two jobs, two teens, and two schools with only two cars when the youngest doesn’t have a license and needs chauffeur service.
Brachiator
@Martin: Coming back late to the thread, just for a couple of quick points.
We absolutely agree on this. I even said that nothing would change in California. The mischief would be elsewhere.
@Immanentize:
Yes. I know and absolutely agree. This is part of the system. Martin did not seem to be talking about state courts, but about the political and economic significance of California and other states.
And yeah, the Supreme Court reads the papers (or goes online). In the present poisoned atmosphere, the Court is being nudged to do some supremely stupid stuff to please conservatives and evangelicals. I imagine that the right wing nut job sites are pissing themselves over Chief Justice Robert’s vote in the recent Louisiana case.
Again, the Court is being pushed to be unreasonable. We will see if other forces prevent major mischief.