Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

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

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Republicans: “Abortion is murder but you can take a bus to get one.” Easy peasy.

No one could have predicted…

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Giving up is unforgivable.

Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

He really is that stupid.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

You are here: Home / Absent Friends / Late Night Mourning / Resolve Open Thread: May RBG’s Example Be Our Guiding Light

Late Night Mourning / Resolve Open Thread: May RBG’s Example Be Our Guiding Light

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  1. 1.

    Mousebumples

    I need a Notorious RBG shirt. Open to suggestions if anyone knows a source that would put profits towards a pro-democracy cause. Otherwise, I’ll see what I can find on Google in the morning.

    RBG has earned her rest. It’s time to work for her, like she worked for us.

  2. 2.

    Nicole

    Things I learned tonight- Clinton’s first choice for the seat that eventually went to the Notorious RBG was… Mario Cuomo.

    So very glad he turned the offer down.

  3. 3.

    Anya

    I am so heartbroken. RBG deserves better. She deserved a worthy remembrance and mourning. She just died. Her body is not even cold and we’re discussing her replacement and the republican skulduggery. These odious men couldn’t even wait one day before making their announcement. I’ve been rage donating because I have no other power.

    RBG is irreplaceable. She was and will continue to be an inspiration. RIP true legend.

  4. 4.

    The Oracle of Solace

    I’m afraid the Barbarian and I were only able to honour the Notorious RBG’s passing by getting drunk and promising to hit the streets in the coming weeks to demonstrate for a replacement as good as her. This will get out of control and we will be lucky to live through it.

  5. 5.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Elena Schneider @ec_schneider 51m
    ActBlue’s ticker (which tracks in real time its donations) is jumping by about $1.5 million every 15 minutes or so. Since news broke about RBG, ActBlue has brought in $16M. We can expect that number to, uh, go up a lot more.

    Huh. It’ll be interesting to see where this is Monday morning.

  6. 6.

    Aleta

    I’m sorry that Lewis and Ginsburg (and a few friends and relatives of mine) won’t be here to celebrate with us the Republican defeat and the historic humiliation of DJT and family.

  7. 7.

    Ohio Mom

    The Lord of the Rings clip reminds me of the saying, “It’s not necessary to hope in order to persevere” (I probably mangled that, I don’t know where it’s from).

    But I am currently in tne Anger stage of grief. Stuck in  “Why-o why did she not retire when we had the numbers to replace her with a liberal judge?”

  9. 9.

    guachi

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: 

    Thanks for posting this. I don’t know how to post a tweet in here as I saw something similar. “ActBlue processed $11,383,676 in donations between 9:22 PM and 11:10 PM. That’s $105,404.41 per minute, $1,756.74 per second. There’s no sign of slowing down.”

  10. 10.

    Chetan Murthy

    @Ohio Mom:

    The Lord of the Rings clip reminds me of the saying, “It’s not necessary to hope in order to persevere”

    I’m reminded of what peasants in medieval times must have thought of the plague, or the never-ending wars.  Or the Year Without a Summer when Tambora exploded.  They had no way to affect these events: all they could do was hunker down and try to survive.  We’re so much better-off: we can at least *try* to affect events.  But regardless, we have to hunker down and try to survive.  Despair isn’t an option: we all have younger relatives who need us to try to make the world livable for them.

    We’re ruled by monsters.  Short-term, we just try to survive.  Medium-term, we try to vote them out.

  12. 12.

    Juju

    Someone should tell Tom Nichols that’s not McConnel dancing on her grave, that’s him dancing next to Ginsburg’s casket.

  13. 13.

    guachi

    Shane Goldmacher

    @ShaneGoldmacher

    ·
    20m

    NEWS: Democratic donors shattered ActBlue’s all-time record for donations in an hour after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Democrats gave $6.2 million in the 9 pm hour. Then they broke the record again in 10 pm hour. More than $100,000 per minute

  14. 14.

    James E Powell

    @Ohio Mom:

    But I am currently in the Anger stage of grief. Stuck in  “Why-o why did she not retire when we had the numbers to replace her with a liberal judge?”

    The best reason to move on from that spot is that there is no reason to stay there. You are needed elsewhere.

  16. 16.

    BeautifulPlumage

    Take heart, it’s time to be Ruthless.

    And the Kilgore Trout tweets bring a needed perspective.

  17. 17.

    Lyrebird

    @Aleta: I like your train of thought.

    Forward oriented.

    Positive.

    Fierce.

     

    Thankful for so many BJ posters!

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    Tonight we cry
    Tomorrow we fight

    Yep.  Wish I could say I was one of those people doing the “fight!” thing by going “okay now we throw a sh-t-ton more money at key races,” but I’m glad that’s going on as we speak.

    I had better sleep.

  18. 18.

    Cckids

    My daughter gave me a refrigerator magnet of RBG, looking like an old-school prayer card-

    Saint Ruth the Supreme. “Better to be a bitch than a mouse”

    An excellent epitaph. Rest in power, Justice. You have earned it.

  19. 19.

    Mai Naem mobile

    Oh, so it didn’t matter when the full court wasn’t there after Scalia kicked the bucket. Jeezus, fuck these people. I had a shitty day and RBG passing was like the turd topping. WTF? When do the Dems get a break? I am so fucking tired of this shit. Crap just gets handed one silver platter to these GOP assholes.

  21. 21.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Ohio Mom:

    But I am currently in tne Anger stage of grief. Stuck in  “Why-o why did she not retire when we had the numbers to replace her with a liberal judge?”

    remember all the people who said they just couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Hillary Clinton? That four years of trump would bring the Revolution? That their vote had to be earned and they weren’t going to be blackmailed into voting because of the Supreme Court? Who were going to command the Senate by telling Mitch McConnell to look out the window? That’s who I save my anger for.

  24. 24.

    Sebastian

    The shock is real but also a much needed wake up call for us. I felt some sort of complacency or resignation setting in and I missed the fervor and activism of the first two years of Trump’s presidency. (Btw can you imagine what would have been possible if we kept that kind of pressure during impeachment? Alas, you can’t play full-court-press all the time.)

    Now we have us a real fight.

    Replacing RGB this close to an election terrible news for the GOP because the carefully maintained image of the non-political SCOTUS will be done for.

    There is nothing worse than loss of legitimacy. Is any of you going to live through for more years of this shit? Thought so. These idiots don’t have a clue what is about to hit them.

  25. 25.

    Martin

    The GOP has long relied on Dems yielding to norms that the GOP would routinely ignore. I’m seeing a lot of people calling for packing the court that I would never have expected to take that position.

    I think the last of the nice guy Dems have thrown off the gloves with this move by McConnell.

  26. 26.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    remember all the people who said they just couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Hillary Clinton? That four years of trump would bring the Revolution? That their vote had to be earned and they weren’t going to be blackmailed into voting because of the Supreme Court? Who were going to command the Senate by telling Mitch McConnell to look out the window? That’s who I save my anger for.

    As do  I.

  27. 27.

    Kay

    Not that it matters but I think the focus on the seat is tragically misguided.
    The majority of voters couldn’t name a single supreme court justice if you paid them.

    Win the election. There’s not going to be anything worth saving if we don’t win the election. The seat is lost or it’s not lost, depending on what Republicans in Congress do. The election is lost or not lost depending on what everyone else does. Most people aren’t Republicans in Congress. We need to focus on most people. Republicans don’t want to focus there because that isn’t going well for them. We, on the other hand, do want to focus there.

  28. 28.

    Sebastian

    @Martin: 

    Precisely. But McConnell is so focused on His Precious he doesn’t see it.

    What he and every senator except Romney also don’t see is the question “Why were there no witnesses?” which arise when more and more crimes and acts of treason are unveiled. Sitting presidents can’t be indicted per DOJ memo, senators who knew but acquitted obstructed justice and became accessories after the fact (and perhaps during for ongoing crimes)..

    Put the info out in the open and then haul their asses into court. Have them defend 200-300,000 dead Americans for the benefit of their stock portfolio.

    As I said, they have no clue what’s about to hit them.

  31. 31.

    Kay

    @Sebastian:

    we lost the seat. Let’s try not to also lose the election.

    we already had the Democrats who care about the SCOTUS – we need the other 99 per cent

  32. 32.

    Jean

    @Kay: Totally agree about focusing on the election.  I can’t take anymore “the sky is falling” reports and commentary on the latest bad news.  It’s really just exhausting.  And I’m not going to imagine every possible scenario where violence ensues and the whole country falls apart followed by a planet destroyed by climate change.  Really.  I’m going to vote early in person and go ride my horse.  That’s at least a good day I can make happen.

  34. 34.

    Eljai

    I just tried to make a donation through ActBlue and it timed out on me.  Maybe there are other factors at play, but I suspect it’s because the website is getting a workout tonight.  If so, a very auspicious sign!  I’ll keep trying until they take my money, because I really, really don’t have anything better to do right now.

  37. 37.

    Brachiator

    Mother f**. Southern California earthquake. Nothing damaged but a significant shaker in the San Gabriel Valley.

    Maybe 8 seconds.

  41. 41.

    JWR

    @Martin: 4.6 in South El Monte. Close, not big.

    That big, huh? Here in the SGV, I would’ve guessed it at maybe a 3.0-3.5, depending on the distance, but considering that I felt and sorta saw my little bungalow twist sideways during the biggest jolt, I figured it to be closer. Hope everyone’s alright.

    PS. Hey, all! I’ve been in lurker mode for the last several months, (just reading, not commenting), and needed something to Jolt me into action once again.

  43. 43.

    Brachiator

    Earthquake had a depth of about 11 miles. Had it been closer to the surface, there might have been more significant motion in more places. People in Redondo Beach report feeling it.

  46. 46.

    Ruckus

    Quake about 14 miles from me, decent shaker, been in a lot bigger one, a lot closer to than that back in 1994. But it got my attention.

  47. 47.

    opiejeanne

    @JWR: If your little bungalow is one of those wood frame ones from the 1920s, it’s survived through a lot of earthquakes because it is able to move and twist. Scary to watch from the inside. We used to own a 1912 bungalow with nary a crack in the plaster after all of those years. I had to repair the wall in a downstairs room where someone had damaged it and discovered horsehair in the plaster over lath.  I think that might have made it tougher than much newer materials.

  48. 48.

    opiejeanne

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Whittier and the Narrows have had some that did a lot of damage. I remember the roof of a large building collapsed in Whittier, a big grocery store?  It was a long time ago, maybe in the 80s.

  50. 50.

    Mai Naem mobile

    @dmsilev: I’ve had the Big One on my 2020 bingo card for a while. I kind of have had it through the Trumpov admin. but after COVID19 I figured the chances were excellent because…..2020. I don’t think kids reading about this year in their history classes 50 years from now are going to believe this year. It’s going to take a whole chapter in a HS history textbook.

  51. 51.

    JWR

    @opiejeanne: Scary to watch from the inside. 

    Yep, it’s from the 1920’s, (a small Craftsman bungalow), so I’m not too worried about the thing collapsing. But you’re so right about watching the walls move about from the inside. They sure did with this one. As I just wrote my brother, ” I heard a whole army of squirrels marching across the roof, then it turned into raccoons, and then horses. Then the house sorta twisted in the middle, and then it was over.”

  54. 54.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Sebastian: Replacing RGB this close to an election terrible news for the GOP because the carefully maintained image of the non-political SCOTUS will be done for.

    Not to mention GOP going  pure douchnozzle over court packing while ignoring  both the budget and the virus bill are due is going to just look vile. So no reason for despair.

  55. 55.

    frosty

    @Mai Naem mobile: LOL. I read someone who said that American History scholars will have to specialize in 2020. No, wait! They’ll have to specialize in WHICH QUARTER of 2020.

    I would like to get back to not reading blogs and news for 4+ hours a day.

    ETA and after what, 6+, 8+? I’m done for the day. See you on AL’s COVID post!

  56. 56.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    @Ohio Mom:

    “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
    “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

  57. 57.

    Seanly

    Don’t have a lot of money to give, but aside from my monthly amounts to Paulette Jordan here in Idaho & Joe Biden, I threw an extra $100 to Biden.

  58. 58.

    YY_Sima Qian

    FUUUUUCK!!!!

    This year feels like Armageddon in slow motion…

    Well, at least my parents living in a competitive district in Upstate NY will be voting against Trump this November, in person if they have to (though I advised them to vote by mail, and vote straight D). Although they have been US citizens for a decade and half, they have never been motivated to vote before. Dad has always been a “Both Parties Suck!” type, despite my best efforts, and Mom has always been apolitical. Then Dad announced, unprompted, in one of our phone calls that he will be voting against Trump in the election (by voting for Biden), and he will be dragging my Mom with him. It was the trade and technology wars against China that convinced Mom and Dad that Trump will destroy the world. I am sure the just announced move to ban WeChat in the US, the primary means of communication between my parents and their families and friends in China, will solidify their decision. In 2016, some Chinese Americans who should know better were positive toward Trump. I think the COVID-19 related “Yellow Peril” fear mongering and the WeChat ban will probably cure most of them of their delusions.

  60. 60.

    piratedan

    I will harbor no illusions about what is coming next…

    and what I believe is coming next is that McConnell will select one of few GOP Stepford judges that have been pre-approved and waiting in the wings who will cheerfully self-classify her gender as second degree citizens.  They will present this as some kind of equivalency in honoring RBG’S legacy.  They will say all of this with solemnity because that’s how they always do it, petty insults and hypocrisy glossed over with a thin patina of civility.

    Most of these guys will go along, after all, many of them are still there who willfully prayed for the good and benevolent father of their church to take their peers into his sainted bosom before they could cast votes where the poors might get health care.

    I fully expect us to fight this with every ounce of effort, no idea if the pressure that will brought to bear will be effective.  I would put little faith that there’s a significant number in the GOP who can be swayed, just look at who they are and how they have voted, if they can essentially condone treason, child trafficking, blackmail and sexual assault, then there aren’t any bars to clear…

    but this will not happen without a fight and if you don’t fight, then you can’t win.  I expect that we all will fight and fight for what we know is right.

  62. 62.

    Sebastian

    @piratedan:

    No illusions either, the mask has fallen. Which makes things easier because the bullshit game and contortions are finally over. Those who claim this isn’t unacceptable rule breaking are acting in bad faith, and that extends to the media and other gatekeepers.

    This means in order to make the other side change you have to HURT. Their careers, their donors, their states, their families, … until they cry uncle and one can sit down and agree on rules.

    He wants to fight but be the only one who punches. I think the time has come to end this bullshit.

  66. 66.

    Percysowner

    Well I’m going to try to go back to sleep. Maybe I can have visions of punching Susan Sarandan and Jill Stein in the face dance through my head.

  67. 67.

    Sloane Ranger

    On CNN last night Jeffrey Toobin was saying that there wouldn’t be time to install anyone before the election but it could happen during the lame duck session. His reasoning was there had to be an FBI background check and Confirmation Hearings, which would be difficult to schedule because of campaigning.

    My perspective from across the Pond is that Toobin isn’t being cynical enough. On Monday they name some pre-approved Judge, probably but not necessarily a woman,  Barr announces that the FBI has been too deeply infiltrated by the Deep State (see Wray’s recent testimony) so he’s outsourcing the background check to a private security firm or getting a hand picked US Attorney to do it. The check is completed in a week ,McConnell then schedules an hour for the Confirmation Hearing with each Senator being able to ask only 1 question, the nomination then goes immediately to the Senate floor for the vote.

    Lo and behold, a new Justice in less than 2 weeks!

    Toobin and others did say that Murkowski and Collins had both publicly said they were against filling a SCOTUS seat before the election and Grassley was known to have concerns so if they all opposed it only 1 more Senator was needed to stop McConnell, perhaps Romney?

  68. 68.

    Ian

    @Ohio Mom:

    It is understandable to wish she had stepped down earlier when we could have filled her seat with a younger liberal voice.  I recall when people said she should in 2009.  We would have missed a decade of her on the Supreme Court.  An interesting trade off.  I feel if we followed this trend we would lose justices of high quality whenever they have a potential health scare.  I also worry about how the republicans may further weaponize supreme court retirements.  Republican supreme court picks are already chosen to be as young as possible to extend their longevity, it does not seem a stretch to see them retire when they feel it necessary to keep political control with their camp.

  69. 69.

    Repatriated

    One thing I haven’t seen mentioned: This highlights that the election is now very much a referendum on the continued existence of the Affordable Care Act.

  70. 70.

    Mezz

    The Stockdale Paradox:

    Last year I learned about what’s referred to as the “Stockdale Paradox,” named after Adm. Stockdale, former Vietnam POW (and I think Perot’s VP in ’92). I incorporated it into some of my lectures for US History class. A lot of what the “Paradox” is originates from his (and his wife’s) memoirs/autobiography.

    Anyway, in an interview, Stockdale explained that the paradox is this:

    “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

    (Stockdale to Jim Collins, From Good to Great)

    The context, just FYI, was a discussion of how Stockdale kept up the morale of the men in the POW camp, and how those that were optimists (we’ll be home next month… six months… ok *now* six months….) didn’t survive, partly because of the constant discouragement and disappointment borne of their optimism.

    Anyway, it seems apt.
    And I feel kind of awful because McConnell and Trump are really making me want to become religious again, just to invoke the name of all the almightys to curse, torment, scorn, ridicule, and desolate their entire house of spawn.

    ORGANIZE

  71. 71.

    Tony Jay

    Well that’s nice news to wake up to.

    Okay, it’s completely shit and gives the bad guys another unearned short-term victory to circle-jerk about, nothing you can do about that.

    But what it should also be is a starting pistol for the no-holds barred rebuilding of America’s Constitutional fabric once the Democrats have control of the White House and Congress.

    The Supreme Court’s GOP majority is illegitimate, and there’s absolutely no reason not to take that away by increasing the number of Supremes, installing the best, young, liberal judges out there while opening investigations into the processes that led to the GOP being able to steal seats with an eye to changing the rules so it can’t happen again.

    These things should have been on the cards anyway, now there’s no choice. Go big, save the Court, save the Country.

    IHMO

  73. 73.

    OGLiberal

    Check out the Never Trumpers on Twitter.  No comments about this.  Conway has a bunch of “Look at how great RBG was” posts, along with one from his horrible wife.  But none about the propriety of this asshole getting to appoint her replacement.  They use the “but Gorsuch!” line to make fun of Trump enablers but with an actual shift in sight are they changing their minds?  I’ll give them a few more hours although they are often very quick to opine on Trump’s horribleness.

    Ain’t nothing in the last 30 years to convince me that these shameless assholes (the Senate…Trump’s gonna Trump regardless) won’t push through some women hating woman in record time.  Happy to be wrong.

  74. 74.

    trnc

    Maybe I can have visions of punching Susan Sarandan and Jill Stein in the face dance through my head.

    I’m actually angrier with Sarandon because I felt like she was a solid but realistic liberal. Stein was clearly always a spoiler and a fuckwit.

     

    @Percysowner:

  76. 76.

    trnc

    @Tony Jay: while opening investigations into the processes that led to the GOP being able to steal seats with an eye to changing the rules so it can’t happen again.

    AFAIK, repubs broke no laws getting Gorsuch in place, as much as their hackery sucked. However, I would really like to see an investigation into Bart’s pre-SCOTUS finances. I think Dems should have focused on that rather than the Ford allegations (but that may be hindsight).

  77. 77.

    Jinchi

    @Ian: t does not seem a stretch to see them retire when they feel it necessary to keep political control with their camp.

    This is being done already and it’s another reason we need to end lifetime appointments to the court. This is apparently what Anthony Kennedy did and arguably what RBG was hoping to accomplish.

    As it stands an unrepresentative court can solidify it’s ideological makeup indefinitely, with justices tactically resigning for long term advantage. Worse yet, in recent years these judges have become explicitly partisan. This is not the way a legitimate justice system should function.

  78. 78.

    Jinchi

    @Mezz:   optimists (we’ll be home next month… six months… ok *now* six months….) didn’t survive, partly because of the constant discouragement and disappointment borne of their optimism.

    Counterpoint:

    Optimistic people live as much as 15% longer than pessimists, according to a new study spanning thousands of people and 3 decades.

    But I think the real question isn’t whether it’s better to be a pessimist or an optimist. It’s a question of what you are optimistic or pessimistic about.

    I have no illusions that Republicans will stop Trump from nominating a right wing ideologue to the Supreme Court. This has been their holy grail for decades. I’m optimistic that electing Democrats up and down the ballot can build a truly representative democracy. And I’m realistic enough to know that it’s going to take a lot of hard work, even after the election.

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