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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Open Thread: Actual Golden Calf

Open Thread: Actual Golden Calf

by | 261 Comments

This post is in: 

Not how I wanted to begin my day…I may have to stay away from twitter during CPAC:

I may have to watch Dogma tonight….

“Bienvenido de Nuevo, Ted!” the color printouts for the prank read, or “welcome back.”

Early birds turning up for a workout Wednesday morning came across color printouts of Cruz in his airport getup, which included a light polo shirt and a mask bearing the Texas flag, according to NBC, who reviewed the materials provided by two sources.

“The rendering featured a manipulated photo of Cruz from his well-documented trip to Mexico, dragging his luggage across an arctic landscape while holding a tropical cocktail garnished with a slice of fruit in his other hand,” Lee and Caldwell wrote.

I’m grateful it’s Friday. I may have a recipe for you guys tonight since I doubt the Biden administration will be inundating us with Friday night news dumps. ?

Open thread

Reader Interactions

261Comments

  4. 4.

    The Thin Black Duke

    Do you remember the sequence in Pulp Fiction featuring the Gimp? That’s the character who comes to mind when I see Republicans still enslaved by the Gospel of Trump lately.

  5. 5.

    Percysowner

    Well this is a thing

    So now, in the name of preserving our system of government, a lawyer in Texas is asking a court to order the Biden administration to follow all of Trump's policies and give Trump the power to weigh in if he thinks they're not doing it. pic.twitter.com/F1m1RW7VeP— Brad Heath (@bradheath) February 26, 2021

  6. 6.

    Lyrebird

    @MomSense: That is truly awesome.  I got to show a documentary about the Lewiston Somali Bantu community for a class I used to teach, that was cool.  Glad the farm purchase worked out!

  12. 12.

    charluckles

    @germy:

    These f-bombing scumbags still can’t be bothered to put on a mask.  Just a party of self-absorbed garbage human beings.

  16. 16.

    germy

    @charluckles:

    Just watched a #CPAC staff member ask an attendee multiple times to put his mask on. He turned toward her, coughed, and kept walking. I’d say about 60-70% of attendees are wearing masks, despite a rule requiring masks.— William Turton (@WilliamTurton) February 26, 2021

    Watched a contract security guard ask a woman to put her mask on. She said “Ok!” and kept walking. “This is a tough assignment, man,” the guard told me. #CPAC— William Turton (@WilliamTurton) February 26, 2021

  17. 17.

    MomSense

    @Lyrebird:

    They are such an amazing community.  I feel so lucky that my life has intersected with their community in different ways over the years.

  21. 21.

    patrick II

    It is really not strange, but more like inevitable, that the self-described “religious” party would be found worshipping a golden false idol.​

  22. 22.

    Achrachno

    Golden calves are forbidden but golden hogs are quite OK.  They’re fine with the powers that be.

  28. 28.

    O. Felix Culpa

    The golden idol looks ludicrous. All attendees would turn away in shame if they had a shame gene. Obviously they don’t, because otherwise they wouldn’t be at CPAC.

    I hated Dogma. The scene when the angel first appears was funny, but the rest of the movie was an exercise in grating tedium for me. But there are good people whose opinions differ.

  29. 29.

    Baud

    @germy: 

    this Court is n ow effectively in charge of the United States government.

    That’s one way around the parliamentarian and the filibuster.

  34. 34.

    germy

    CPAC organizers are getting booed after asking the crowd to comply with hotel rules and wear masks. While organizers claim it's about respecting private property rights, irate convention-goers yell "FREEDOM!" pic.twitter.com/iXxayBDrlP

    — Will Sommer (@willsommer) February 26, 2021

    Also, one of the themes of this year’s CPAC is Holding Hillary Accountable

  36. 36.

    Benw

    “We pledge allegiance to the brand,

    Of the Donald Trump of America.

    And to the towers, on which it stands,

    One party, under Don,  indefensible,

    With liberty and justice for us.”

  37. 37.

    germy

    @Benw:

    How much you wanna bet that CPAC is a superspreader event for lies, insurrection, AND the virus? Debunkers, the FBI and epidemiologists had all better be ready.

    — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) February 26, 2021

  43. 43.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Hoodie:

    That statue is missing something … seems like he should be holding up a cheeseburger humping his own daughter while sucking Putin’s ass.

    Fixed for accuracy.

  44. 44.

    VOR

    Consensus on Twitter seems to be the golden Trump statue is modified from Bart Simpson on a skateboard. They added a Trump face mask and painted it gold.

  46. 46.

    There are those who call me...tim... (Still posh)

    Not just a statue. A very very awfully bad statue. Just terrible. Every bit as dignified as the naked trump balloon. Is he wearing flag shorts? And sandals? Are his legs ridiculously stubby? This they consider a tribute? What…is…happening?

  47. 47.

    mrmoshpotato

    @germy:

    bootlicking conservative intellectual 

    What is this, Adam?  Is it like Warcriminal Bush’s “compassionate conservative?”

  49. 49.

    mrmoshpotato

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Seriously tho, the judge should throw that lawyer in jail for contempt.

    I would consider saying that Biden, the duly-elected current President, has to follow the rules of a traitorous, orange, Soviet shitpile borders on sedition.  I can’t believe this ass said that in a courtroom to a judge.

    Oh wait, yes I can.

  50. 50.

    Flanders Other Neighbor

    @O. Felix Culpa:  To each his own, but I liked it.

    In my opinion, Chris Rock’s explanation of hypocrisy by itself was worth the price of admission.  It also helped that the religious right was all worked up about the movie before they even saw it.  Never missing an opportunity to excite the flock, I suppose.

  51. 51.

    scav

    Heaven forfend they try to memory hole that gilded embarrassment by taking it down and hiding it— that’s  HISTORY! 

    ETA. I’m also wondering what that committee’s take on updating Mount Rushmore would have been.

  52. 52.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Baud:

    FWIW, I would support Trump getting swallowed by a whale. 

    Cruelty to animals.  Especially such a majestic beast. :)

  54. 54.

    debbie

    Trump in flag shorts and flip flops? I should think he would be offended by that. Remember his disappointment in the sloppy attire of his supporters at the insurrection?

  57. 57.

    Tim C.

    Was this something the CPAC crowd really did or is this like when they got punked into waving Russian flags a couple years ago?    I’m not saying I care that much either way,  because even if it’s one the good guys trolling them, they still let it wander around the convention.   It’s like fuck people,  Trump literally hits most of their Anti-Christ checklist and they don’t even notice!

  58. 58.

    The Pale Scot

    I may have to watch Dogma tonight…

    The first thing I thought when I saw that was wouldn’t be nice to have the cashiered angels Loki and Bartleby stop by.

     

    Then I scrolled a little further, great minds and all that

  59. 59.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Is the gold plated statue of Floriduh Man for the kissing booth? I assume that’s why it has shorts.

  61. 61.

    Almost Retired

    I am getting ready to take the deposition of a scummy (accused) sexual harasser.  And to get myself all worked up, I’m watching the ballot fraud panel at CPAC on OAN.  I am now frothing with anger and disgust for humanity, so this deposition should really be fun.  Hey, everyone needs pre-game rituals.  Good luck, scummy sexual harasser….I’m coming after ya’

  65. 65.

    trollhattan

    @debbie:

    IIRC that wingnut cartoonist Garrison often presents the public with renderings of boxer Trump. I’ll wager he’s there at CPAC to get his fix on.

    On top of everything else, these people are deeply weird, and needy.

  66. 66.

    Soprano2

    I wondered what all the stuff on Twitter about a golden calf was about. They are the Trumpublican Party, full stop. It’s not based on any ideas or a coherent ideology – it’s a cult of personality surrounding Donald Trump. The press should start reporting on it that way, because it’s the truth.

  67. 67.

    different-church-lady

    Wait, I’ve got it: it’s a false false-flag operation. They do the thing that’s over-the-top ridiculous, then blame antifa! It’s genius I tell you…

  71. 71.

    trollhattan

    @germy:

    Yeah, employees don’t get to pick their gigs and probably don’t have the ability to circle the calendar and take vacation on days really, really bad events are in town.

    I understand this from living in a political city, where hotels and the convention center essentially live and die based on hosting political events. Tough bidnez to be in.

  73. 73.

    StringOnAStick

    I  have trouble believing that someone as vain as tRump won’t find that statue insulting.  Maybe the plan is to use it to rally the attendees and make sure it’s gone by his Sunday speech.  I doubt he even knows who Bart Simpson is or would appreciate the comparison if he did.

  74. 74.

    trollhattan

    @germy:

    Reading Perlstein’s “Before the Storm” and it’s instructive to learn a major factor in Goldwater getting the nomination is the College Republicans. Even George Wallace bows out when he realizes Goldwater will do his bidding on civil rights (but is back with a vengeance in ’68).

  82. 82.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Open thread?

    Whatever happened to Higgs Bosun’s Mate? I can’t remember the last time I saw that nym. Anyone know?

  83. 83.

    Luciamia

    I hope that’s gold foil covering  A big chocolate Trump. The most he’s ever given to the American people.

  86. 86.

    The Pale Scot

    @germy:

    I didn’t know so many Texas lawyers were so heavily into cocaine.

    I think its ‘shrooms, fresh off the cow patties.

    Lotsa of patties down in Texas, if you know what I mean

  87. 87.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    He has been gone for years. I believe there was a bit of closure from the person who rescued him (maybe Mary G?), who said that he had moved on and was doing all right. (This is from possibly unreliable memory.)

  88. 88.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Flanders Other Neighbor: I get it. Many people liked the movie, but it lost me with the juvenile toilet gag, among other things. Too much 3 Stooges kind of “humor.” But to each his/her own. :)

    ETA: I liked the idea of the movie, hated the execution. But, see above.

  92. 92.

    The Pale Scot

    Imagine the tizzies the fundies would be having if it was Obama. Once again they’re trolling their own side more than ours

  93. 93.

    FelonyGovt

    I really think at this point their ONLY position is to troll us. They are probably laughing at all of us saying “what the fuck” about that statue.

  94. 94.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Soprano2:

    it’s a cult of personality surrounding Donald Trump. The press should start reporting on it that way, because it’s the truth. 

    If they didn’t start 5+ years ago…

  96. 96.

    Brachiator

    @FelonyGovt:

    I really think at this point their ONLY position is to troll us. They are probably laughing at all of us saying “what the fuck” about that statue.

    I mock the statue and move on.They have to live with it.

    Reminds me of the old Bob’s Big Boy statue. Definitely should have a burger in its hand.

    Is it going to end up in the Trump library?

    Shouldn’t it be on top of a golf cart?

  100. 100.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Steeplejack (phone):

    Okay, and since you’re so good at this (not snark), what about Arguing With Signposts? I think of him often, but I’m not sure he’s even commented since around 2012-13.

  105. 105.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Steeplejack (phone):

    I did the same, and May 2014 was the most recent I could find. I would have guessed more recent than that, but not by a lot. Maybe a couple of years ago. But time is very fucking unreliable these days.

  106. 106.

    leeleeFL

    @Percysowner: I am convinced that done of these shitheads are absolutely delusional and that may be both more and less terrifying than thinking they are evil.

    WTAF is going on in their minds?  A golden tRump in American flag jockeys is about as offensive, anti Biblical and totally stupid as anything I can imagine.

    And, thinking any President would bow to the Former Guy in the way described borders on certifiably insane.

    Holy schnikes, Batman!

  107. 107.

    germy

    In a report from Shadow and Act, Ta-Nehisi Coates has been tapped to write the script for a new Superman film from J.J. Abrams Bad Robot production company. Hannah Minghella will serve as producer, and no production dates have been set as of yet.

    “To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor,” said Coates in a statement exclusive to Shadow and Act. “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.”

    https://shadowandact.com/ta-nehisi-coates-superman-dc-warner-bros-film

  110. 110.

    Kent

    Here on the west coast I’m logging in too late to join in on the minimum wage threads.

    But thinking this through in my head it seems like we will eventually get to the point where if enough states do minimum wage increases on their own, there will be a very real incentive for minimum wage increase states to mandate it across the nation for competitive reasons.  Take Florida, for example.  If Florida goes to $15 by state law then there will be very real incentives for Florida businesses and cities to want the same minimum wage imposed on their neighbors like GA, AL, and MS so that FL businesses don’t decide to move across state lines to find cheaper wages in a race to the bottom.  In other words, a very real self-interest on the part of FL GOP Senators to vote for a national minimum wage increase just to keep a level playing field.

    The question is whether GOP Senators in states that have raised the minimum wage will be voting in their state’s own economic interest (to see a level playing field nationally)  or according to their ideology and against their state’s own interest.  I expect they will vote their ideology, because their financial backers are big money folks like the Kochs who aren’t tied to specific state interests.  But I don’t think it is necessarily a foregone conclusion.  It will put them into something of a bind.

  111. 111.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Couldn’t find anything for AWS later than 2010.

    On a vague wisp of memory, I checked and discovered that it was “Higgs Boson’s Mate.” Still nothing after 2014.

  114. 114.

    Betty Cracker

    @Kent: Great point, but I suspect the wingnut governor and state legislature will find a way to subvert the will of the overwhelming majority on the minimum wage issue, just as they did on ex-felon voter rights restoration and environmental measures that also won 60%+ approval from Florida voters.

    The thing is, FL GOP politicians pay zero political consequences for repeatedly flipping off voters, so they keep right on doing it. Maybe directly screwing low-wage workers out of a raise will cause enough blowback to get elected Republicans’ attention, but I’m not holding my breath. Republican voters are willing to tolerate any level of sociopathic behavior.

  118. 118.

    Betty Cracker

    Speaking of sociopaths, at CPAC today, Ted Cruz joked about going to the Cancun Ritz-Carlton while several of his constituents froze to death. The Republicans among those constituents will almost certainly use their frostbitten stumps to mark yet another ballot for Ted Cruz, even if that nice Beto fella personally delivered a hot meal to their door.

  120. 120.

    smith

    @Percysowner: a lawyer in Texas is asking a court to order the Biden
    administration to follow all of Trump's policies and give Trump the power to weigh in if he thinks they're not doing it.

    The pathetic thing about this is that the guy probably thinks it’s a great compromise that allows Democrats to atone for stealing the election.

  123. 123.

    JaySinWA

    The T thing looks more like a prank that a real tribute. It looks like a cartoon caricature of T. Either the artist was spoofing the people that commissioned it or the people behind it are pulling a Borat inspired prank on CPAC.

  125. 125.

    schrodingers_cat

    IANAL so Lawyers of Balloon Juice can weigh in, but this does not sound like it will pass the Constitutional muster IF it passes (the likelihood of which I put close to 0%).

    Bernie announces his next move: An amendment to take tax deductions away from large corporations that don’t pay above $15-an-hour wages. Wants it IN the reconciliation bill

    This sounds like something Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes would come up with. This makes sense if the goal is to demagogue elected Ds for being insufficiently pure not to actually pass anything.

  127. 127.

    Jeffro

    @germy: I don’t care who writes it…just please, lord, don’t re-do the origin story for the 8900th time.

    They should just do a fun one, maybe based on his set-to with The Elite (Authority knock-offs) from several years ago.  Especially since I own that issue  ;)

  128. 128.

    mrmoshpotato

    Liberal fascism is coming for Jonah. He tried to warn himself.

    Via Popehat

    Just got a robo spam call from the "law enforcement unit of the federal reserve system." They tell me there's an arrest warrant out for me because of activity on my bank account. So this may be my last tweet.— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) February 26, 2021

  130. 130.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @schrodingers_cat:

    This sounds like something Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes would come up with. This makes sense if the goal is to demagogue elected Ds for being insufficiently pure not to actually pass anything. 

    Rube Goldberg wept.

  134. 134.

    West of the Rockies

    Republicanism is a vile fusion of religion, bigotry, and the patriarchy.  This I believe.

  136. 136.

    The Thin Black Duke

    @schrodingers_cat: It’s performance art that will give the Bernie guys a hard on while providing an alibi for weak-minded ‘progressives’ to vote third party in the next election. As usual. Meanwhile, the hard-working sisters in the trenches will ignore the noise and keep on keeping on.

  137. 137.

    There go two miscreants

    @trollhattan: ​
     “lawyer in Texas” surely ranks coequal with Florida Man.

    Some of the lawyers on twitter — including some in Texas — have been making fun of that clown and his filings for a while now. Great reading!

  140. 140.

    Betty Cracker

    @The Thin Black Duke: According to WaPo here, Schumer and Wyden are also working on this plan, and neither of them are noted for anti-Democratic Party performance art. I have no idea whether it will fly or not, but I’m grateful to any lawmaker who isn’t letting the $15 minimum wage effort go down without a fight.

  141. 141.

    BruceFromOhio

    CPAC is one big trolling operation, and it pains me how much attention it gets. The event is geared wholly and exclusively to trigger the libs! and the talking heads, the twatters, fuck just about anyone with a pulse ends up ensnared, plays rights into it.

    While I cannot prove the existence of God, I can absolutely prove the absence of God, as the convention site is not reduced to a smouldering ash heap by repeated meteor strikes.

  144. 144.

    caring and sensitive

    Speaking of “whatever happened to” when was the last time anyone saw Thyme Zone?

  145. 145.

    Matt McIrvin

    @FelonyGovt: The logic behind slamming your nuts in a drawer to own the libs is to trick the libs into thinking you’re the kind of person who would do it for no reason at all. Then you can laugh at them for being so foolish, in between screaming in agony about your nuts.

  147. 147.

    Old School

    @schrodingers_cat: IANAL either, but my understanding is that the purpose is to make the minimum wage more of a budget issue so that it can be in a bill passed by reconciliation.

  152. 152.

    MattF

    So, that huge intel report about Kashoggi’s murder merely points out that MBS is, in fact, in charge in SA, that he is not averse to using violence, and that several people on the assassination team were among MBS’s closest associates. Proving, thereby, that CIA spies read newspapers.

  158. 158.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @West of the Rockies: Republicanism is a vile fusion of religion, bigotry, and the patriarchy.  This I believe.

    It sure does the look like the Evangelical Wing of the GOP are purging the Republicans of everyone else.  So the Reagan Revolution has entered the Reign of Terror phase.

  159. 159.

    James E Powell

    Word around twitter is that the Sunday shows have decided that the biggest story is the continuing popularity of Donald Trump and the stolen election, so they are giving it saturation coverage.

  160. 160.

    Citizen Alan

    @schrodingers_cat:

    I don’t know about that. It’s well-known that companies like Walmart literally help their employees apply for gov’t benefits because they don’t pay them enough to raise them above the poverty level. If the practical effect of underpaying employees is to force an increase in entitlement spending, why can’t the federal government tax companies that do so as a way to offset those increased government costs?

  162. 162.

    Martin

    @schrodingers_cat: No, that should easily pass. It is directly related to the budget as it changes the tax code, and it’s a clever work-around.

    I think the Dems should name the $15/hr bill the ‘Reduce Federal Welfare Spending’ act, since its primary budgetary function is to pay people enough to make them ineligible for welfare benefits. Make Republicans vote against that.

  166. 166.

    Martin

    @Soprano2: No, because that’s not accurate. It’s straight up fascism. CPAC is 100% ‘the election was stolen’ and ‘1/6 wasn’t us, but it was great’.

    Call them fascists.

  167. 167.

    James E Powell

    @schrodingers_cat:

    There are a number of laws that are based on the number of employees. Profitability would be tough; accountants have next level creativity. Some of the largest grossing movies in history have yet to show a profit.

  168. 168.

    Kent

    @hilts:They should have went with a statue of a golden ass instead.

    Wait, I thought that’s what they did do!   Looks exactly like a golden ass to me.

  169. 169.

    Martin

    @schrodingers_cat: Sorta. they can pass laws based on the number of employees they have – ACA is riddled with such provisions. They can certainly based on their profits – that’s the entire federal tax code. They probably can based on revenue, though I can’t think of an example that does – it’s a bad thing to focus on.

    So yeah, they could say ‘any employer with 10 or more employees loses these tax benefits’. That’s totally a thing. And it’s directly related to the budget.

    I suspect the reasons the Dems didn’t win the $15 was that the welfare spending reductions were a secondary effect. They couldn’t directly tie the wage increase to a dollar amount in the reduction in spending.

  175. 175.

    Geminid

    @James E Powell: News networks would do well to wait another few months and then examine trump’s popularity. It’s early still. Aside from the President’s extensive real power, the office itself magnifies it’s occupant. I’m waiting to see how people regard trump a hundred days out.

  177. 177.

    ...now I try to be amused

    Why does TPAC continue to spell it with a C?

    @Betty Cracker:

    Speaking of sociopaths, at CPAC today, Ted Cruz joked about going to the Cancun Ritz-Carlton while several of his constituents froze to death. The Republicans among those constituents will almost certainly use their frostbitten stumps to mark yet another ballot for Ted Cruz, even if that nice Beto fella personally delivered a hot meal to their door.

    Independents might not be so forgiving when they see it replayed in a campaign ad.

  178. 178.

    J R in WV

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Via Popehat

    Just got a robo spam call from the “law enforcement unit of the federal reserve system.” They tell me there’s an arrest warrant out for me because of activity on my bank account. So this may be my last tweet.— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) February 26, 2021

    We’ve started getting those calls too… starts out: “This is Michael Brown, Security Officer with the Social Security Administration. I’m calling to inform you that your social security number has been associated with numerous illegal online scam operations, and your account will be frozen until you contact me to explain what has been going on!”

    Of course this whole message is delivered in a monotone with some words barely pronounced well enough to figure out what he’s trying to say. Plus not what goes on in the Social Security organization.  So now I hang up after just a few words.

    Someone is still trying to sell me  extended warranty on the F-350 which was totalled out years ago. Those calls don’t last long either.

  182. 182.

    James E Powell

    @Baud:

    The poll saw on CNN showed that his approval among Republicans had plummeted from its pre-election 86% all the way down to 83%

    They will say they love him because there is no one else. Sycophants can’t take over his spot

    And with respect to polls, I suspect Republicans think, “Which answer will totally piss off the libs?”

  190. 190.

    Baud

    @CaseyL:

    @James E Powell:

    I thought he was in the 90% range as president.

    I also wonder if the Republican Party is significantly smaller than it was a month ago, which would actually cause his poll numbers among Republicans to rise.

  192. 192.

    Calouste

    @Percysowner: They should try some secondary shaming, although I doubt this guy works for any kind of reputable law office, but he might have a law degree from a vaguely reputable school. So mention his employer and law school. Worst case it would make it clear that this “lawyer” is just a self-employed crank with a mail-order degree.

  193. 193.

    smith

    @Baud: The most recent Gallup poll on party ID has the Rs at 25%, but so are the D’s (https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx) 50% independent, and it looks like that’s the highest it’s been in this poll since at least 2004. Both parties are down from Nov 2020 (30% for R’s, 31% for D’s). Don’t know if this is some sort of realignment, but probably too early to tell.

    I suspect that for favorability ratings they push respondents to say how they lean, and I don’t know what the party ID looked like for those.

  194. 194.

    Old School

    @Baud:

    I also wonder if the Republican Party is significantly smaller than it was a month ago

    According to Gallup, 25% of the population identified as Republican at the beginning of February.  It was 24% in the first poll of 2021.  (It was 33% a year ago.)

    ETA: smith was quicker!

  195. 195.

    Leto

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: on Tuesday it was almost 60 here (in the sun), and the past few days have been above 45. The snow is melting, the sun has felt amazing, and the dog has received more walks. Fingers crossed that we don’t have any more winter storms.

  196. 196.

    Ruckus

    @Steeplejack (phone):

    I believe you are correct. He was at a confab in the LA area, what feels like 4 lifetimes ago. So before last week…..

    Nice guy, we talked quite a bit, compared navy stories. He won hands down.

  197. 197.

    catclub

    @J R in WV: ​
     
    I just got that call from Customs and Border protection.
    They said a package is at the border with Drugs and Money and my name on it. Not sure who would wish to speak with CBP officer at that point. But they asked if I did.

  199. 199.

    Ruckus

    @JaySinWA:

    I actually doubt this. These people are not playing with a full deck. Hell I’m not actually sure there are numbers and J, Q, K on them. It might be a deck of business cards from the town dump they use to sort out their political desires.

    To me this is exactly the stage the conservative party is at, all logic and intelligence has been completely wiped out and they are out to prove this to anyone with any doubt left that they are all insane. And still suck their thumbs. And there are way, way too many examples that this is true to ignore.

  200. 200.

    Pennsylvanian

    @schrodingers_cat: There are lots of laws that require employers with over 50, or 100 or 500 employees to do things like provide certain benefits (sick leave, FMLA, health insurance).

    Not sure why they can’t tie required minimum pay to employer size. But Republican judges and SCOTUS would find a way to kill it I imagine.

  201. 201.

    Gravenstone

    This is a nice bit of news. The Atlanta WNBA team, previously owned by the execrable Kelly Loeffler has been sold. I would imagine the players are quite relieved to be free of her malign presence.

  202. 202.

    Gravenstone

    @catclub: Did you tell them you’d take the money, but they can have the drugs since it’s obvious they need better than what they’re obviously on?

  203. 203.

    Leto

    Via WaPo: Capitol riot defendants facing jail have regrets. Judges aren’t buying it.

    One judge verbally smacked down an attorney who tried to use the QAnon conspiracy theory to explain his client shouting “kill them all.

    For many accused of attempting to obstruct the certification of the U.S. presidential election on Jan. 6, arrest was a reality check. Now they are getting another.

    As defendants charged in the Capitol siege have been coming through court, some have been shifting blame onto former president Donald Trump, downplaying their actions or expressing remorse. But federal judges — particularly those who work a few blocks from the Capitol — aren’t buying it.

    One judge called a defendant’s claim of civil disobedience “detached from reality.” Another verbally smacked down an attorney who tried to use the QAnon conspiracy theory to explain his client shouting “kill them all.” Other judges have been giving defendants civics lessons on how democracy works.

    U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, the chief federal jurist for the District of Columbia, responded incredulously to one defense attorney who said his client believed Trump requested his unlawful conduct. She said if a president could sanction overturning an election he would be no different from “a king or a dictator” and “that is not how we operate here.”

    When the attorney added that the man, the accused leader of a Proud Boys group, had been “chastened rather than emboldened” by the federal charges and his anti-government “fever has broken,” Howell clapped back.

    “Essentially, that’s what your argument is, saying, ‘Whoops,’ now?” Howell asked. “Has he expressed any remorse or rejection of his membership in the Proud Boys, a gang of nationalist individuals? Does he reject the fantasy the election was stolen? Does he regret the positions that animated the mob on Jan. 6? Is there anything on the record about any of those things?”

    “Whoops” is, essentially, what many of the accused are now saying.

    Whoops indeed, mf’ers.

  205. 205.

    Kent

    @Pennsylvanian:

    @schrodingers_cat: There are lots of laws that require employers with over 50, or 100 or 500 employees to do things like provide certain benefits (sick leave, FMLA, health insurance).

    Not sure why they can’t tie required minimum pay to employer size. But Republican judges and SCOTUS would find a way to kill it I imagine.

    I think Biden can also require it of all Federal contractors and subcontractors with a stroke of the pen.  So any concessionaires on Federal property or national parks, custodial staff and contractors in Federal buildings, landscapers for Federal properties, etc. etc.

  206. 206.

    Geminid

    @Old School: Last month’s Wason Center poll of Virginia registered showed self-identified Republicans at 37%, down from 31% November 2019. Democrats up from 34% to 37%. Independents were around 31%.

  207. 207.

    Miss Bianca

    @Martin:

    I think the Dems should name the $15/hr bill the ‘Reduce Federal Welfare Spending’ act, since its primary budgetary function is to pay people enough to make them ineligible for welfare benefits. Make Republicans vote against that.

    Ooh, I like the way you think.

  209. 209.

    Poe Larity

    The NYT’s editors and others are unhappy with David Brooks’ Aspeny blogging odes to Facebook Groups.

    “If the Times and David Brooks are asking people to trust his opinion journalism, then he should be clear about any entanglements that might affect the independence of that journalism,”

  212. 212.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Kent: it’s apparently more complicated than the stroke of a pen, but he started the process for that order on his second day in office

    Biden plans to sign an executive order that will expand protections for federal workers, including putting federal agencies on a path to require a $15 minimum wage for contractors.

    But that minimum wage won’t come right away. Instead, Biden plans to direct the federal government “to start the work that would allow him to issue” an order “within the first 100 days” that would require federal contractors to pay at least $15 per hour, according to the White House.

  213. 213.

    Van Buren

    On Wednesday my wife went to a seminar at a public health agency and at the end they casually mentioned that they been alloted more doses than they needed and did anyone have an eligible family member and that is why I am now waiting with my autistic son for a jab, and my asthmatic son is scheduled for 530 if they don’t run out.

  214. 214.

    Leto

    @Nelle: spam enough calls and get 1 sucker to pay out. The sheer volume they’re doing factors into it. My phone blocks 99% of those spam calls.

  215. 215.

    raven

    @Nelle: \\

    Simple ways to stop them, especially with iPhones

    The worst thing you can do when you get these calls: Pressing 1 or 2 to opt out. That tells them you are a live caller, and you may get even more calls in the future.

    Doesn’t that stink?

    If you have an Apple iPhone, there is an almost-secret setting to now block them.

    In iOS 13 or 14:

    • Go to Settings
    • Click on Phone
    • Look for Call Silencing, and turn it on.

    You can then silence unknown callers, any number that is not in your contacts or was not recently called. They will just go to your voice mail, where robocallers usually don’t leave a message.

    Have an Android phone? Check with your cell provider on how to block unknown callers, or consider purchasing a call blocking app on Google Play, such as NoMoRobo or Robostopper or others.

  219. 219.

    Leto

    @Van Buren: That’s really good news! Just found out my parents got their first dose today. They’ll get their second shot a month from now. Takes a bit of worry off my mind.

  220. 220.

    Ruckus

    @LuciaMia:

    He had one policy.

    One.

    It wasn’t a nice policy. One can’t write about it in decent society.

    Fortunately we aren’t a decent society. His one policy was suck my dick and pay me for the privilege.

  225. 225.

    Ruckus

    @J R in WV:

    Only have a cell phone. So my phone allows me to turn off the ringer for any call not in my contacts. I get a screen notice, which of course tells me the number to block, which of course I do, so of course they robo call me from another number. Get at least one a week. The number is always a computer generated number and almost always not a working number. Funny how that is. One would think this is a pretty easy scam for the service provider to stop. I guess that the cell phone company makes money on each and every call, so it’s going to take a working government to stop them, something we haven’t had for 4 yrs.

  228. 228.

    Gravenstone

    @Ruckus: Think I became an instance of “not always a non-working number”. During a recent spate of robocalls, all appearing to be from the local exchange, I actually had someone leave me a voicemail asking why I was calling them? I can only guess that my number was among those being spoofed.

  230. 230.

    Ruckus

    @Nelle:

    Have you considered that it might be the phone company making the calls? They know what numbers are out of service to use as the calling number, they quite possibly benefit some way from the number of calls made…..

  232. 232.

    cain

    @Cheryl from Maryland: ​
    Ted Cruz has a locker at a gym?? I guess he uses it to store more cans of soup.

     
    It’s where he keeps his balls. He occasionally needs to remind himself that while he might be a dick, he doesn’t need balls – likes to keep them safe in his locker.

  233. 233.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    In shocking news, sedition and insurrection are popular at trumppac

    Elaina Plott @elainaplott
    Josh Hawley had hardly finished reminding the CPAC crowd about his objection to the electoral college certification before the room lost it. Standing ovation, defeating cheers, some chanting U-S-A.

    Hawley’s reception versus that of Rick Scott and Tom Cotton is like night and day.

    This crowd loves Hawley — not sure how to put it other than that. Standing ovation, attempts to chant “Josh Hawley” that sputtered when people couldn’t quite sync up on the syllables.

  235. 235.

    Ruckus

    @Gravenstone:

    I’ve only called the number shown a couple of times, just to see if it actually worked. But if it’s a straight robo call then it is a computer generated number, and if where you live is anything like LA, they have to create new area codes because the old ones run out of available numbers. So they are going to be using working numbers.

    @raven:

    This is what I do on my iPhone. Works great.

  239. 239.

    Soprano2

    @Martin: @Soprano2: No, because that’s not accurate. It’s straight up fascism. CPAC is 100% ‘the election was stolen’ and ‘1/6 wasn’t us, but it was great’.

    Call them fascists.

    I’ll call them that too, but calling them “Trumpublicans” emphasizes how much it’s now just a cult of personality rather than a serious political party.

  242. 242.

    Soprano2

    @J R in WV: I keep getting calls saying that my Amazon account has been frozen because (insert expensive thing here) was purchased with it, and if I’ll just call this number they can verify it all for me so my account can be unfrozen. Of course, it’s just a bullshit scam.

  243. 243.

    Redshift

    @Gravenstone: I got a text like that from someone once. I replied back that I hadn’t called, and it was probably a scammer using a spoofed number. The person was actually quite pleasant after the first text.

  245. 245.

    Sm*t Cl*de

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Standing ovation, attempts to chant “Josh Hawley” that sputtered when people couldn’t quite sync up on the syllables.

    I’m sure they know the Horst Wessel song. Can’t they just change the name?

  246. 246.

    Redshift

    @Ruckus:

    Funny how that is. One would think this is a pretty easy scam for the service provider to stop. I guess that the cell phone company makes money on each and every call, so it’s going to take a working government to stop them, something we haven’t had for 4 yrs. 

    Yeah, I would think it would be technically trivial for phone companies to restrict calls to having “from” numbers that are owned by the owner of the calling line, rather than letting robocall systems spoof any number they want. It happens on landlines, and it wouldn’t be profitable for scammers to randomly spam numbers if the phone company was actually making a significant amount of money on the calls.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a misinterpretation or an unintended consequence of some telecom regulation, or it’s just that it would cost them money to stop letting the spoofed numbers through.

  247. 247.

    Brachiator

    @Soprano2:

    It’s straight up fascism. CPAC is 100% ‘the election was stolen’ and ‘1/6 wasn’t us, but it was great’.

    Call them fascists.

    Yep. They are definitely fascists.

    I’ll call them that too, but calling them “Trumpublicans” emphasizes how much it’s now just a cult of personality rather than a serious political party.

    They have to be taken serious enough to make sure that they are soundly defeated in every election. They are doing everything they can in a number of states to enact voter suppression laws. They are intent on trying to steal future elections.

    They have no ideas and don’t care whether they can appeal to any voters with any coherent policy. It is all about power.

  249. 249.

    J R in WV

    @Nelle:

    @J R in WV: we’re up to about eight call each for car warranties now per day.  What does any company..or fraudster…get out of this?

    Well, If you are dumb enough to fall for a line this stupid, you just may be dumb enough to give them your bank information, or even just a credit card number. Like the Nigerian Prince emails with mis-spelled words to filter out smart people…

    I dunno, but there must be some tiny number of people who fall into the phone call, or they wouldn’t be able to afford to keep it going.

  251. 251.

    Sm*t Cl*de

    @Matt McIrvin: Someone has edited the Whackyweedia entry. The language is not the approved style of Wiki neutrality, so it may change.

    The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 2021 stage utilized the Odal rune shape. Most likely as a subtle signal the rest of the conservative, white supremacists to stand by and stand ready with hate in their hearts.

  253. 253.

    Brachiator

    @Matt McIrvin:

    This is exactly the kind of semi-plausibly-deniable “coincidental” dogwhistle these people pull all the time.

    We are beyond dog whistles. These fascists are now using Trump as an excuse as well as a justification for their actions and beliefs.

    I recently saw a video clip of some GOP politician say that voting was a privilege, in defending legislation that would restrict voting rights.

    So, they are slowly moving towards an open assertion not just that Trump was “robbed,” but that only the “right” people should be allowed to vote at all.

    This is not “coded” language. It’s is pretty damn explicit.

  255. 255.

    NotMax

    @Brachiator

    Heckuva travail to get an amendment successfully through the process, but mirroring the second in a new one is one not completely implausible suggestion.

    An equitably represented electorate, being necessary to the performance of a free State, the right of the people of eligible age to vote shall not be infringed.

  258. 258.

    Bill Arnold

    @Sm*t Cl*de:

    Someone has edited the Whackyweedia entry.

    In a pinch one can link an older version of a Wikipedia entry from the history (Like a few days ago.)
    I’m impressed. Golden Trump idol at CPAC 2021, and the CPAC 2021 stage in the shape of a Nazi symbol also used by contemporary Nazis.

  259. 259.

    AnotherBruce

    Should we overturn CPAC ? Get a thousand Antifa and bust up the conference.

    The trouble with that scenario is that there probably not enough Antifa to be effective. Oh well.

  260. 260.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Brachiator: Yep. They are definitely fascists.

    But it’s a strange,lazyman form of Fascism with it’s contempt for military service – remember Hitler’s, Mussolini’s and Franco’s claim to power was their military service.  Their idea of brave movement warrior they are cheering is Ted Cruz for going on vacation at the moment of crises. These Trumpites aren’t so much bundling sticks and axes so much at bundling stick and TV remotes.

  261. 261.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Brachiator: No. What they love is power and hurting people.​

    More like the privilege to hurt people. They really have no ambition with power beyond that.

    it also occurs to me that really aren’t racists, it’s just Blacks make an easier target for their cruelty  because of the institutions the real racists put in place. But their one real passion is make other people suffer.

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