for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
debbie
Very timely this year.
JGabriel
Declaration of Independence:
I think a modern declaration of independence from Trump (or articles of impeachment) would have to leave out the phrase manly firmness – otherwise it might give the defense an opportunity to fight the charge unless it can be proved that Trump has a prescription for ED.
Plus, you just know that Trump would go around the country crowing, “Even my enemies say I have a manly firmness!”
bluefish
Thank you, Adam. Heartbroken for my country. Onwards and upwards. This guy begs for that wall on the regular. I say we are that wall and I hope that we bear up under the strain. Eternal vigilance, price of freedom … etc etc. Happy Independence Day!
SiubhanDuinne
Ain’t that the truth.
ETA: Oops, sorry, Debbie! But the words do resonate down the centuries, don’t they?
HeleninEire
Thank you, Adam. This is great
Especially that you broke it up. Thank you.
Also, too I am on my second free whiskey (not a whiskey drinker) at Bruxilles. A pub in central Dublin that is serving free whiskey to anyone with an American passport.
I have one of those!
JGabriel
I have to confess I’m beginning to think that secession, followed by a “United Democratic Republic of New England & New York,” might be a good idea. (New Jersey and Maryland, you’re welcome to join us too.)
Edited to Add: Alternately, I suppose we could petition Canada to let us join them.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
Apparently, if you go onto one of Posobiec’s assholish tweets and refer to some idiot post extolling the potential candidacy of Ivanka Trump with the single epithet “whore”, MAGAt Pepe people have some line in to the Twitter PTB for suspension. I was promised a suspension this afternoon, and it happened. I’m guessing the angered twit is a twitter employee.
That site is a shithole.
debbie
@HeleninEire:
By any chance, is anyone over there plotting to invade America and ridding us of this pustulous pestilence?
Mary G
JAFD
Glorious Fourth to everyone !
I’ll be 68 later this month. If you will be so kind to listen to an old man babble for a while…
Told that in ’52, was sitting in my high chair, was asked “What day is today ?”
“‘Lection day, Mommy”
“And who are we going to vote for ?”
“Ike and Mamie.”
Have learned more since then.
Remember going in with the lines at the first polio vaccinations, told “It hurts, you’re a big boy, you won’t cry, and have a lollipop.” And walking out, feeling the sense of relief, almost glowing from my parents. (The five top innovations of my lifetime: vaccines, epoxy glue, acrylic paint, small computers and the internet)
Getting up the afternoon after my senior prom, walking to the Pennsylvania RR station to see RFK’s funeral train pass.
Nixon and Agnew – they were as subversive of American ideals as Trump, and they were _competent_
The ’18 year old vote amendment’ was ratified between the ’71 Pennsylvania primary and my 21st birthday. Can count the number of elections I’ve missed since then on one hand.
The USA – and the world – have improved in my lifetime. “Say not the struggle naught availeth”
And remember what the coach said, when they showed him the robot quarterback…
“This, too, shall pass.”
(And WordPress remembers my nym again)
The Ancient Randonneur
@HeleninEire:
Whiskey. OK, I surrender. Where do I submit my application?
Yarrow
I just got back in from digging ditches. Nothing says Fourth of July like digging out ditches in the pouring rain. Fun!
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: What the hell is Ivanka supposedly thinking about running for? Cellblock Rep in the prison she gets sent to?
@JGabriel: Breaking up the US to weaken America’s power and influence is a goal of both Russia and China. Secession movements are funded by Russia.
HeleninEire
@debbie: I wish. They all hate him, but we are a peaceful people. Last Christmas was having dinner with a friend and one of her friends who I had never met. She called Trump “a genius” (and not ironically). I started to argue and then I stopped. It was Christmas. I stopped not for her but for me.
Curious to know what she thinks now.
Felony Govt
These posts are great, Adam. I swing back and forth wildly between complete despair, and hope and pride. I hope that we will throw off the tyrant yet again and that I will live to see it- fingers crossed- I’m 64.
NotMax
@HeleninEire
“Pay no attention to this Thermos bottle I’m carrying. Another whiskey, please.”
;)
HeleninEire
@The Ancient Randonneur: Haven’t you heard? Or maybe you have. Applications to be Helen’s EU spouse can be submitted to Balloon Juice. John Cole will determine the first cut. Baud will then determine the second cut and then send me the applications.
Both Cole and Baud will get a cut on the entrance fee.
Good luck to you.
Steve in the ATL
@HeleninEire: “A pub in central Dublin that is serving free whiskey to anyone with an American passport.”
You don’t recognize a set up this obvious? You are getting rolled later!
HeleninEire
@NotMax: Stop telling, you narc!!
Steve in the ATL
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: have you tried “hoar”?
NotMax
@JAFD
Would add affordable microwave ovens suitable for home use to the list.
Steve in the ATL
@JGabriel: you don’t want any part of Canada—their executive has been accused of sexual harassment
Mary G
HeleninEire
@JAFD: Happy 68th (almost) Birthday. Come back on the actual day and we will smother you with love. And thank you for your post.
? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?
@Yarrow:
What pisses me off is the Russian state media. I saw on Twitter an exchange between a Ukrainian and Russian hosts on state tv. He criticized them for their calling Trump a hero one moment and then vilifying him the next. The Russian replied that, “He isn’t a hero, he’s just OURS.”
Doesn’t matter who gets hurt as result of their meddling or the long-term future of humanity. It’s all a game to these people. I despise them for willingly working for an evil regime as much I hate Putin.
Haroldo
@HeleninEire: What’s your stance on bigamy? (Asking for my married friends.)
The Ancient Randonneur
@HeleninEire:
Is possible to buy my way into the second round? I don’t know if I want to trust that much personal information to a guy who publicly admitted to mopping in the nude.
JPL
@Steve in the ATL: I’ll volunteer to visit just to see how safe it is. I’ll also promise to send word back to let all of you know.
Ian
@JGabriel:
In the context of that sentence it is the House’s that have the manly firmness. Sure bet to piss him off.
JPL
@JAFD: Just a baby. I’ll be turning 69 in a few weeks. We’ll celebrate on the 14th though, because we will all go vote for Kevin Abel, and then have lunch, or brunch.
HeleninEire
@Haroldo: LOL. I have no stance on bigamy. Do whatever you want. But for this purpose Ireland will recognize only one spouse.
And can I once again brag my ass off? Ireland was the first country in the world to approve same sex marriage by a popular vote!!
HeleninEire
@The Ancient Randonneur: LOL. I hear you. Let’s see where the bids are going into the second round.
zhena gogolia
@JGabriel:
I thought the “manly firmness” referred to those opposing him.
zhena gogolia
@JAFD:
Thanks for this.
The Ancient Randonneur
@HeleninEire:
Hope springs eternal!
JAFD
@HeleninEire: Thanks, very much!
It may be noted that my father’s mother was born in County Mayo. A decade or two ago I got most of the paperwork to apply for Irish citizenship together, never got the time and money to finish the process, lost stuf in cellar flood. If some young lady (‘young’ from my point of view covers a lot of territory ;-) ) wants to subsidize the re-gathering and notarizing …..
HeleninEire
@JAFD: OH MY. Are you calling me a young lady? Compared to you, maybe. Oh thank you.
Baud
@HeleninEire:
Phrasing!
JPL
@HeleninEire: Some how I missed that you returned to Dublin.
Baud
What’s going on with these time stamps? Why are you guys in the future?
Martin
To quote from another commenter elsewhere:
SiubhanDuinne
@JGabriel:
I don’t think “manly firmness” refers to King George/Trump. I think it refers to the Representative Houses that “opposed with manly firmness.”
Martin
@Baud: We figured the best way to get you elected was to go into the future, see what did and didn’t work, and then come back and self-correct.
Mike in NC
I think Stormy Daniels had a few things to say about Fat Bastard’s manly firmness (or lack thereof).
Adam L Silverman
@Baud: Something funky is going on with the clone tool. I cloned all of these posts as I did them last year. So far all of them have posted without dragging last year’s comments along. THis one, however, did. Also, for some reason, they’re not going out on Cole’s twitter feed.
debbie
@Baud:
You’re not half as confused as I was! “Why don’t I remember posting that just now???”
Mnemosyne
Here in the present (2019), TCM will be broadcasting 1776 tonight at 7:15 pm PDT / 10:15 pm EDT. I think it’s the most recent director’s cut, which is very good and moves along at a snappy pace.
Baud
@Adam L Silverman:
Oh, shit. I’m responding to last year’s comments. Hahaha. I looked at the time and not the year.
Plato
So, how is needy amin’s day going?
JPL
@Baud: lol So where’s Helen?
Baud
@debbie:
I remember wondering how there was a brand new post with so many comments already.
I just had an eerie thought. What if one of the cloned commenters had been someone we lost in the last year?
Yikes!
JPL
If I read the comments, I’d realize that it was last years because I’m not going to be 69 in two weeks.
Haroldo
@Haroldo:
You are posting in my name. Or there are two Haroldos. (I’ve been principally lurking and infrequently commenting for years.)
Is there a mechanism to solve this?
@HeleninEire:
I assure you I would not have been so forward.
Baud
@Haroldo:
We’re doing the time warp again.
Baud
@Haroldo:
Sit down. I’ve got some bad news for you.
Baud
@JPL:
Happy 70th!
JPL
This is comical. Back to the future.
Plato
Time warp. Only on effing bj.
JPL
@Haroldo: Look at the date on the comment.
Adam L Silverman
@Haroldo: That’s your comment from last year. Apologies for the confusion. I used the clone tool Alain built, which normally does not malfunction, so I could easily reup these for this years. The first four of these did not drag along last year’s comments. This one, for some bizarre reason did. None of them are also going out as new post tweets on Cole’s feed. With Alain’s guidance I’ve just gone in and made some adjustments and that will hopefully fix things going forward. Sorry for any confusion.
debbie
@Adam L Silverman:
I never get to be first, so this is a nice Independence Day gift.
Haroldo
@Baud:
Oh, dear. Upon reading further downstream, apparently a former me was that forward. My apologies, HeleninErie. (Although there is some value in having no memory, sometimes.)
Plato
Haroldo
@Adam L Silverman:
Thanks. As just made evident, I’m easily confused.
Chris Johnson
@JGabriel: No no, it’s the legislative bodies trying to oppose with manly firmness. He is dissolving them with sluggy oozingness.
So, clearly relevant I guess :) it’s like they wrote it just for him!
(joining a chorus of miscreants all with this correction, it seems)
zhena gogolia
@zhena gogolia:
Someone is posting in my name — I didn’t make these posts!
zhena gogolia
@Adam L Silverman:
Oh, thank God. I thought someone had stolen my nym! Horrors! Or else I couldn’t remember what I’d just written. If it was a year ago that I wrote something I can’t remember, that’s okay!
Baud
This thread is going to be fun. I’m just going to sit back and watch.
JPL
@Baud: Laughter is the best medicine. I wish Helen would show up though. She’s probably in a bar, drinking whiskey.
leeleeFL
@Mary G: That’s delicious, and ridiculous at the same time@
Baud
@JPL:
Agreed.
trollhattan
@Baud:
Admit to being curious so many were jumping into this particular thread. Thyme travel!
mrmoshpotato
@HeleninEire:
Eep! I hope they have a kitchen so a bunch of Yanks aren’t drinking on empty stomachs.
leeleeFL
@Mary G: That’s delicious, and ridiculous at the same time
mrmoshpotato
@trollhattan: Thyme travel?
trollhattan
Local news saying quake was felt in and around Sac, so it really was a decent shaker because that’s pretty darn far away.
I, however, remain oblivious.
Cicadas are firing up so it really does feel like summer.
trollhattan
@mrmoshpotato:
Herbal transportation.
Martin
@trollhattan: Friend of mine is snowboarding at Mammoth (yes, we can sometimes ski on July 4 here in CA) and said they got knocked around pretty good up there.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Martin: That’s really interesting. Sounds true to me.
trollhattan
Brady’s Nightmare and Dallas Sucks are but two NFL-themed beers for your consideration.
TomatoQueen
Distinct sounds of thunder, wind gusting, here in Alexandria at 3:59 pm on 7/4/2019.
trollhattan
@Martin:
I’ll bet. Mammoth itself has had some big quakes (related to the caldera I guess) that had us rocking here in Sac.
Once had a big quake hit while backpacking in the central Sierra–we were in the rack and the ground jumped and rattled, then we listened as rocks cracked and rolled down the mountainsides surrounding our lake basin. That was fun.
ETA Squaw Valley and I think Heavenly in Tahoe are still skiing this week. Fourth largest snowpack on record.
gbbalto
Adam – Thank you for these posts. We need to keep the continual and ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy in our minds and actions always. The founders and framers understood this, even given their own moral issues. We cannot sit back, ever – else we wind up with tyranny.
Thank you for reminding me (and us) of this.
Martin
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Yeah, it’s great comment, and I think it holds up really well.
Martin
@trollhattan: I was camping once in the Sierras when an earthquake hit while we were asleep. Must have been 35 years ago. Wonder if it was the same one?
Same experience – comfort that we were on the ground with nothing but nylon to fall on us. Lots of cool ambient sounds.
Martin
@trollhattan: I figure anytime we have an earthquake and it’s not Mammoth popping off, then we’re good. I’m not sure they think Mammoth will ever pop off again, but if it does, well, it was nice knowing everyone here and elsewhere on this planet.
gbbalto
Cannot edit apparently.
Freedom and democracy are, historically, unnatural conditions. The vast bulk of human history is service to some king or tyrant or warlord. It remains an active fight to prevent the regression.
Phylllis
@Mnemosyne: I have the DVR set. I’m sure the hubby thinks because I haven’t yet watched it today that I’ve missed it for this year. Never!
SectionH
@trollhattan: @Martin:
Definitely a widespread quake then. I felt it all the way down in San Diego. Longish roller with bedroom doors swaying, a pause, and then it resumed briefly. The cats were freaked. I was used to smallish but noticeable shakes up in North County, but hadn’t really noticed anything clearly a quake since moving into the city 5+ years ago.
Mnemosyne
@trollhattan:
We got a good long shake in Burbank. Not super strong, but long enough to make one uneasily remember the Northridge quake.
Mnemosyne
@SectionH:
The USGS site seemed to indicate that there was a 4.something and a 6.something that closely followed on its heels, so it was two separate quakes in the same area only a few minutes apart.
trollhattan
@SectionH: @Mnemosyne:
They’re reporting it being felt as far north as Chico, which makes for quite a swath if the southern extent it San Diego!