Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let me file that under fuck it.

“Perhaps I should have considered other options.” (head-desk)

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

How stupid are these people?

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

These are not very smart people, and things got out of hand.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

Giving in to doom is how we fail to fight for ourselves & one another.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

I’m more christian than these people and i’m an atheist.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

This really is a full service blog.

You’re just a puppy masquerading as an old coot.

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

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

White supremacy is terrorism.

You cannot shame the shameless.

America is going up in flames. The NYTimes fawns over MAGA celebrities. No longer a real newspaper.

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Tuesday Evening Open Thread: Power, the People Have…

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GOP: Cue for our Black Guy!

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  4. 4.

    Omnes Omnibus

    84-12?  Didn’t someone recently suggest that 10-15% of Americans aren’t very good people?

  7. 7.

    Brachiator

    The GOP House Caucus is some monochrome muthafuckas. And yet, they keep telling me that Democrats play identity politics.

  8. 8.

    bluehill

    In my made up Trump speech I was going to suggest that the task force be led by Tim Scott, but thought would be too transparent of a pander. Guess not.

  10. 10.

    satby

    Christobal is moving through west of us, bringing high wind gusts and just a smattering of the rain we need. Looking enviously at the radar west of Chicago right now.

  12. 12.

    WaterGirl

    @satby: I still can’t get used to the idea of naming storms that aren’t hurricanes, but that must be what Christobal is.

    We had weird weather today.  Supposed to get hours of rain today, and it did rain on and off, but it would be calm, then really windy for awhile, then calm again, then rain, then wind.  So strange.

  13. 13.

    Villago Delenda Est

    I’ve asked @SenatorTimScott to lead a group that is working on a proposal to allow us to respond to the obvious racial discrimination that we’ve seen on our television screens over the last 2 weeks.

    Moscow Mitch, you realize that you can just fuck the fucking fuck off, right?

  18. 18.

    mrmoshpotato

    OT – Oh Zergshit.  What will happen when I stop wearing boxers…..oh wait, those are women’s underwear, you sexist sacks of clickbait shit.

  19. 19.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Baud:

    Don’t forget abolishing the inheritance tax! It is the sacred right of every rich white scion to inherit the ill-gotten gains of the corrupt father in these United States. That’ll eliminate generational poverty for sure. Somehow. Trust us

  20. 20.

    Ken

    My local library is curbside for a couple more weeks.  It’s OK but I want to browse the new books…

  22. 22.

    Baud

    I’ve been doing ebooks for a while now.  Not as much of a selection, but really convenient.

  23. 23.

    trunk

    @debbie: Will no one rid us of this troublesome Frank Luntz???

    I’ve had some trouble lately reconciling Luntz tweets and the guy from 20 years ago.

  25. 25.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Baud: They pay for themselves – with slashes to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and every other social welfare program.

  28. 28.

    Ken

    This is ‘Beatles on Ed Sullivan’ big.

    Faster than the swing in favor of gay marriage, and much faster than the one away from smoking.  Remember when airplanes and elevators had ashtrays?

  29. 29.

    debbie

    @Ken:

    I’m not planning on going to the library any time soon. I can’t imagine how much COVID-19 will be lying between the pages of the books.

  30. 30.

    Auntie Anne

    I’ve been doing ebooks from the library (Libby app), but that video from the Nashville Public Library is adorable – I think I’ve watched it a dozen times.

  33. 33.

    Baud

    NBC Nightly News is actually doing decent journalism about Trump’s false tweet about the old guy in Buffalo.

  37. 37.

    hitchhiker

    What do you all make of the Lincoln Project guys?

    I’m enjoying the ads & the spectacle of trump’s response. I like the sharpness of the attacks — the way they go right for blood. The new one today is about how trump is finally getting the crowd sizes he’s been yearning for since his inauguration, accompanied by images from protests over the last week or so.

    They’ve launched a podcast called Republicans Defeating Trump; I listened to it while out with the doggo today. It’s a series of interviews with the (male) founders of the LP, in which each of them describes their work history in the party and their realization that it’s become toxic and dangerous.

    One thing that stood out to me is that they were all young men when Reagan came to power. They spoke of those years as if it’s understood that Reagan was a very good man and a pretty good president … and I was out there putting in the miles and  feeling this big cognitive dissonance.

    I’m half a generation older than them, and the word that comes to mind when I hear “Reagan” is “racist.” That’s followed by “AIDS” and “deficit.”

    Anyway, if I put that aside I have to admit I find it refreshing to hear the voices of people who see exactly what I see when looking at the current version of the Republican party even though it’s been the organization where they built long and successful careers.

  43. 43.

    gene108

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Disappointing it’s just about women’s underwear. I read through, and the gist of it is wearing wrong type of panties can lead to more vaginal problems, than going commando.

    I’m not believing the credibility and scientific varsity of their conclusion, though.

  45. 45.

    debbie

    @WaterGirl:

    I’m thinking about getting a Kindle or something similar or maybe just buying the books I want to read and then donating them to the library when I’m done reading them.

  46. 46.

    Ken

    @debbie: I intend to watch the local Fox news tonight just to see how they spin that.

    “Thanks for that update Jeannette, I’m definitely going to try that salad recipe tonight!  And next, you’ve seen them play the piano, but you won’t believe this video of a cat playing the accordion.”

  47. 47.

    Sebastian

    When is Chief Justice Roberts stepping down? I mean, according to him racism is dead and it was A-OK to gut the CRA?

  48. 48.

    WaterGirl

    @Baud: Speaking of iPads, I’m still pissed at the jackal who suggested the new iPad keyboard thing.  I googled, and now I want the new iPad Pro 12.9″ version.

    *Full disclosure, if I were really pissed I might actually remember who mentioned it here, but I do not need to be lusting after new electronic toys.  Especially since my summer client isn’t my summer client this year because of COVID.

    He did not know it, but my summer client was going to pay for my replacement wrap-around deck in front, which I had done before I knew it was a no-go this summer.  But I still want a new toy!

  53. 53.

    Calouste

    The President of Burundi has died, allegedly of COVID-19 (his wife is in the hospital with it). Of course he was denying that the virus was a threat to the country.

  54. 54.

    hitchhiker

    @WaterGirl:

    They don’t pretend otherwise .. but I have to wonder if we’ll witness them producing the same bad faith arguments they used against us in the past.

    These are the people who won elections by suggesting Democrats are unpatriotic for things like wanting 911 terrorists tried in US courts and imprisoned in US prisons. Listening to them admit today that it’s painful to watch trump’s people using similar arguments makes me wonder if they’ll be quite so eager to “win” if that’s the method.

  55. 55.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    @WaterGirl:

    I think that once Trump is gone, they will turn on the Dems so fast that our heads will spin.

    Maybe.  It depends on what replaces him.  They have no illusions that the GOP has lined up behind Trump.  Unless it repudiates him, they have no place to go.

  56. 56.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @Baud: I like Overdrive and agree the selection is not so good. I’d like 4 weeks instead of 3 as the max takeout time. Definitely something to look into if you once liked to borrow books from your local library.

  57. 57.

    mrmoshpotato

    @hitchhiker:

    What do you all make of the Lincoln Project guys? 

    I like the ads, but Wilson, Bloody Bill Kristol, Johan “Liberal Fascism” Goldberg will stab us in the back the second Biden wins 270 electoral votes.  Decades of building a monster factory that finally makes a monster then “Shit!  We can’t control it!  We’re ‘Never Trumpers’!” Fuck them.

    It’s the tiger that can’t change its stripes, right?

  58. 58.

    Luciamia

    Saw a Trump ad on CNN. Dreadful.  “Let’s make America great again…again!”

  59. 59.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Baud: Not as satisfying. :)

    Oh, and my copies of Jurassic Park and The Lost World are 25+ years old.  Slapped with history!

  60. 60.

    Redshift

    @Brachiator:

    The GOP House Caucus is some monochrome muthafuckas. And yet, they keep telling me that Democrats play identity politics. 

    That’s because they don’t acknowledge that white is an identity. It’s just “normal,” the background, and only people who are different have an identity.

  62. 62.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Baud:

    Gotta say, I don’t like ebooks and digital ownership of media in general, especially on platforms that use DRM. The problem is you don’t really own the books, films, or the video games, just the license to use them. If the platform, such as Amazon’s Kindle, ever closed down for whatever reason customers would have to buy those same products all over again.

    I much prefer owning physical copies as I don’t want to have to pirate things I like or go to the trouble of getting software to disable DRM-protections to copy media to other devices

  63. 63.

    divF

    @hitchhiker: I’m old enough to associate Reagan with the words “If it takes a bloodbath, let’s get it over with”, referring to deploying the National Guard in Berkeley.

  68. 68.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Republicans tend to ignore what the Founders actually said when it suits them. They’re very fond of quoting Jefferson’s “The Tree of Liberty”, but will ignore his anti-industrial agrarian leanings

  69. 69.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Baud:

    Oh, well that’s different then. Sorry about that. My library is a Hoopla member and I love borrowing comics through it

  70. 70.

    Juice Box

    @WaterGirl: I haven’t set foot in the library for a couple of years, but I check books out all the time. My library offers ebooks in many languages as well as audiobooks. It’s great. Plus they’re easy to store and you can check books out while you’re away on vacation (remember travel? I do… )

    There’s a big brush fire in Tijuana, it’s jumped the border into San Diego County. It’s only the first hot day of the year. Where’s that wall when you need it?

  71. 71.

    mrmoshpotato

    @debbie: As I said, I enjoy the ads – they’re vicious – but after Biden crosses the 270 electoral votes…

    ETA – and the enemy of my enemy is an opportunistic bastard that needs to be watched.

  73. 73.

    John Revolta

    I’ve got a nest of baby robins outside my window and tonight we’re supposed to get 50-60 mph winds as some stupid front goes through. Winds are picking up now in fact.  I’m pissed off and worried sick.

  74. 74.

    Achrachno

    @WaterGirl: I’m optimistic that some of them will stay with us, and others will end up on the fence.  They’ve seen the poisonous underbelly of the Repugs and they’ll not want to go back.  If the Rs would even allow them back into their cult.

  76. 76.

    Catherine D.

    @debbie:

    I’m thinking about getting a Kindle or something similar or maybe just buying the books I want to read and then donating them to the library when I’m done reading them.

    Is that possible? If so, I could donate a metric shitload of ebooks to our local library system.

  81. 81.

    Barbara

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I have so many books that I tend to buy ebooks and then follow up with the hard copy if I really love it. I often buy two to give one away. When I binge read mysteries, I just don’t want all the physical copies. I am a compulsive reader.

  85. 85.

    WaterGirl

    @Phylllis:  When did that come out?  Yesterday was the first I had heard of it.  Do you have the fancy-fancy full keyboard case, too?

    How much space did you get?  I tend to get the biggest available because if you end up short on space it’s really a pain in the behind.  But that makes it pretty speedy.

  86. 86.

    Barbara

    @hitchhiker: Not sure. I wonder how many are influenced by their kids’ reaction to Trump. I suspect that most secretly want to remake the Republican to be more like they remember. The problem is they would need to remake the middle class first.

  87. 87.

    MisterForkbeard

    @WaterGirl:

    But I still want a new toy!

    Might I recommend a Nintendo Switch and a copy of Animal Crossing? I need to get more jackals playing it :)

  88. 88.

    Bill Arnold

    Much of the power of the protests is that Trump and his accomplices are desperate for street violence, and basically not getting it, excepting for the police riots and malfeasance, captured on thousands of hours of video, and some looting, much of it opportunistic, that doesn’t seem to be directly related to the protests. [1]

    There is a good catalog of free books on non-violent action to cause political change here: Albert Einstein Institution – advancing freedom with nonviolent action
    It includes the interesting From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation (Gene Sharp, 1993)
    Another resource is here:
    The Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS)

    Recommended for perusal, especially by those who are sure that violence (including violent revolution) is the only way to achieve significant change.

    (Now to read the thread. :-)

    [1] And some vandalism/provocation by forces trying to initiate mass street violence, of a few political affiliations. Fuck them with a molten rusty chainsaw. (Non-violently, of course.)

  90. 90.

    Martin

    @WaterGirl: So, I have the 12.9″ iPad Pro with the previous keyboard, and it is indeed extremely nice, so pretty good chance it was me.

    But I’ll put a vote on a Switch + Animal Crossing as it’s helping keep my daughter sane.

  91. 91.

    Phylllis

    @WaterGirl: I think you’re looking at the 4th gen, which I think just came out a couple of months ago. I have the 3rd gen-got it last year. The screen is amazing. Do not have the fancy keyboard and must.refrain.from.googling.it.

    As for space, I believe 128. It’s actually my work device; my IT guy takes good care of me.

  93. 93.

    Subsole

     

     

    @hitchhiker:

    The fact that they built such long and lucrative careers in that organization puts them on pretty thin ice with me.

    Driftglass says it a lot better, and more thoroughly, than I ever could.

  96. 96.

    Ken

    @Bill Arnold: some looting, much of it opportunistic, that doesn’t seem to be directly related to the protests

    Particularly since so many of the protests are scheduling an end time.  “We’re done at 6 PM, everyone go home, and anything that happens after that is not related to us.”

  98. 98.

    Baud

    @Bill Arnold:

    some looting, much of it opportunistic, that doesn’t seem to be directly related to the protests.

    WaterGirl missed her chance to get the iPad 12.9.

     

    ETA: $999!

  99. 99.

    Subsole

    @WaterGirl:   Eh. How much pull do they actually have?

    I see a project to raise money and build a contact list for immediate rebuild in 2021. Nothing more.

    I would honestly rather he drag them shrieking over the cliff, too. Y’know, since they built him with malice aforethought.

    But here we are.

  102. 102.

    Phylllis

    @WaterGirl: I use mine on my lap all the time. It weighs almost nothing. My previous iPad was a cinder block compared to this one.

  103. 103.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Zergnet – fucking trash

    Gosh, that’s not what they say in their mission statement (from Wikipedia, no link):

    ZergNet’s declared goal is to distinguish itself from its competitors by focusing on high quality, less spammy offerings.

  105. 105.

    Subsole

    @Sebastian:  For. Real.

    I hope to god we put 6 justices on the court come 2021.

    And look into who paid Kavanaugh’s debts. And that shit with Kennedy.

    Lessons are needed.

  107. 107.

    jackmac

    My outpost west of Chicago was hammered by high winds and heavy rains this afternoon, but the Momma cardinal in a bush outside my front window was a champ. She had to hold on for dear life and protect her three eggs as winds buffeted her nest. Rain has stopped, it’s still a little windy but Momma and the babies got through it.

  108. 108.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Barbara:

    That’s totally understandable. But to me it would be cool to have a  big bookcase to display all the books, comics, and Blue-Rays/DVDs I own. Some of the mass market paperbacks I’ve bought are super flimsy and fall apart easily. One I bought a few years back had this sort of thin plastic coating over the cover that has peeled away after a few months of reading and handling

  109. 109.

    Catherine D.

    @Barbara:

    When I binge read mysteries, I just don’t want all the physical copies. I am a compulsive reader.

    Come sit two meters alongside me ?

  110. 110.

    frosty

    @WaterGirl: I’ve been getting ebooks via Libby. Very convenient when you’re out on the road. I’ve signed up with two libraries; seems like most will let you get a card for an annual fee if you’re not a resident. The two I’m with want you to come in person for the card, which is hard to do right now.

    The unfortunate thing is that maybe 20% of the ones on my list are in that format, and the local libraries are closed. I’m wondering if they’ll start buying more as the pandemic drags on.

    Spouse is sold on Kindle, I just read them with Libby on my laptop.

  111. 111.

    Barbara

    I read as a kid to cope with my dysfunctional family. The pandemic has only reinforced this trait.

  112. 112.

    debbie

    Has this been shared?

    #obamasaveflagday

    Trump’s  birthday  falls on Flag Day (June 14). The plan is to bomb Trump’s Twitter feed with photos of PBO.

    Should be fun.

  114. 114.

    MisterForkbeard

    @WaterGirl: And I had such respect for you. :)

    @Martin: Yeah. I picked up a copy for my wife and she’s super into it now. As is my 3-year-old, who’s learned how to catch bugs, chop trees, dig up fossils and lots of other things. Including spending my in-game bank account at the clothing store. A sign of things to come, I guess.

  117. 117.

    MisterForkbeard

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    ZergNet’s declared goal is to distinguish itself from its competitors by focusing on high quality, less spammy offerings.

    And they named themselves after the Zerg, which are synonymous with the quantity over quality approach. Marketing fail.

  118. 118.

    Achrachno

    @Subsole: “I hope to god we put 6 justices on the court come 2021.

    And look into who paid Kavanaugh’s debts. And that shit with Kennedy.

    Lessons are needed.”

    By lessons you mean trials, right?  We need to make it clear that corruption of our democratic institutions is a lot worse crime than trying to pass a fake $20 or talking back to a cop.  Punishment should be a lot more severe.

  120. 120.

    MisterForkbeard

    @debbie: Yeah, but why is the hastag “Obama’s a vefl, g’day”? This makes no sense. What IS a vefl, anyway?

    Sorry, you guys are the victims of my unfortunate need to be obnoxious after the day I just had. :)

  122. 122.

    LeftCoastYankee

    @hitchhiker:

    I’d be curious to see how many have had a change of heart about the policies (seeing the logical end of Reaganism is where we are today), or just think Trump’s not a “good conservative” in their minds.

    In 1980 America decided to become the land of make-believe (this was Reaganism in my view, just pretend everything’s what you want it to be).  Looks like 2020 the bill has come due.

  123. 123.

    Martin

    @WaterGirl: It’s largish. For lap work I’d go with the 10″. I use it for work and it’s nice to have apps side by side, or have a PDF or report be able to be more or less the same size as a standard sheet of paper.

    I don’t read many books on it, more academic papers and whatnot that tend to come with some formatting constraints

    I should add, one nice feature is being able to sit outside and watch MSNBC on it because my cable provider has an iOS app that lets me just watch anything I can get on my TV.

  128. 128.

    lamh36

    Tim Scott should have just signed on with the legislation that he Black colleagues did.

     

    But he enjoys being the token Black for the GOP Senate.  He may want to have a discussion with Micheal Steele on how the GOP ultimately treats their token few, even if he did his job well.

  134. 134.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Also hadn’t been paying attention to the Flynn Case

    Somewhat old news:

    Federal Appellate Court Orders Michael Flynn’s Judge to Explain Himself

    Michael Flynn’s legal team caused a stir when they ran to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit with a writ of mandamus, asking the appellate court to direct lower U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan to “grant the Justice Department’s Motion to Dismiss” Flynn’s case instead of dragging things out any longer. Although seen by some as a risky move, the D.C. Circuit has ordered Judge Sullivan to address Flynn’s petition and explain himself.

    The order from the D.C. Circuit notably invites the Department of Justice to weigh in as well.

    “Upon consideration of the emergency petition for a writ of mandamus, it is ORDERED, on the court’s own motion, that within ten days of the day of this order the district judge file a response addressing petitioner’s request that this court order the district judge to grant the government’s motion to dismiss filed on May 7, 2020,” reads the order from Circuit Judges Karen LeCraft Henderson, Neomi Rao and Robert L. Wilkins (appointed by Presidents George H.W. Bush, Donald Trump and Barack Obama, respectively).

    “The government is invited to respond in its discretion within the same ten-day period,” the D.C. Circuit added.

    Reading between the lines here, Judge Sullivan is going to have to explain why Rule 48(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and United States v. Fokker Services give him the authority to keep alive the Flynn case when both prosecution and the defense want the case dismissed. Rule 48(a) deals with dismissal of a case by the government and says: “The government may, with leave of court, dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint. The government may not dismiss the prosecution during trial without the defendant’s consent.”

    The words “with leave of court” likely loom the largest here. Fokker is a prosecutorial discretion case that, perhaps crucially, the D.C. Circuit is quite familiar with

    In the comments, which may or not have lawyers weighing in, here’s these takes:

    The DC Circuit wants Sullivan to respond referencing Fokker. (Our binding precedent says you have no power…so what on earth are you doing?)

    I’ve seen a few arguments trying to justify what Sullivan is doing. Most center around trying to argue that Fokker doesn’t apply because Flynn’s case is awaiting sentencing. However, most of these don’t like to take into account why he is waiting for sentencing. It’s because the judge wasn’t ready and was still allowing Brady discoveries and considering Flynn’s motion to withdraw his plea. Now the judge isn’t happy with what the came out of it. Precedent seems to say…too bad.

    The fact the DC Circuit cites Fokker and is even entertaining Mandamus implies that they definitely think it applies here.

    US v. Fokker, 2016, pg. 12
    Rather, the “principal object of the ‘leave of court’ requirement” has been understood to be a NARROW one—“to PROTECT A DEFENDANT against prosecutorial harassment . . . when the [g]overnment moves to dismiss an indictment over the defendant’s objection.” Rinaldi v. United States, 434 U.S. 22, 29 n.15 (1977). A court thus reviews the prosecution’s motion under Rule 48(a) primarily to guard against the prospect that dismissal is part of a scheme of “prosecutorial harassment” of the defendant through repeated efforts to bring—and then dismiss—charges. Id.

    So understood, the “leave of court” authority gives NO POWER to a district court to deny a prosecutor’s Rule 48(a) motion to dismiss charges based on a disagreement with the prosecution’s exercise of charging authority. For instance, a court CANNOT deny leave of court because of a view that the defendant should stand trial notwithstanding the prosecution’s desire to dismiss the charges, or a view that any remaining charges fail adequately to redress the gravity of the defendant’s alleged conduct. See In re United States, 345 F.3d 450, 453 (7th Cir. 2003). The authority to make such determinations remains with the Executive.

    And:

    Fokker is clear and binding.

    It seems the liberal-narrative is that is doesn’t apply because Flynn had already plead guilty.

    That narrative seems to ignore the fact that
    1) Sullivan had not sentenced Flynn
    2) Sullivan was ALLOWING the government to re-look the prosecution
    3) Flynn was trying to withdraw his plea
    4) The DOJ found NEW information and the DOJ decided to dismiss the charges….and they can.

    Liberal lawyers are arguing that Sullivan should be able to ignore all recent developments? Interesting take. Curious to see what happens.

    I don’t think the position that a judge can challenge new information because he doesn’t like is a good legal justification for Sullivan’s actions.

    Obviously, IANAL, so are these the right takes? Apologies if it was discussed here already, but what do you all think of the Circuit Court’s decision? Is the law really on the executive’s side? I don’t trust Barr as far as I could throw him and he’s a fascist. All this seems to me is trying to bend the law to circumvent justice with technicalities and that the Circuit Court (this decision being from judges appointed by several different admins) is missing the forest for the trees

  137. 137.

    The Moar You Know

    Speaking of iPads, I’m still pissed at the jackal who suggested the new iPad keyboard thing.  I googled, and now I want the new iPad Pro 12.9″ version.

    @WaterGirl: Probably me.  Mentioned on at least one thread this week.  Sorry.

  142. 142.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @WaterGirl: 
    I did, actually. However, those comments I quoted laid it out pretty clearly (maybe, I don’t know? I don’t have any experience with this to determine truth from bullshit) that the law is apparently not on Sullivan’s side and summed up the arguments in favor of Sullivan being wrong (Again, I don’t know if that’s true or not)

  145. 145.

    lamh36

    @germy: Maybe, I don’t quite recall.

     

    But I do know he wasn’t a complete wreck as RNC Chair, I mean wasn’t he in charge duringhe Obama midterm years when the GOP swept the midterm elections.

    By any measure he was successful, but w/the GOP wins, they didn’t need, the token Black guy who we all suspect became chair as the GOPs answer to the Dems electing the first Black President.

    Tim Scott would be smart to remember that.

  147. 147.

    germy

    @Immanentize:  As much as we loathe him, his primary voters seem to prefer him to the other republicans who ran against him.  I find it inexplicable.

  148. 148.

    germy

    @WaterGirl:  I wrote it quickly; didn’t realize it was a joke until I saw what I had written, and then the wrong spirit moved me and I went with it.

  149. 149.

    artem1s

    @WaterGirl: I bought the 12” IPad Pro for myself right after xmas.  My 2009 Macbook was dying and I needed an interim device while I figured out what to do about a primary computer.  I’m typing on that keyboard now and I have to say, I do love it it.

  158. 158.

    Anne Laurie

    @germy: PHRASING!

    (‘Three GOP challengers’ does explain last week’s ‘Lady G’ ‘scoop’, though.)

  159. 159.

    LeftCoastYankee

    @Martin:

    Agreed. The pandemic also created a world-wide captive audience to see the horrible response, the conservative armed fauxtrage, the Breonna Taylor and George Floyd murders, and cops being cops everywhere.

    The everywhere protests are what breaks autocrats, they can’t spin the alternative reality bullshit fast enough.  Plus several generations in, it’s not just the voters, but the pols who actually believe the make-believe bullshit nonsense.

    I try not to focus on the cost, but the hope for the future.

  162. 162.

    Anne Laurie

    @germy: As much as we loathe him, his primary voters seem to prefer him to the other republicans who ran against him.

    That’s the incumbent advantage.   Absent new info, voters tend to go with the guy they know, even if they’re not completely happy with that guy’s performance.

    After all, Lindsey may be ‘light in the loafers’, but what if his replacement turned out to be… a child molester?  A serial spouse-abuser?  (All too possible, given the GOP record.)   Or even… a progressive?!?

  163. 163.

    Brachiator

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    Republicans tend to ignore what the Founders actually said when it suits them. They’re very fond of quoting Jefferson’s “The Tree of Liberty”, but will ignore his anti-industrial agrarian leanings

    Everyone should ignore Jefferson’s agrarian leanings. Jefferson and Madison were great political scientists, but wretched political economists. For economic matters, you absolutely needed Hamilton.

    Also, the Founders were not monolithic. The big lie conservatives like to push is the idea that the Founders agreed about everything, or even about the important things.

  164. 164.

    Peale

    Yoda? You mean the guy who invited the Clone army into the Republic only to have it become the tool of oppression of the people for 20 some years? That Yoda? The religious fanatic who was so blinded by the light side of the force that he didn’t no how to keep balance in the universe? If he hadn’t swung the Republic so far to the light, the dark backlash would never have happened. Neoliteberals love him, but just saying that maybe that statue shouldn’t be admired so much.

  165. 165.

    BellyCat

    @WaterGirl: I was only the person to second the original motion, so don’t blame me! ;-)

    BTW: Any chance the mobile BJ site could have a comments link inserted at the bottom of the post (instead of Full Post + Comments link, which takes you to the top and then you have to scroll down again through everything you just read to see the Comments)? Minor annoyance, but ya’ know…

  166. 166.

    Another Scott

    @hitchhiker:

    What do you all make of the Lincoln Project guys?

    Making good ads is a useful skill.

    But what action are they hoping for? Donnie is going to be on the ballot. Are they hoping to drive a wedge between Donnie and other Republicans? To elect more Republicans than otherwise would be the case on the Trumptanic? That seems to be the goal.

    That’s not a goal I share.

    I want to elect Democrats.

    After 30-40 years of Democratic rule, we can then maybe start to talk about reforming the GOP.

    My $0.02.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  168. 168.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
    Also, from emptywheel about the Flynn case:

    “The government’s motion improperly seeks to make this Court complicit in the Executive Branch’s inexplicable about-face in the Flynn prosecution.” Honored to sign this brief alongside [many others] justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Amicus-Barr-Flynn-Draft-5-22-20-final-final.pdf []

    [p21] Moreover, the sentencing phase of a criminal proceeding is uniquely within this Court’s purview. As the D.C. Circuit explained, in a decision that has been repeatedly mischaracterized by Mr. Flynn and his supporters,

    “the Executive’s traditional power over charging decisions” exists simultaneously with “the Judiciary’s traditional authority over sentencing decisions.” United States v. Fokker Services,

    […]

    By recognizing the court’s role in the sentencing context, which is part of the judiciary’s authority protected by the separation of powers, Fokker Services exposes [p22] the lacuna in the government’s motion, which entirely fails to appreciate this Court’s supremacy at the sentencing phase.7 […]

    [7 The D.C. Circuit’s decision in Fokker Services supplies no authority for the government’s motion to dismiss; it involved a deferred prosecution agreement rather than a guilty plea (let alone two).] […]

  169. 169.

    EthylEster

    @frosty: regarding audiobooks and eboks from the library….

    Cannot you browse and check out using Libby? That’s what I am doing. Or maybe I didn’t understand your comment.  Maybe you meant only 20% of what is on your list to read is an eBook.

    I have really expanded my reading breadth. So easy to get the stuff  on my smartphone and check it out. If I don’t like it, back it goes early.

  171. 171.

    frosty

    @EthylEster: Yes, I can browse and checkout with Libby. The 20% refers to the fact that I have an ever-expanding lists of books I’d like to read and most of them aren’t available as an eBook.

  172. 172.

    J R in WV

    @Baud:

    Yeah, me too on ebooks. Dorothy says they make the same money, and I can carry 600 around with me. After 3 or 4 years I can’t remember the details and enjoy them a second time.

    Esp. good for travel!

  173. 173.

    J R in WV

    @divF:

    June 9, 2020 at 7:37 pm

    @hitchhiker: I’m old enough to associate Reagan with the words “If it takes a bloodbath, let’s get it over with”, referring to deploying the National Guard in Berkeley.

    Could just as well refer to firing the Air Traffic Controllers Union.  And damaging all unions as much as he possibly could. After spending years taking a salary from the Screen Actors Guild~!!~

    Total hypocrite. And Racist, and red-baiter, and, and… Stupid AND Ugly.

  176. 176.

    Mark's Bubbie

    @Baud: Yeah, Overdrive is good. I have borrowed tons of books since March including Michelle Obama’s Becoming and Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime. There is a waiting list for much of the more popular books so ya gotta be patient and flexible.

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