Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Second rate reporter says what?

“Loving your country does not mean lying about its history.”

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

“But what about the lurkers?”

Museums are not America’s attic for its racist shit.

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

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

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Trump should be leading, not lying.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

If you’re gonna whine, it’s time to resign!

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Thursday Morning Open Thread: Jabba the Barr

Thursday Morning Open Thread: Jabba the Barr

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(Nick Anderson via GoComics.com)
.

… “I think Bill Barr has all the duplicity of Rudy Giuliani without all the good looks and general likability of Rudy Guliani,” Schiff said during the Center for American Progress 2019 Ideas Conference Wednesday. “The most dangerous thing, I think, that Bill Barr has done is basically say that a president under investigation can make the investigation go away if he thinks its unfair which, by the way, means the other 14 investigations firmed up through other offices he can also make go away.”

Earlier Wednesday, the House Intelligence Committee postponed a vote to potentially hold Barr in contempt of Congress, following his refusal to testify before the committee last week. Schiff, who chairs that committee, said in a statement explaining the postponement that the “Department of Justice has accepted our offer of a first step towards compliance with our subpoena, and this week will begin turning over to the Committee twelve categories of counterintelligence and foreign intelligence materials as part of an initial rolling production.”…

Reader Interactions

188Comments

  1. 1.

    Joey Maloney

    Twitter believes the picture of Bill Barr eating at Trump’s corruption factory is “sensitive” and hid it from me. I assume he’s got marinara sauce all down his chin and lapels or something?

  3. 3.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    Gilbert Gottfried says “Trump is Hitler without the charm.”

  5. 5.

    Betty Cracker

    The Post predicts Modi and his party will win reelection in a landslide in India. Nationalism/wingnuttery is still selling like hotcakes worldwide.

  6. 6.

    NotMax

    Better production than foreseen, liked it much better than I expected to – The Hell of ’63, on Prime. Dutch with English subtitles.

    Interesting short video on the visual effects employed. Lurve the snow cloud wolves; whole lotta effort for what are nearly blink and you’ll miss ’em moments of movie magic.

  8. 8.

    satby

    Woke at 4:30ish to a thunderstorm just starting with the memory I had left the car windows open a bit. So my first act was a mad dash through the rain to close them just in time.
    I hate jogging before coffee.

    Actually, I just hate jogging.

  9. 9.

    Raven

    @NotMax: Gee, this makes me want to run right out and watch it!

    Chris Zegers said that he was so embarrassed by his performance in the film that he considered to stop acting. However, after being asked for Lotus (2011) and being satisfied with that performance, he reconsidered.

  16. 16.

    OzarkHillbilly

    A couple of tweets:

    Methinks the Dems need some younger leadership.

    Dem leadership looks identical to GOP

    You’re right…. but it slips my mind who was that lady GOP House speaker?

    I am glad that there are some people who are on twitter just so they can slap the stupid.

  18. 18.

    Soprano2

    I hate what they did in Jefferson City last week, but that doesn’t mean I wanted it hit by a major tornado. Good grief, this shitty, dangerous weather needs to stop! I just got a flash flooding alert on my phone!

  19. 19.

    Baud

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I wonder what the overlap is between people who want Dems to have younger leadership and people who wanted Dems to lose Congress to teach them a lesson.

  22. 22.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Soprano2: Tornado watch this AM in Washington Co, flood warnings on the Meramec, and rain. Than tomorrow we hit 90 for the first time this year.

    As far as the Jeff City tornado…. Did it hit the capitol building? Was it in session at the time? While all the DEMs headed for the storm shelter, were the Repubs saying it was a fake tornado and refusing to postpone their latest efforts to confront the dire threat of autonomous lady parts?

  23. 23.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: I saw a diagram illustrating that. It was a circle inside of another circle. Can’t recall which was which.

  25. 25.

    satby

    @Baud: Ross Dumbshit as one of the contributors? I like Pete, he’s my mayor for a few more months, but I’m not able to stomach Douthat’s take on anything. Even for Pete.
    Edited to add: appreciate the thought though.

  28. 28.

    montanareddog

    @Betty Cracker: And your theory can be tested with a few more data points by the EU Parliamentary elections over the next few days.

    I expect your theory to be strengthened, sadly

  29. 29.

    JPL

    @Baud: Even though the majority of people say they won’t vote to reelect him, I’m concerned about turnout. The crazies vote.

  30. 30.

    Betty Cracker

    @OzarkHillbilly: I’m glad Pelosi is Speaker right now since we’ve got a lunatic in the White House to contain and oppose. Her experience and competence are indispensable at this moment. That said, the top three Democrats in the House are all nearly 80 years old. One needn’t be a “heighten the contradictions” moron to think the Dems need some new blood at the top.

  31. 31.

    Baud

    @JPL:

    I’m concerned about white people who say they won’t vote for him but who, when it’s time to do the deed, feel that subconscious panic that Republicans exploit so well.

  32. 32.

    Amir Khalid

    @Joey Maloney:
    Twitter did the same woth me. Its filters presumably consider any image of Bill Barr potentially upsetting or offensive, which makes sense.

  33. 33.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Baud: Unless they’re voter purged because the fact that they register in their new state is taken as “voter fraud” since the old state still has them on the books.

  34. 34.

    Baud

    @Betty Cracker: Yeah, but the argument is always directed at Pelosi. Just like in 2016 when it was only Hillary who was too old, but hardly anyone talked about that with Sanders or Trump.

  36. 36.

    Porky Pine

    @NotMax: Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve added it to my watchlist. From the description, I infer that the film is based on the ‘Elfstedtentocht’ [sp?], the ‘Eleven-City Tour’ skating race in Friesland. Alas, because of climate change, the Dutch fear that the race may be a thing of the past, since winter temperatures no longer provide a long enough stretch of cold weather to ensure safe ice conditions.

  37. 37.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Betty Cracker: Agreed, but I don’t think many of these people complaining understand that the way one reaches a leadership position is by demonstrating knowledge, competence, the ability to raise money, a certain amount of political ju jitsu, and…. longevity. They don’t pick their leaders by asking the Sorting Hat. So whenever somebody says DEMs need younger leadership, the question begs to be asked, “Who?”

  38. 38.

    SFAW

    @Baud:

    Voter purges are awful, but they aren’t 100%.

    They don’t need to be. And there are certainly other ways to suppress the (expected) Dem vote, as we’ve seen.

  40. 40.

    satby

    @Baud: they still aren’t calling the oldest old fart “old”, even though his entire shtick is shouty old man wagging his finger. A living stereotype of “old”.

  41. 41.

    debbie

    I see a t-shirt here:

    “I think Bill Barr has all the duplicity of Rudy Giuliani without all the good looks and general likability of Rudy Guliani,” Schiff said during the Center for American Progress 2019 Ideas Conference Wednesday.

  42. 42.

    Baud

    @SFAW:

    I understand. I still think having more black families moving to swingy or purpley states seems a good thing, despite the obstacles.

  43. 43.

    SFAW

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    the question begs to be asked, “Who?”

    Can we start with “not Steny Hoyer”? I’m still trying to figure out his value-add proposition. I guess Speaker Pelosi thinks he adds something, otherwise he’s (probably) be out. But nothing I see from him (disclaimer: I don’t follow him closely, so caveat lector) gives me the warm-and-fuzzies.

  48. 48.

    SFAW

    @Baud:

    I still think having more black families moving to swingy or purpley states seems a good thing, despite the obstacles.

    Whatevs. I still think a better solution is for the elected members of the Party of Traitors to be swinging from the yardarms, but I’m an asshole that way.

    I know, I know — por que no los dos?

  49. 49.

    satby

    @SFAW: he’s 79, so no.
    I don’t believe in term limits, that’s what elections are for; but it would be nice if elected representatives would agree to leave gracefully at some point in their mid-late 70s. And if we get some strong majorities back in both houses of Congress and capture the Presidency, I would hope some of these elders take seriously the need to mentor the younger members and then bow out. And unicorns… I’d like a unicorn.

  51. 51.

    SFAW

    @satby:
    I don’t have a problem with Hoyer being a Representative, and I think term limits are wrong, but I just would like him to be more than the “designated centrist” in the Dem leadership. [Frankly, I’d have a problem if Moulton were there, too, because of his sort-of-anti-left posturings.] I don’t think Schiff (for example) is the right person, but that’s because I want to see him continue to be the anti-Nunes. I’d like someone with Schiff-/Lieu-like cojones (figuratively speaking) in the role, and using that role to be (in part) an attack dog re: Party of Traitors whining/lying.

    ETA: Slight revision re: term limits: I’d be OK if any/all Rethug candidate or official were limited to “no office after July 4th, 2019.”

  52. 52.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @SFAW:Seeing as I am not a member of the HoR, and none of them now are or likely ever will be my Rep, I really don’t pay that much attention. Other than Pelosi and Schumer I have no idea who fills the rest of the DEM leadership in DC. It is safe to say, Hoyer is where he is because a majority of DEMs in the House voted to put him there. Why did they? Because Nancy wanted him? Because he’s good at raising money for others? Because he gives the best foot rubs ever?

    shrug I’ll never know.

  53. 53.

    SFAW

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Seeing as I am not a member of the HoR

    Why the hell not? Is your current Representative a Dem? If not: start shaking hands and kissing babes, dagnabit!

  54. 54.

    Kristine

    I think I read in an earlier thread that you wanted to know about those pop-up “You’re a Winner” ads showing up while on site. I got hit by several this morning. I’d open BJ, read a paragraph or two, and then Ta-Da!

    iPhone 5, latest iOS, on Safari. I cleared out cookies, caches, etc, but haven’t gone back to see if it worked. On the laptop now.

  55. 55.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @SFAW:

    Is your current Representative a Dem?

    Here in the heart of Ozarkistan? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. gasp…. wheeze…. What’re you trying to do, kill me?

    If not: start shaking hands and kissing babes,

    Obviously, you’ve never seen the hands I’d have to shake or the babies I’d have to kiss.

  61. 61.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Kristine: At the recommendation of people here, I installed Ad Blocker on the phone. Once I got the settings right, that killer ad stopped and has t been back.

  63. 63.

    NotMax

    @SFAW

    shaking hands and kissing babies

    Or vice versa.

    :)

    @Porky Pine

    Yup, that’s the event. Give it a robust B+ overall. Was impressed by the discipline of the direction. Understand a few liberties were taken with the actual history, but that’s show biz.

  64. 64.

    OzarkHillbilly

    California agencies fought fires on federal land. Now Trump won’t pay in full

    As California prepares to enter wildfire season, the Trump administration is holding back millions of dollars in requested reimbursement to local fire agencies for battling wildfires on federal lands last year.

    After the most destructive and expensive season on record, California issued a $72m reimbursement request for local firefighting efforts on federal lands. Rather than reimburse the local agencies in full, the US forest service audited the agreement that made this exchange possible and is now withholding $9m.

    “A local fire department doesn’t budget to go help the US forest service,” said Brian Marshall, fire chief for the state office of emergency services. “You pay it up front, expecting reimbursement. If you don’t get the money, a fire chief’s job could be in jeopardy because then they’re operating in the red and the elected officials start asking the tough questions. And that’s unacceptable.”

    According to the forest service, the audit was prompted by a 2017 letter from the director of the state office of emergency services that criticized the forest service’s reimbursement practices. In a statement, the forest service claimed the money was being withheld because the agency did not receive “documentation that substantiate[s] actual expenses”. “Our intentions are to fully reimburse the state of California for all of their actual expenses,” the forest service said.

    But California and the forest service had been operating under agreements like this since 1961, Marshall said, and this was the first time the forest service had required extra documentation for bills that had already been submitted.

  67. 67.

    SFAW

    @NotMax:

    shaking hands and kissing babies

    I realize they spell things differently in Hawaiiiaiaiililiuokalanikamehameha, but that’s not what I wrote

  69. 69.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @NotMax:

    Understand a few liberties were taken with the actual history, but that’s show biz.

    No! Say it ain’t so!

  74. 74.

    OzarkHillbilly

    A promise unfulfilled: water pipeline stops short for Sioux reservation

    Up until late last year, Ella Coleman, a diminutive, soft-spoken Oglala Sioux grandmother who lives in one of the hundreds of mobile homes on the semi-arid plains of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, lacked running water.

    Sometimes, she received water deliveries by truck. Other times, she drove to a community spigot, where she filled buckets and hauled them in her minivan. At home, she ladled water from the buckets for cooking and bathing.

    Finally, last fall, a not-for-profit, Running Strong for American Indian Youth, connected her home to the water pipeline. But this advance happened five years after the federal government had supposedly finished its $470m share of a pipeline project that many tribal leaders, bureaucrats and politicians promised as a solution to chronic water problems on this impoverished reservation in south-west South Dakota.

    Coleman’s struggle is emblematic of the mixed results from the Mni Wiconi pipeline, a name that incorporates a Lakota Sioux phrase often translated as “water is life”. The system’s 5,000 miles of underground pipes serve a 12,500-sq-mile area that encompasses one-sixth of South Dakota.

    Although the project can deliver up to 20m gallons of potable water daily to an estimated 52,000 people – about one-fourth of them white, and the rest Native American – it has been beset by overspending and incompletion. The unfinished parts happen to be at the tribal ends of the pipeline and have become another example of unfulfilled promises by the federal government to indigenous people.

    Despite 25 years of construction that cost nearly a half-billion dollars, only about half of the water delivered by the Mni Wiconi system to the Pine Ridge Reservation is derived from the Missouri River. The rest comes from the reservation’s own wells, which were incorporated in the project to save money.

    …………………….

    Meanwhile, the 15 predominantly white communities and scores of politically connected white ranchers who are served by the Mni Wiconi pipeline have reaped its full benefits. All the water flowing through Mni Wiconi pipes to those users is from the Missouri River, and their pipeline connections are funded by fees they pay to a not-for-profit, the West River/Lyman-Jones Rural Water System.

  75. 75.

    Kay

    Lansing — The powerful DeVos family of West Michigan is ending its longtime support of U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, the libertarian Republican who has repeatedly clashed with President Donald Trump.
    The family has not made any political contributions to Amash this cycle, and “they have no plans to do so,” said family spokesman Nick Wasmiller.

    If your family had a “family spokesperson” who would it be? :)

  79. 79.

    SFAW

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    When I wrote this

    I’d ask if there was NO petty/asshole thing they wouldn’t do, but I know the answer.

    I was not really asking for a “hold my beer” moment.

  82. 82.

    Soprano2

    @OzarkHillbilly: We’re getting pounded with heavy rain this morning. We’ve had an average of over 6″ in the last week, so the flooding is probably going to be bad. Three people were killed in Golden City by a tornado on the 8th anniversary of the Joplin tornado. As for the tornado hitting the Capitol while the lege was in session, and the Republicans claiming it was “fake news”, we couldn’t be that lucky, could we? Of course, you know they’d be replaced by people who are just as bad as the ones who are there now. I’m lucky, my rep is Crystal Quade, who’s the Minority Leader in the House. She’s a rising star in the MO Democratic party, for what that’s worth.

  83. 83.

    NotMax

    @Kay

    It has to be a family member.

    No thanks, then. In that case I’m perfectly capable of saying “No comment” all on my lonesome.

    This family goes together like liver and ice cream.

    ;)

  84. 84.

    Kay

    @NotMax:

    I bet you already have one. Maybe two competing ones. My family of origin has one (not me) who sort of says the consensus and is diplomatic then another who is believes she is the spokesperson, but is more contentious so probably wouldn’t be chosen.

  86. 86.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Seems clear to me that David Cicilline of my neighboring district (RI-1) is being actively groomed for leadership. Not that I’d call him “young” at 57, but he’s younger than Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn. That he’s been openly gay for many years doesn’t hurt his cred with the youngs either.

  87. 87.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Kay:

    If your family had a “family spokesperson” who would it be?

    Ervin Wannabuck.

    ETA or maybe Immal a-Djusted

  90. 90.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    @Gin & Tonic: Right. In Jeffries, Luhan, and Bustos (the three younger members of the leadership team), you have African American, Hispanic, and female too. So the nature of the Democratic coalition (and the country) is also being recognized.

  93. 93.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @SFAW: That is one you can’t hang around the trump admins neck as the Feds completed their $470 million “share” of it 5 years ago. There is a very telling line later in the article:

    “We couldn’t get the money if it was just going to serve whites,” acknowledged Larry Pressler, Republican of South Dakota, a former congressman and senator.

    The decision to fully fund the tribal portion stemmed from a federal mandate to protect a reservation’s water supply, a responsibility rooted in treaties from the 1800s.

    Breaking treaties with NA tribes is just how we roll.

  95. 95.

    Kay

    Donald J. Trump
    ‏Verified account
    @realDonaldTrump
    Follow Follow @realDonaldTrump
    More
    Rex Tillerson, a man who is “dumb as a rock” and totally ill prepared and ill equipped to be Secretary of State, made up a story (he got fired) that I was out-prepared by Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Hamburg, Germany. I don’t think Putin would agree. Look how the U.S. is doing!

    The problem is the inner circle criticisms of Trump are completely believable, based on what we observe. You know he doesn’t prepare for meetings. Do they have to keep his speeches under the records act? That rant he wrote yesterday in Sharpie with the misspelled words becomes part of the Trump archives? I hope so.

  98. 98.

    MomSense

    @rikyrah:

    Tactically it is idiotic to keep going after Pelosi and Democrats. Even if they do impeach trump, McConnell will exonerate him in the Senate. All the focus on Democrats means McConnell is getting away with his bullshit as usual.

    These angry progressives should be asking McConnell about trump’s obstruction and other high crimes every minute of every day.

    It’s the same kind of tactical failures progressive activists made consistently while Obama was president.

  101. 101.

    Cermet

    @OzarkHillbilly: Amazing how very few people connect the dots on this aspect of AGW, Thanks to doubt, destruction of local habitat and associated food shortages in the shorter run, AGW will help bring in right-wing loons being elected/installed into power. Wait till the heat makes truly vast regions of the world uninhabitable – then, I’m afraid, the center will not hold.

  102. 102.

    MomSense

    @Kay:

    It would have to be my youngest kid. He’s able to be calm and diplomatic. My oldest would probably raise one eyebrow, tell everyone they are idiots, and walk away. My middle son would probably crack jokes and be infuriatingly sarcastic. I have a disqualifying eyeroll. I can’t stand willfully stupid.

  103. 103.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Kay:

    That rant he wrote yesterday in Sharpie with the misspelled words becomes part of the Trump archives?

    He uses a sharpie? I thought it was crayons.

  106. 106.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Cermet: Nothing brings out the terror filled inner xenophobic like desperate people who don’t look or sound like everybody else one knows, knocking at the door.

  107. 107.

    Kay

    @MomSense:

    It’s hard. There’s always splits in the D party. I read that Biden is at 50% in Florida – his entire edge over the other candidates comes from voters over 50. They’re more influential not because they’re more centrist but because they vote at much higher rates.

  108. 108.

    japa21

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: I believe I heard Pelosi say yesterday that 18 of the new representatives chair sub-committees, something unheard of in the past. They are working hard to develop new leadership.

  110. 110.

    VOR

    @Kay: And who picked Tillerson to be SecState, Donny? Someone needs to keep a tally of Trump appointees who he later disses as stupid or incompetent. Add in the ones who resigned under an ethical cloud like Pruitt and Zinke. The point needs to be made to the people not paying attention that Trump only picks the worst people.

  111. 111.

    Kay

    @MomSense:

    It would be my daughter. She has a calm center and she’s kind. My youngest could also pull it off, although he’s the youngest so they probably wouldn’t let him. He’s likeable enough, Hillary.
    Everyone would say “they’re so nice” which would not be true :)

  114. 114.

    OzarkHillbilly

    University of St Thomas kicked out of conference for winning too much

    The private Catholic liberal arts university has about 6,200 undergraduates, double the enrollment of the next-closest schools in the league. The Tommies have won 12 consecutive MIAC all-sports trophies on both the men’s and women’s side, based on conference finish in each event.

    The school’s powerhouse football team has enjoyed outsized success under head coach Glenn Caruso, winning six MIAC titles since 2010 and reaching the D-III national championship game in 2012 and 2015.

    “After extensive membership discussions, the University of St Thomas will be involuntarily removed from membership in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference,” the league said in a statement. “The MIAC Presidents’ Council cites athletic competitive parity in the conference as a primary concern. St Thomas will begin a multi-year transition immediately and meanwhile is eligible to compete as a full member of the MIAC through the end of spring 2021.”

    They’re taking notes from trump’s twitter feed: “We’re not losers, you’re the loser!!!”

  115. 115.

    Spanky

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    It is safe to say, Hoyer is where he is because a majority of DEMs in the House voted to put him there. Why did they? Because Nancy wanted him? Because he’s good at raising money for others? Because he gives the best foot rubs ever?

    shrug I’ll never know.

    Having had Hoyer as my rep ever since he rode in over the comatose body of Gladys Spellman (1981. Yeesh), I will tell you that you actually gave the one visible reason. He brings the cash, and he spreads it around, er, liberally.

    And there’s no danger of him being primaried by anyone with a real shot at throwing him out, the Maryland Democratic machine being what it is. Everyone considering a continued career in politics around here knows they’d be cut dead should they try it.

    Now you know.

  116. 116.

    Kay

    @VOR:

    I read that that the entire Trump Family are going to the UK for the presidential visit. Gross. They don’t even try not to be horrible. Why don’t any of them have careers? Normal people can’t just leave their jobs/careers for three years and no one even notices. They’re by definition non-essential in whatever the fuck their “private sector” activities are.

  117. 117.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @OzarkHillbilly: Part of Trump gang not supporting concept of federal lands/parks/monuments? Just don’t pay (reimburse)for up-keep/maintenance?

  119. 119.

    Kay

    @Immanentize:

    Oh, that’s funny. When he gets older he’ll imitate you, in front of you, and laugh. I (apparently) told my kids they were “selfish” a lot, which sounds like me. They were! Someone had to tell them. They improved thanks to this very loving observation :)

  121. 121.

    Bex

    @Satby: I listened to the podcast and recommend it. Dumbshit is part of the commentary after (both sides, you know) but you can opt out of that if you want.

  122. 122.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Spanky:

    He brings the cash, and he spreads it around, er, liberally.

    One should never underestimate the value of money in politics. It always factors in.

  126. 126.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Lujan is on his way out of the House. He’s running for an unexpectedly open Senate seat (Udall is not re-upping), so he’ll either be in the Senate or unemployed in 2020. NM Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver is also running in the Democratic primary for Senate. I don’t have any good indication yet of their relative statewide strength.

    You will be surprised to hear that the primary candidates on the Republican side are loons.

  128. 128.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Baud: NDA, won 45% of the vote. Military chest thumping after the ambush attack in Pulwama seems to have helped.

    ETA: Modi lies with impunity and it is strategic lies unlike you know who.

  129. 129.

    Kay

    Dave Weigel
    ‏Verified account
    @daveweigel
    3m3 minutes ago
    More
    Prodded by @costareports on how he’d face Trump in a debate, Buttigieg is going in on Trump’s Vietnam-era deferment. “I have a pretty dim view of him using his privilege and faking a disability… if he were a conscientious objector, I’d admire that.”

    Biden had deferment(s) too. Just so you know!

  131. 131.

    NotMax

    @OzarkHillbilly</a.
    @    OzarkHillbilly
    From an article on avoiding the freshman 15:

    Grab a salad plate rather than a dinner plate — you’re likely to eat less while still feeling satisfied when you eat from a smaller plate.

    Next, fill half your plate with veggies — whether from the salad bar, hot bar or both. Fill a quarter of your plate with lean protein like grilled chicken or baked fish, and the last quarter of your plate with whole grains, like brown rice or whole wheat bread.

    Once you’ve made your plate, don’t go back for seconds (unless you’re grabbing veggies like carrots to munch on), and skip the dessert bar in lieu of hot tea and a piece of fruit to take back to your dorm.

    Yeah, right. Pull the other one.

  133. 133.

    danielx

    “I think Bill Barr has all the duplicity of Rudy Giuliani without all the good looks and general likability of Rudy Guliani,”

    Ooh, that has to sting.

  136. 136.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax: one of the great freedoms of going away to college is eating whatever you want, whenever you want it. In the Immp’s case, I would welcome 15 more pounds on his frame.

  141. 141.

    Leto

    @rikyrah: From the article:

    The memo was shared widely inside the Pentagon but was sent to key lawmakers only after inquiries by The Post. It outlines a half-dozen guidelines, including requirements that military officials and political appointees evaluate whether the request “contains sufficient information to demonstrate a relationship to the legislative function.”

    It’s funny how this memo and Trumpov’s lawyers are parroting the same line with regard to “legislative function”, as if oversight isn’t part of Congress’ function. Just legislation.

    Fascist gonna fascist.

    @VOR: The Russians. That was part of the Mueller Report.

    @Immanentize: I gave my son my own special magic 8-ball for all of his bad decisions. All the pyramid sides say: No, don’t do that! :)

  142. 142.

    James E Powell

    @Betty Cracker:

    Nationalism/wingnuttery is still selling like hotcakes worldwide.

    I think it might be because nobody else is selling anything else.

  147. 147.

    The Moar You Know

    If your family had a “family spokesperson” who would it be? :)

    @Kay: I should preface this by saying I was the family black sheep for decades. And yet I’m pretty sure it would be me, and that choice would be unanimous.

  149. 149.

    Leto

    @Immanentize: You know, I bet that they do as some type of good gag gift! I’m walking to the coffee shop here soon but I’ll check it out and report back. Grats on the Immps graduation! Are you guys doing anything special to celebrate?

  150. 150.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax:
    The “duh!” One — yes I did! I also got him a fancy ember mug which keeps his tea at a constant temp. Low and high tech together is his favorite pairing. Example — he has a super gaming computer set up, but insists on a mechanical keyboard. Click click click all night long.

  151. 151.

    James E Powell

    @Baud:

    I don’t think people will care about Trump’s deferments. But what do I know?

    It was obvious that George W Bush used his family’s influence to stay out of Vietnam, but the press/media promoted & gave free air time to Republicans who mocked his combat veteran opponent, called him a traitor and a coward. So, no, the people who vote Republican do not care whether their favorite bigot served in the military.

  152. 152.

    schrodingers_cat

    Shiv Sena, BJP’s ally retains the South Mumbai (my old home) seat.
    Pragya Singh, saffron clad terrorist who said Gandhi’s assassin was a patriot beats Digvijay Singh.
    Its terrible news all round.

  153. 153.

    James E Powell

    @schrodingers_cat:

    The opposition needed to unite and they didn’t so its going to be a landslide victory in spite of getting only 45% of the vote.

    This is my 2020 nightmare, several times each week.

  154. 154.

    Immanentize

    @Leto: His grandpa and uncle are coming from Texas. My Mom is not (she just took a header and broke her glasses so we will be going to upstate NY to see her soon.). He wants no party, so maybe a nice dinner out. Or, if he is busy, I will have a barbq and he can run wild with his friends.

  155. 155.

    Immanentize

    @James E Powell:
    Our ‘left’ will never fully unite but I think marginally we already see a result like the post-Nader effects. If 9/11 hadn’t happened, Bush was already on his way to 1 term failure.

  156. 156.

    Leto

    @Immanentize: That sounds like a good time! Glad your mom is ok. Just do the BBQ and set him free with his friends. They’ll appreciate the food and later running wild :)

    As promised: Custom Magic 8-Ball. Relatively inexpensive, don’t know how fast they can ship. Enjoy!

  157. 157.

    The Moar You Know

    Internal memo orders military to restrict information it shares with Congress

    @rikyrah: This made me laugh my ass off. Of all the things that won’t be obeyed, this is the top of the pile.

    If the military doesn’t talk to Congress, then the military can’t sell their awesome operations and get that sweet, sweet cash and we can’t do the service retirement -> contractor dance that keeps the entire defense industry neck-deep in money.

  159. 159.

    tobie

    @Leto: Yeah, I’ve noticed that every time the Trump admin refuses to honor subpoenas or document requests, they say it’s because the request doesn’t have any legislative purpose. IANAL but I wonder if they’re preparing to challenge the constitutionality of the statute that gives the House the authority to request tax returns from the IRS on the grounds that it is too broad and that conditions need to be attached to such authority. No doubt Alito, Thomas, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch would line up behind some version of the argument.

  160. 160.

    The Moar You Know

    If 9/11 hadn’t happened, Bush was already on his way to 1 term failure.

    @Immanentize: People forget that. If you’d asked me in early September 2001 if Bush would be re-elected, I’d have laughed in your face. He was done.

    And then he wasn’t.

  161. 161.

    tobie

    @Immanentize: I hope your mother is recovering! What a pity she can’t be there for the graduation in person but it sounds like your son doesn’t want pomp and circumstance, just family love which he’ll get in spades. Enjoy the day.

  162. 162.

    NotMax

    @Immanentize

    Cool.

    Recently purchased a duo of mugs (a href=”https://www.amazon.com/HTML-Coffee-Funny-Computer-Programming/dp/B00D61UHOY”>#1 – #2) as a gift for a techie couple. She’s a coffee maven, he’s a tea drinker.

  164. 164.

    The Moar You Know

    He brings the cash, and he spreads it around, er, liberally.

    @Spanky: This is why Duncan Hunter kept getting reelected and why his kid might lose to a Palestinian in one of the most racist and xenophobic districts in the United States. The old man knew to how to spread the money around. Junior is too busy playing video games and drinking himself into blackouts to bother. That shit matters.

  165. 165.

    Gin & Tonic

    More good news from here. Having just completed his Master’s, my son took the opportunity to propose marriage to his girlfriend yesterday, and she (unsurprisingly) accepted. Here’s hoping for years (decades?) of happiness, but more immediately, that this alleviates some concerns about her visa status – although, as schrodinger’s cat has pointed out many times, with this administration *nothing* is certain, even when it should be.

  167. 167.

    Chris Johnson

    @rikyrah:

    Internal memo orders military to restrict information it shares with Congress

    That said, we know Trump and some of his cronies work directly with Russia, which threw the last Presidential election and doubtless has ambitions of what it intends to do with us.

    We don’t know how many Congresscritters are also working directly with Russia, we only know which ones Paul Ryan thought were working directly with Russia, plus we know his attitude about that, which speaks loudly about what sort of attitudes hold sway over there.

    I think it’s possible that some people (including in the military) are jockeying for position w.r.t eventually rebelling against the traitors. That would be a good sign, if it’s that. Well… a medium good sign? The military isn’t supposed to be a fourth branch of government. But some of our branches are badly compromised. If them pulling away and showing independence means they’d say ‘fuck you’ to an attempt by Trump at waging war for political reasons (or at the behest of Putin), I’d want them to be independent enough for that.

  169. 169.

    Immanentize

    @tobie:
    I’m not so sure that those four are ready to completely go all in on an Imperial Presidency like that. The statue was passed by Congress and signed by a President! It demonstrates agreement between the two other branches. Really hard for the Courts to strike down such statutes. Not impossible, but really hard. And taxation is clearly part of the spending power which is expressly in the constitution as a Congressional power.

    I think the pro-Executive power right wing has a horrible dilemma:. They want to increase presidential power at the expense of the legislative branch, but the current president is such an obvious crook and danger to the Union that every act they might have taken when Obama was President will look like rank partisan hackery. And then, also, Trump may well not be president in 18 months, so all that power would go to his successor.

  171. 171.

    Leto

    @tobie: I can see that happening. What recent SCROTUS ruling was it where they reversed a 50 year precedent and Breyer wrote, basically, “I wonder what they will reverse next?” People see the immediate challenge being Roe (wholly understandable) but you have other potential challenges that nobody expects until they’re on SCROTUS’ doorstep. A law that’s been on the books for almost 100 years to help combat corruption in the executive/government overall? Nope, can’t have that.

    Also wrt that draft memo in the IRS, I’m still waiting for Trumpov to assert executive privilege on his returns. I’m surprised he hasn’t done that yet.

    Again, Rethugs are perfectly fine with authoritarian/totalitarian rule. This is their norm.

  174. 174.

    tobie

    @Immanentize: I hope you’re right. You’ve got expertise. @Leto and I are cynics when it comes to this Supreme Court.

    As it’s graduation season, I thought I’d share an upbeat story about the first college graduation ceremony at an IL state prison:

    @LtGovStratton
    ??‍?THREAD: One week ago today, I spoke at an incredibly powerful and moving #graduation for 7 men in @ArtsPrison/@NEIU’s “University Without Walls.” Dr. Angela Davis was the keynote. @chancetherapper performed.

    The ceremony was at Stateville Correctional Center. #Classof2019

    Prison for inmates–YES!!!

  175. 175.

    Leto

    @NotMax: I appreciate at the 38-41 second marks, Jack Lemmon spinning the cello and continuing to play it… backwards.

    Acting! :)

    @Immanentize: I really want to believe that. Things making me doubt: the recent SCROTUS ruling I mentioned above (which isn’t a one off with this new court) and the lower federal court packing McConnell has done for the past two years of wholly incompetent Federalist Society approved hacks. But here’s hoping you’re right.

  176. 176.

    Immanentize

    Damn. There are two more threads up and I want all y’all’s help creating a custom Magic 8 Ball….

    LetO gets first panel:
    Don’t do that!

    I’m adding:
    Really!? NO

    Suggestions? Must be less than 30 characters

  177. 177.

    Immanentize

    @Leto:
    The lower court packing is bad, but not as bad as people suggest. It is mostly replacement of Republican judges (Reagan, Bush and bush) who retired with some left over Obama slots. Not permanently destructive like the Sup. CT

  178. 178.

    Immanentize

    @Leto:

    executive privilege on his returns. I’m surprised he hasn’t done that yet.

    He can’t have this privilege WRT his returns before he was President, and another IRS practice since Nixon requires an audit of sitting Presidents. “I am not a crook….”

  180. 180.

    Citizen Alan

    @Immanentize:

    I remember that in the aftermath of Bush v. Gore, once I got over my initial outrage over the decision, I decided it might end up being a good thing. I predicted (correctly) that no one on SCOTUS would leave during Shrub’s first term. And I predicted (correctly) that Shrub and his administration would be utterly incompetent. I thought that after 4 years of incompetent mendacity, “Clinton fatigue” would fade and either Gore or someone else would win easily in 2004. That’s what made 9/11 trutherism so seductive. I never thought that Shrub et al were competent enough to pull off such a conspiracy, but I also never doubted that they would try if it gave them more political power.

    I flirted with anti-vaxxerism during the Bush regime for the same reason. At the time, Andrew Wakefield had not yet been debunked as a fraud. But more importantly, Shrub shut down a lot of FDA testing and put the drug manufacturers on a self-policing program, and it’s not like they wouldn’t be willing to poison children if it were profitable enough.

  183. 183.

    Leto

    @Immanentize: Finally at the coffee shop! I wouldn’t be as worried about the replacements if we didn’t have the Federalist Societies heavy handed/outsized influence. On top of that, recent confirmations like Wendy Vitter (who wouldn’t answer if Brown v Board was correctly decided) goes back to Kay’s point of they’re all the worst quality hires. And she’s not the only one. It’s a troubling pattern that we’ll get to see how they play out over the next 40-50 years (ffs… that is so sad).

    Regarding executive privilege: I know that presidential tax returns since Nixon are mandatory audits, but I expect him to simply claim EP as another stall tactic so the courts can take X amount of time to say, no, that’s incorrect. Stall/delay/obstruct. His professional MO since forever.

    @OzarkHillbilly: That’s a classic NCO mantra that I’ve used before. Perfect! :)

  184. 184.

    raven

    We went to this birthday gig last week and they have a live band with friends doing the singing. This year the theme was “One Hit Wonders” and it was mostly stuff way out of my wheel house/ I vaguely remember “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blonde but the crowd wen nuts and the ladies singing it did too!

    What’s Going on!

    Apparently it is a gay national anthem too!

  185. 185.

    Kristine

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: Thanks–I’ll have to give that a shot.

    In other news, the Reply button doesn’t work in Safari/laptop. It hasn’t for a while. If it works/doesn’t work for other folks, I’d love to know.

    In other other news, the “You’re a Winner” ad returned even after clearing cache/cookies.

    That said, happy with whatever the website mavens come up with. The only thing I asked about was notification if someone responded to one of my comments, and that’s a no-go. Other than that, whatever works.

  186. 186.

    J R in WV

    @Leto:

    Also wrt that draft memo in the IRS, I’m still waiting for Trumpov to assert executive privilege on his returns. I’m surprised he hasn’t done that yet.

    I wondered about that, and puzzled at it until I realized it seems impossible, as Trump wasn’t President when all those forms were filed, he was just a cheezy real estate crook! So, no judge will uphold executive privilage for stuff Trump did prior to being inaugurated. Makes sense?

    ETA: I see I’m not the first to suggest that timing issue!

  188. 188.

    Leto

    @J R in WV: Very late reply, but I did understand that. I’m simply surprised that he hasn’t pushed through on that regardless. Considering the amount of lawlessness his entire administration is undertaking, simply surprised that he hasn’t tried that. I think most of us here understand why that wouldn’t hold up, but that doesn’t mean he won’t give it the old bone-spur try!

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