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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Woke Tapper

Woke Tapper

by Betty Cracker|  May 12, 20212:24 pm| 200 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics, Republican Stupidity

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I’ve never been a big Jake Tapper fan. As a champion grudge-holder, I’m still mad about him calling Fox News a “sister” network and being a supercilious prick when he publicly busted President Obama for sneaking cigarettes behind Michelle Obama’s back. But to give credit where it’s due, Tapper has adjusted to the Republican Party’s descent into madness better than many of his MSM colleagues. Case in point:

“President Trump won this election, so everyone who’s listening, do not be quiet.”

— same exact guy https://t.co/vZNf8ne8dH

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 12, 2021

He’s right. Sleazy arch-toady McCarthy did say that on Frau Ingraham’s TV show back in November, laying the groundwork for the insurrection. Then in early January, with the memory of the murderous mob’s hot breath still on his neck, McCarthy blamed Trump for winding up the rioters and sending them down Pennsylvania Avenue (which he did). Then McCarthy slunk off to Disgraceland to kiss the orange ring, and who knows, he might now be obliged to arrange another trip south to expiate the sin of NOT lying about the election outcome today.

Next, it will be, “Insurrection? What insurrection?” Some Republicans are already there.

Anyhoo, the media loves talking about Papaya Pinochet every bit as much as we hate hearing TFG’s accursed name, but maybe it’s good that they’re latching onto the opportunity to insert Hair Furor into the conversation in this context. Repubs in disarray stories are better than Dems in disarray stories.

Also, I suspect there’s no limit to the abuse Republican voters will take from the GOP officials they return to office; their gluttony for punishment seems insatiable, as long as they know people they hate are suffering more. But maybe some of the remaining non-cultists in the GOP who are watching their elected officials lash themselves to the mast of a twice-impeached, two-time popular vote loser who lost both chambers on the way out will get a fucking clue. Probably not! But better this than a united opposition rallying around something more worthy, like genital warts.

Open thread!

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Reader Interactions

200Comments

  1. 1.

    Albatrossity

    May 12, 2021 at 2:26 pm

    The GQPers have no good options at this state. Genital warts would be a better option, however

  2. 2.

    Mike in NC

    May 12, 2021 at 2:29 pm

    Everything I’ve read about Kevin McCarthy suggests he’s a spineless weasel, so I’m not sure how he got to where he is.

  3. 3.

    piratedan

    May 12, 2021 at 2:31 pm

    and here in AZ, apparently, despite all attempts to stop them, apparently the contractors for the AZ GOP state party audit have apparently tapped into the AZ Sec of State servers….

    https://twitter.com/SecretaryHobbs/status/1392531067031101443

    implications are that now these folks may have the data to let them know, who voted for whom…..

  4. 4.

    Spanky

    May 12, 2021 at 2:35 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Everything I’ve read about Kevin McCarthy suggests he’s a spineless weasel, so I’m not sure how he got to where he is.

    For Republican leadership that is a requirement.

    McTurtle looks like he’s holding in a hernia. Let ‘er go, Mitch!

  5. 5.

    trollhattan

    May 12, 2021 at 2:36 pm

    @piratedan:

    That’s deeply chilling if true.

  6. 6.

    Betty Cracker

    May 12, 2021 at 2:39 pm

    @piratedan: WTAF?

  7. 7.

    zzyzx

    May 12, 2021 at 2:40 pm

    @piratedan: why would any server ever have that data?

  8. 8.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 2:41 pm

    @zzyzx:

    That was my question.

    ETA: FWIW, Party registration is usually publicly available information.  Campaigns obtain them all the time.

  9. 9.

    p.a.

    May 12, 2021 at 2:41 pm

  10. 10.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 2:41 pm

    @piratedan:

    This nonsense in Arizona is dangerous. However, …

    implications are that now these folks may have the data to let them know, who voted for whom…..

    Someone is going to have to connect the dots for me, because I don’t see it. People don’t sign ballots.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  11. 11.

    dww44

    May 12, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    Tapper has been better during at least the last half of Trump’s administration.  Wasn’t paying attention to him before that.  Also, he’s got a book to sell, fiction based on the actual events surrounding the Manchurian Candidate and Sinatra’s California home figures prominently I understand.

    Re McCarthy, while there was always no there there, he  has become number2 at the top of my most disliked political GOP leader.  He.and McConnell are just despicable and spineless humans.  Need to add Lindsay into that mix.

  12. 12.

    Spanky

    May 12, 2021 at 2:45 pm

    @Another Scott:  Right. I don’t see how a ballot gets connected back to a voter, given the information that is usually stored.

    Just FYI, I’ve been an elections judge in MD and have a good idea of how things work here with optically scanned ballots. Anyone who knows AZ election procedures is free to chime in, but right now that sounds like overreacting.

  13. 13.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    OT.  Interesting group.

    Senators Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Sherrod Brown of Ohio joined with West Virginia’s Manchin to introduce legislation that would end the carried interest tax breaks used by private equity money managers and others to lower their tax bills. President Joe Biden proposed to eliminate the tax preference to help fund his $1.8 trillion social-spending focused American Families Plan released last month.

  14. 14.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    May 12, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    You’ve echoed my thoughts on Tapper as well. I ended up watching a helluva a lot of CNN over the last year and he’s been pretty consistent. At times he had me wondering “who is that man on the screen and what did they do with Jake Tapper?”

    Also too, I think he and others at CNN refer to the people that didn’t vote to certify “The Sedition Caucus” and unlike most of the other Sunday morning “news” shows, his morning show refuses to book any of them.

  15. 15.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    @Spanky:

    The tweet wasn’t an overreaction.  There’s just no evidence that the secrecy of the ballot has been compromised.

  16. 16.

    piratedan

    May 12, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    @Another Scott: all I can say it was implied in the twitter thread, now officially that could all be bogus as shit in regards to linking specific data with actual individual votes.

     

    It bothers me that despite repeated refusals from the AZ SOS, that somehow, they uncovered a router that was pointed to one of these “audit servers”, and from there, speculation is allowed to run amok as to what data it was passing.  I don’t know, and I fully expect that in the interests of “transparency”, we may NEVER know.

  17. 17.

    SiubhanDuinne

    May 12, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    @Spanky:

    McTurtle looks like he’s holding in a hernia.

    His hands are back to a normal colour (I still want to know what that was all about, btw), but he does not at all look like a healthy man. Not. At. All.

  18. 18.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    May 12, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    @Mike in NC: What? The Young Gun is spineless?

  19. 19.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 2:51 pm

    I don’t watch much TV news these days.  But I would like Tapper and others to explain clearly that what McCarthy wants is for decent people to think he’s a reasonable person even as he panders to Trump supporters.

  20. 20.

    pacem appellant

    May 12, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    “Papaya Pinochet” FTW. Thank you for that. Where ever did you find it? FYI, I was in Chile in the late 90s, post-Pinochet, but he still very much ruled the country as a shadow shogun. TFG is doing it so much more overtly, and less ably(?). Ye gods, I hope so.

  21. 21.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    @Another Scott: So, at least for vote by mail, one reason we know the vote is safe is that the Registrar of Voters generates a unique ID for each voter. That’s in the registration database.

    The IDs are then separated from all other identifiable information and stored in another database. That database is used to track who has and hasn’t voted, and how that ID voted. The ID is put on the ballot and the enclosing envelope in the form of a barcode. When they scan the ballot back in, the ID needs to match an ID in the database, and the database then stores that a ballot was received for that ID. This is how they cure ballots. In many states you can either replace your ballot by mail or in person, or you fill out a provisional ballot. Depending on the state they’ll just take the most recent ballot and discard the others. In CA they actually call you and say ‘yo, which of these are we supposed to use’.

    This is pretty routine for anonymous data collection. Making sure there is a one-way data flow and that the two databases can never be combined is pretty critical.

    Presumably the SOS is concerned that that database that links the IDs to the personal information has been compromised. My guess is that the ‘GOP plans to interview voters’ part of this charade means that the legislature forced the SOS to give the auditors both databases, and if that wasn’t already bad enough, someone hung a wireless router off of them.

  22. 22.

    J R in WV

    May 12, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    @Baud:

    But nothing reasonable about McCarthy, just like Joe McCarthy back in the 1940s and ’50s. Nothing~!!~

    Trumpist fascists, all of them.

  23. 23.

    BruceFromOhio

    May 12, 2021 at 3:01 pm

    Dems gotta learn how to get stronger-faster-better on the media offensive, rather than hanging back and depending on legislative processes: that may not be enough when it matters.

    (Fair warning, the second link is to a Never-Trumper essay on a conservative site – when an avid, lifelong conservative writes an essay that confirms my very worst fears, I have to look for either confirmation or refutation, and right now it’s looking like confirmation)

    There’s 18 months left in this splendid experiment in democracy, and I do not expect America will have an opportunity to improve the hypothesis based on results.

  24. 24.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    @J R in WV:

    I know that, and you know that.  But McCarthy made this statement today so that some totebagger somewhere who wants to believe that the GOP is still sane will have something to hold onto.

  25. 25.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 3:03 pm

    @Baud: The fact that I voted is public information, too.  But it’s not public who I voted for.

    Which is one reason why it was incredibly stupid for Jenner to say she didn’t vote and played golf instead…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  26. 26.

    Betty Cracker

    May 12, 2021 at 3:04 pm

    @pacem appellant: Stole that from someone, can’t remember who, but I hope someone somewhere is keeping track of all the dictator/fascist-adjacent nicknames for TFG, including but not limited to:

    Papaya Pinochet

    Mango Mussolini

    Hair Furor

    Agolf Hitler

    Obese Orbán

    (Okay, I just made that last one up, and shame on me for fat shaming someone, but it’s okay cuz it’s Trump…)

  27. 27.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 3:04 pm

    @Another Scott:

    and played golf instead…

    Also doesn’t quite work since you don’t have to wait until election day to vote in California.

  28. 28.

    J R in WV

    May 12, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    @Baud:

    True. Sad also.

    Now I don’t know who to believe…    no, not really.

    Never believe a Repugnant, never!

  29. 29.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    I’m not sure how he got to where he is.

    He was the last guy in the room.

  30. 30.

    J R in WV

    May 12, 2021 at 3:07 pm

    @Baud:

    @Another Scott:

    and played golf instead…

    Also doesn’t quite work since you don’t have to wait until election day to vote in California.

    Sounds like Jenner is unaware of how voting works in any detail, just as Jenner is unaware of how government works at any level….
    Why did she open herself up to all the criticism in the world? What a loon~!~​

  31. 31.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    May 12, 2021 at 3:10 pm

    @Another Scott: I see it as someone broke into my house to steal diamonds but only found pearls.  So the left. They still committed a crime by breaking into my house.

  32. 32.

    Leto

    May 12, 2021 at 3:10 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:  Shit floats to the top?

  33. 33.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 3:11 pm

    @Cheryl from Maryland:

    Right. But you wouldn’t then go on the internet and say they stole your diamonds.

  34. 34.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 3:12 pm

    @Leto:

    Who are these people whose shit floats?  Should I be worried that my shit is so dense it sinks? Maybe I should see a nutritionist.

  35. 35.

    artem1s

    May 12, 2021 at 3:14 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Everything I’ve read about Kevin McCarthy suggests he’s a spineless weasel, so I’m not sure how he got to where he is

    It’s amazing how far someone can fail upward because the person hiring can’t afford to be seen standing next to someone who is more experienced and competent than they are.

  36. 36.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 3:16 pm

    @Betty Cracker: Someone should go back and collect all the names efgoldman had for TFG.

  37. 37.

    smith

    May 12, 2021 at 3:17 pm

    Wouldn’t unauthorized access to the SOS servers be, like, a crime?

  38. 38.

    catclub

    May 12, 2021 at 3:18 pm

    @Spanky: and have a good idea of how things work here with optically scanned ballots.

     

    Let me just start a rumor that there are chinese inserted watermarks on those ‘optically scanned ballots’.  I doubt I am the first.

  39. 39.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 3:18 pm

    @Martin: Thanks.

    I guess we’ll have to see what’s actually going on.

    To be clear – my view is these nutjobs shouldn’t be anywhere near these ballots and databases, etc.  Nothing good can come from their trying to sow doubt.

    But people need to keep their wits about them when talking about it.  Turning this into another kerning debate only helps the malefactors.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  40. 40.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 3:19 pm

    @artem1s: It explains my lack of professional success.

  41. 41.

    catclub

    May 12, 2021 at 3:20 pm

    @Leto: ​
      Depends on the amount of fat in your diet. Probably hydration, also, too.

  42. 42.

    mrmoshpotato

    May 12, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    Obese Orbán

    (Okay, I just made that last one up, and shame on me for fat shaming someone, but it’s okay cuz it’s Trump…)

    Fair game in my book when the Soviet shitpile mobster conman was all “Uuuuhhhh! Hillary doesn’t have the stamina!  Uuuuhhhhh!”

  43. 43.

    Brachiator

    May 12, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    @Another Scott: 

    Don’t know all that is going on. Here is some crazy stuff from a few days ago.

    Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs is receiving protection from the Arizona Department of Public Safety after fielding multiple death threats amid the election audit in Maricopa County.

    Hobbs has been a vocal opponent of the audit, which was demanded by Republican state senators and is being overseen by a purveyor of election conspiracies. The audit kicked off last month even though county election officials had conducted two previous audits and found no evidence of widespread fraud or other issues.

  44. 44.

    Betty Cracker

    May 12, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    This would be hilarious…

    Overheard: Has Liz Cheney considered actually just lying and saying she won today’s vote?

    — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) May 12, 2021

  45. 45.

    VeniceRiley

    May 12, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    @Betty Cracker: I was calling him Persimmon Pinochet for a while, but I stole that. I’ve seen so many nics I’ve forgotten most.

  46. 46.

    MazeDancer

    May 12, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    @Spanky: In NY, you are given a number when you sign in, That number is part of the optical scan.

    Don’t know what is the system in MD or AZ, but it would be possible in NY to eventually figure out how people voted.

  47. 47.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    @catclub:

    chinese inserted watermarks on those ‘optically scanned ballots’.

    Oh god. Those yahoos are going to mark up a bunch of ballots with sharpies, aren’t they?

  48. 48.

    catclub

    May 12, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    @Martin: When they scan the ballot back in, the ID needs to match an ID in the database, and the database then stores that a ballot was received for that ID.

     

    if there were time stamps on this information, and the ballot is read into the reader machine after it ID has been scanned, you could roughly determine voting. In Principle, either the system does not timestamp events, or  large batches are held before running ballots through the reader.

  49. 49.

    VeniceRiley

    May 12, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    @VeniceRiley: Donny Dollhands is still my alltime favorite.

  50. 50.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    @piratedan: time for the feds to step in.  At this point, every voter’s rights there are being violated.

  51. 51.

    Cameron

    May 12, 2021 at 3:29 pm

    @Betty Cracker: I hear you – I knew it was wrong at the time, but I couldn’t resist referring to the then-governor of NJ as Chubs Chubbie.

  52. 52.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 3:30 pm

    @Another Scott: So, despite my previous comment, there might be a broader bit of understanding here.

    If we view voting as recording our choices on a blank piece of paper and putting it in a box, then you’re right, it can’t be tracked. When you are handed a ballot your name is checked off.

    That works well for a serial voting system – one where there is one and only one way to record a vote. Request a vote by mail and your name is crossed off when you request the ballot and when you show up at your polling place, they don’t give you a ballot because you already have one.

    But voting rarely works like that any more. We now have parallel  voting systems. You have multiple ways to vote, these can overlap in time, and just because your name is checked off doesn’t mean you can’t still vote – either because you requested a mail ballot but chose to use the machine instead, or because you want to use a later ballot to cure an earlier one.  This requires a setup like I describe above where you have a series of secured databases that technically allow for recorded votes to be tied back to names and addresses, but should be implemented in a way that if anyone were to do that, there would be a record of that happening and punishment should that happen. (You do want to permit that in order to validate your system is working.) So in theory you can reconstruct the full voting record, but in practice it requires a very deliberate effort that makes it super clear you’re either testing the system, or you’re engaging in fraud.

    If you are unaware that the latter system exists, or how it works, you might rightfully conclude that anyone can cast as many ballots as they want, the registrar has no way to detect it, and that it’d be foolish to say there’s no fraud when that would be impossible to determine if you had a serial system. So a lot of people might buy into the idea of fraud because they have no understanding of how modern systems give users flexibility but still protect anonymity  and ensure only one vote is recorded per voter. In that regard, they’re much safer than the old system where it was actually harder to audit the vote.

  53. 53.

    Tony Jay

    May 12, 2021 at 3:34 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    Tang the Incestuous

    American Tangster

    Don the Con

    Trumpelshitskin

    The Pustule

    Ser Assmouth Toefinger of House Tang-Aryan

    Ol’ Leatherneck

    Say what you like about Fred’s Folly, but he was vaguely man-shaped mine of mockable conceits.

    I don’t think anything could beat the simple ‘Dolt45’ for brevity, though. Said everything that needed to be said.

  54. 54.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    May 12, 2021 at 3:35 pm

    @Baud: I’d still call the police.  Then I’d change my fucking locks and put my pearls someplace else.

  55. 55.

    lowtechcyclist

    May 12, 2021 at 3:37 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    Papaya Pinochet

    Mango Mussolini

    Hair Furor

    Agolf Hitler

    Obese Orbán

    Twitler

    Cheetolini

    (picking off the easy ones here)

  56. 56.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 3:38 pm

    When I noted McCarthy’s “lemme have it both ways” comment in the last thread with an “UM WHAT?!?”, I was having trouble dealing with the sheer shamelessness.

    I’m not, now.

    Have at ’em, media.  Have at ’em, Dems.  No more having it both ways.  Which is it, McCarthy?  Did President Biden win the election or not?  And no, “Joe Biden is president” is not what I asked you – that’s just a wink and a nod to the Q-tards.  Even they know that he (currently) is president.  The question is, was the election won by Biden and won fairly, or was it “stolen”?  Which. Is. It?

    So much riding on the answer.  Which is it, McCarthy?

  57. 57.

    Rocks

    May 12, 2021 at 3:41 pm

    @Cameron: The best one for Chris Christie was “Oh, the Huge Manatee!” (apologies to the victims of the Hindenberg disaster).

  58. 58.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 3:41 pm

    Oh and only slightly OT: it’s not enough to suppress voters, the GQP wants fact checkers ON NOTICE.

    No more just, you know, fact checking!!!  Now you have to register and might be fined if your fact checking is in fact, not 100% to the GQP’s liking.

    Unbelievable.

    Michigan state Rep. Matt Maddock and his wife, Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock, have repeatedly been called out by fact-checking journalists for promoting baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and falsely suggesting that covid-19 is comparable to the flu.

    Now, the Republican lawmaker wants to create new obstacles for fact-checkers who might challenge politicians over unsubstantiated claims.

    “My legislation will put Fact Checkers on notice: don’t be wrong, don’t be sloppy, and you better be right,” Maddock wrote in a Facebook post announcing his proposal last week.

    Maddock’s bill, the Fact Checker Registration Act, was introduced Tuesday and would require fact-checkers to register with the state and insure themselves with $1 million fidelity bonds. Any fact-checker who did not register with the state could face a $1,000 per day fine. The proposed legislation would also allow anyone to sue a fact-checker over “any wrongful conduct that is a violation of the laws of this state.”

  59. 59.

    w_seattle

    May 12, 2021 at 3:44 pm

    Maybe add “Twitler” to the list.

  60. 60.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    May 12, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    @Jeffro: Suppose the Fact Checker just calls themself a reporter

  61. 61.

    Cameron

    May 12, 2021 at 3:46 pm

    @Rocks: Hadn’t heard that one, but am totally good with it.  In an email to my brother after Christie’s presidential campaign tanked, I commented that it was the worst explosion of a giant gas bag in NJ since 1937.

  62. 62.

    mrmoshpotato

    May 12, 2021 at 3:46 pm

    The 15 year-old who killed Uber Eats driver Mohammad Anwar has pled guilty to felony murder. Because of her age, she will be remanded to juvenile detention and will be released when she turns 18.— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) May 11, 2021

  63. 63.

    Ruckus

    May 12, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Knee pads?

  64. 64.

    dmsilev

    May 12, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    @Jeffro: If he feels that he’s been unfairly treated by a fact checker, he should feel free to sue for libel.

    (and yes, I know that’s a nearly impossible hill to climb given the circumstances. He might not know that though)

  65. 65.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    @catclub: There are timestamps. They need that for a variety of reasons. Yes, if it’s a paper ballot being fed into the reader, they’ll be batched, and the timestamp is generally meaningless. But it’s important because everyone has a cutoff for when ballots can be received. They’ll also record the postmark if you have a postmark deadline, IIRC.

    The key here is that you anonymize the users at the start. I get a  random ID, and throughout the process only that ID gets used. Where, when, how, and who I voted for are all attached to that ID, but provided you have a proper algorithm for random IDs, there’s no way to even guess that ID is Martin’s. My guess is that party registration is attached to the ID for primaries, so you could say that some Democrat voted at this time, in this way, for this person.

    Now, there’s a few things that can be done here for security. One, you could just firewall these things off really well with a lot of logging for access. I have a few systems I’ve developed where every transaction is logged. My transaction log in some cases is larger than the database itself. And in some of my systems I can write rules to set off a notification if something happens in the log. If you have an account to access the system, and your spouse is in the system, I’ll have a rule to set off the klaxons if you access your spouses record.

    Another thing you could do is use a good asymmetrical key arrangement for the ID. Rather than store the ID in the user identity database, you store a different key that can generate the ID using an algorithm that makes it near impossible to derive the key if you have the ID.  This way, you could look up Martin, use the recorded key to derive the ID, and then look up how Martin voted, but if you had the voting record with the ID, you wouldn’t be able to reverse this process to determine that was my ballot.

    Pretty sure here in CA the Registrar can easily determine who cast a given ballot because of the options here to cure them. Someone can look at the ballot, see that it’s ambiguous and then call me on the phone and ask what I intended.

    Anonymous doesn’t mean it’s impossible to put name to vote. Anonymous means it’s illegal to reveal that or use it in an unofficial capacity. But it used to mean it was impossible.

  66. 66.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 3:52 pm

    @lowtechcyclist: Individual One.

  67. 67.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    @Jeffro: Has Rep. Maddock ever read the 1st Amendment?

  68. 68.

    zhena gogolia

    May 12, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    @Betty Cracker: 
    I love Obese Orban!

  69. 69.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 12, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    I don’t watch CNN, but it seems to me most of their anchors/reporters have been pretty good in the trump era. I believe Tapper got up on his high horse (named Broder )to get all prim and smug about the great “X days since a press conference!” that he and his kind tried to convince the rest of the universe was a scandal, gave a prim little lecture to twitter on the air, as I recall.

  70. 70.

    Leto

    May 12, 2021 at 3:56 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:  GQPs continuing war on the 1st Amendment, except where it pertains to Faux News. Idk, maybe this is a way to put them out of business too considering how GQP members don’t think past the first step on any decision.

  71. 71.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 3:56 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: As one of ours has noted:

    Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.

  72. 72.

    hueyplong

    May 12, 2021 at 3:57 pm

    The shitgibbon

    Gotta go with the classics.

  73. 73.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    May 12, 2021 at 3:57 pm

    @BruceFromOhio: These are my worst fears too. I feel like folks on our side are way too complacent. We won, but not by much, and many of the suburbanites who voted our way are wavering. We are in real danger.

  74. 74.

    Redshift

    May 12, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Everything I’ve read about Kevin McCarthy suggests he’s a spineless weasel, so I’m not sure how he got to where he is. 

    Ever since Boehner was forced out, the main qualification for being GOP Speaker/minority leader is not being smart enough to realize it’s a no-win job and be left holding the bag. That doesn’t narrow it down much, of course…

  75. 75.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 4:00 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I think the talent has a real understanding of what Zucker did to help get Trump elected. I think they are trying to redeem the network.

    Shame the NYT hasn’t made the same effort.

  76. 76.

    natem

    May 12, 2021 at 4:01 pm

    @Redshift:  Eddie Munster was smart enough to know it was a job he really didn’t want though he took it anyway.

  77. 77.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 4:04 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:

    and many of the suburbanites who voted our way are wavering

    Source?

  78. 78.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 12, 2021 at 4:04 pm

    Rep. Eric Swalwell  @RepSwalwell 25m
    I just spoke with a very upset Officer Michael Fanone. It’s #PoliceWeek and for weeks Ofc. Fanone has made multiple requests to talk to @GOPLeader. He wants to show McCarthy what he experienced on 1/6.
    Today he was hung up on by McCarthy’s staff.

    RT if Kevin should meet a hero.

    emboldened by me

  79. 79.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    @Martin:

    Are you very concerned then that since these parallel systems in place can be used to identify individual voters that voters will be targeted for not voting the “correct” way by GOP goons in states like Arizona?

  80. 80.

    Ruckus

    May 12, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    My input to a proper name for  mr obnoxious is shitforbrains.

    I’ve used it often enough that it comes up as a suggestion when I type in an s.

  81. 81.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 12, 2021 at 4:09 pm

    I said the other day, Repulicans are increasingly acting like they’re bullet-proof. This smacks of either self-confidence or abject desperation

    Joe Scarborough @JoeNBC 57m
    What a bush league move.  

    “In a campaign text to supporters after the meeting, Mr. McCarthy sought to raise money by saying, ‘I just met with Corrupt Joe Biden and he’s STILL planning to push his radical Socialist agenda onto the American people.’”

  82. 82.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 4:11 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Somebody should ask Manchin and Sinema if McCarthy “really meant it” and how can bipartisanship be achieved with such bad faith

  83. 83.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 4:12 pm

    @Ruckus: I’m sticking with TFG.

  84. 84.

    Leto

    May 12, 2021 at 4:14 pm

    @Ruckus: I’ve used Trumpov for over 5 years now. My phone autocorrects to that for any variation I put in.

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: probably a combination of desperation, and knowing his voters are dumber than a bag of hammers.

  85. 85.

    Ksmiami

    May 12, 2021 at 4:14 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: good I hope he croaks sooner than later

  86. 86.

    JMG

    May 12, 2021 at 4:15 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony: Evidence for this “wavering?” Even anecdotal evidence?

  87. 87.

    Ksmiami

    May 12, 2021 at 4:16 pm

    @Martin: just fucking split the country up. Enough. gOP is traitor trash and I no longer want them in the same country

  88. 88.

    hueyplong

    May 12, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    @Ksmiami: Looks like I’d have to relocate from Occupied France if Ksmiami’s split-up theory were to be implemented.

    And working under a state license as I do, I’d have to retire.

    Hmm…. OK.

  89. 89.

    Ruckus

    May 12, 2021 at 4:23 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    It is not self confidence. I mean it might be, but it shouldn’t be, considering the political facts of the last few months. Republicans lost everything in the last federal election. Yes not by a lot, but lose they did. They did shit for the public health over the last 12-14 months, during a pandemic. Their money grubbing sponsors will likely have to spend more to win anything next time, and a lot of their base will likely be dead from Covid by the next election.

  90. 90.

    Ruckus

    May 12, 2021 at 4:24 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    As long as it’s derogatory it’s good.

  91. 91.

    Uncle Cosmo

    May 12, 2021 at 4:27 pm

    @Betty Cracker: You might add Trumplthinskin and Orangecandyass and The Emperor Tang® to the list if no one already has. (ETA: Also IIRC it was Agolf Twitler.)

  92. 92.

    Villago Delenda Est

    May 12, 2021 at 4:28 pm

    Tapper is still Villager vermin.

    In the words of the late, great efgoldman, fuck ’em.

  93. 93.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 4:28 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say ‘no’.

  94. 94.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 4:31 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: love how they’re all now going with the orange moron’s way of adding some dumb adjective to a political opponent’s name and capitalizing it.

    ‘Corrupt Joe Biden’

    ‘Crooked Hillary’

    ‘(something really offensive and dog-whistly) Kamala’

  95. 95.

    Ruckus

    May 12, 2021 at 4:33 pm

    @Jeffro:
    If he read it I doubt he understood any of the words, especially in context. Or maybe doesn’t think it applies to him. Or both…

  96. 96.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    @piratedan:  The word “vermin ” comes to mind.

  97. 97.

    bnateAZ

    May 12, 2021 at 4:36 pm

    @piratedan: There are no words for the depths of rage I am experiencing as a voter in Maricopa County.

  98. 98.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 4:36 pm

    @Ruckus: TFG even has the Presidential stamp of approval.

  99. 99.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 4:37 pm

    @Redshift: … and being able to raise, and control, a lot of campaign money.  Part of that automatically comes with the position, but one doesn’t get that position without being able to raise lots of money.

    Before Boehner quit, he controlled something like $15M, IIRC, and that was a long time ago…

    [eta:] McCarthy raised almost $33M in 2019-2020.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  100. 100.

    Mike in NC

    May 12, 2021 at 4:38 pm

    McCarthy has won a new nickname: Kremlin Kevin

  101. 101.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    May 12, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): @JMG:  Official source? No. Its more annecdotal. I’m hearing buyers remorse from conservative leaning suburbanites who voted less for Biden than against Trump. They are nervous about the size of the infrastructure bill. They feel like they voted for a moderate and are getting a stealth progressive. They would never vote for Trump in 2024, but they might go back to the GOP for the mid-terms.

  102. 102.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 4:41 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): So, I’m not sure it matters at that point. If a legislature is willing to violate the sanctity of the vote in that way, then they might as well just pick the electors they want  and choose the result they want.

    Once you’ve lost democracy, you’ve lost it. How you’ve lost it matters in terms of how you need to restore it, but it doesn’t really matter if you are hounding voters or murdering your opposition.

  103. 103.

    Nora Lenderbee

    May 12, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    @Ruckus: My browser automatically replaces the TFG’s name with “asswipe.” It also replaces “Pence” with “shit-for-brains.” Sometimes I’m momentarily confused by your posts.

  104. 104.

    Mike E

    May 12, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    @Uncle Cosmo: Lord of the Fries

  105. 105.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 4:46 pm

    IS THIS what I’ve been waiting for? Should this clear up the pharmacies and make it a go?

     
    CDC advisers vote to recommend use of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine in 12-15-year-olds

    By Maggie Fox, CNN

    Updated 3:29 PM ET, Wed May 12, 2021

    (CNN)US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend giving Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine to kids as young as 12.

    The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices agreed the benefits of vaccinating children and teens outweigh any risks from the vaccine.
    The US Food and Drug Administration extended its emergency use authorization for the vaccine in 12-15-year-olds Monday.
    “This is one more step to gaining immunity and bringing the pandemic closer to an end,” said Dr. José Romero, who chairs ACIP and who is also the Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health.

    “We still need to vaccinate the rest of the world, but we have made significant steps and are on the road.”

    https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/12/health/acip-cdc-pfizer-vaccine-teens/index.html

  106. 106.

    Brachiator

    May 12, 2021 at 4:46 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony: 

    Official source? No. Its more annecdotal. I’m hearing buyers remorse from conservative leaning suburbanites who voted less for Biden than against Trump. They are nervous about the size of the infrastructure bill. They feel like they voted for a moderate and are getting a stealth progressive.

    They kinda are getting a stealth progressive. I guess this just means that Biden’s proposals are going to have to re-energize the economy.

  107. 107.

    Redshift

    May 12, 2021 at 4:46 pm

    The winner of the GOP nomination for governor of VA got a “surprise” endorsement from TFG, and the state GOP establishment don’t seem very happy about it. They had worked very hard to make sure the Trumpiest candidate didn’t win, so they certainly seem to grasp that he’s still not helping them in suburbia.

  108. 108.

    James E Powell

    May 12, 2021 at 4:52 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:

    This sounds like a standard FOX “some say” story.

    Biden’s approval rating being more than 10 points higher than his popular vote percentage is not a sign of buyer’s remorse.

    And I can’t think of any reason why suburbanites – which I guess is now code for white people who make over $100K/household – would be against a large infrastructure bill. They will be ones who ultimately get most of the benefits of such a bill. Any thoughts?

  109. 109.

    WaterGirl

    May 12, 2021 at 4:52 pm

    @rikyrah: Did you see that this morning someone posted the places in Chicago where you can get 12-15 year-olds vaccinated, no appointments necessary, starting on Thursday morning?  (8 am

    O. Felix Culpa

    For rikyrah, if you’re around, from the Chicago Tribune:

    COVID-10 vaccines for kids 12-15 to begin at Chicago city-run sites Thursday; no appointment needed

    Chicago sites accepting those 12 and older are:

    • American Airlines Conference Center at Gallagher Way in Wrigley Field, 1119 W. Waveland Ave.; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (operated by Advocate Aurora).
    • Apostolic Faith Church, 3823 S. Indiana Ave.; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.
    • Chicago State University walk-up; Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center, 9501 S. King Drive; noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
    • United Center drive-thru, 1724 W. Madison St.; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. [My old ‘hood]
    • Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski Road, noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
    • Wilbur Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave.; noon-6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday.
    • Loretto Hospital, 645 S. Central Ave.; noon-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.

    Chicago Public Schools will partner with the public health department, particularly on Saturdays, to bring the mobile COVID-19 Chicago Transit Authority vaccination bus to high schools across the city. (Pharmacies and Cook County Health will also be offering vax for kids.)

    Good luck to you and Peanut!

  110. 110.

    JMG

    May 12, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony: Unfortunately for the peace of mind of those voters, Trump is gonna do his damnedest to make sure the midterms are all about him. He won’t let GOP candidates say “elect us to block Biden” without adding the phrase “and to bring back Trump.”

  111. 111.

    Gravenstone

    May 12, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    @Baud: I saw reporting early on that they were using black or blue pens when reviewing them, not the mandated red pens. The red ink would not scan in the event the ballots were marked, while the black and blue will. So yeah, be prepared for a large number of suddenly “spoiled” ballots to materialize.

  112. 112.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    Donnie (because he demanded to be called Donald)

    It looks like AL liked Deadbeat Donnie.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  113. 113.

    Betty Cracker

    May 12, 2021 at 4:58 pm

    @Brachiator: Agree. Much depends on the economic results of the relief packages. So far, there’s reason to be optimistic.

    In the OP, I expressed the hope that elected Repubs’ odious antics would turn off non-cultists in their ranks, but the real question is will our voters show up in the midterms. They did in the GA special election and surprised the crap out of everyone (ditto WI in a critical earlier vote). It will take a similar effort. We need Abrams and Wiklers in every damned state!

  114. 114.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 5:07 pm

    @Redshift:

    Relatedly, …

    Fascinating tidbit from @QuentinKidd and @MichaelLeePope on NPR just now:

    Eight weeks ago, Glenn Youngkin was polling at 0% with VA Republican voters. A $5 million self-loan + aggressive targeted ad campaign later and he's now the 2021 #VAGov Republican nominee.

    Absolutely wild

    — Lizzie Hylton (@Liz_Hylton) May 11, 2021

    (Youngkin was formerly a Carlyle Group co-CEO. Worth $600M or so, is a number I vaguely recall seeing.)

    Hey, selecting a guy who’s got lots of money, never had an elected office before, did lots of targeted stuff online, etc., worked out great for the Teabaggers in 2016. Why not try it again?

    :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  115. 115.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    @Redshift:The winner of the GOP nomination for governor of VA got a “surprise” endorsement from TFG, and the state GOP establishment don’t seem very happy about it.

    I saw that and just about died laughing.  OOPS!

    Kiss of death in Blue Virginia.  =)

  116. 116.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 5:09 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    they won’t let me sign her up. Say she has to be 16 and above.

     

    I will keep on trying.

  117. 117.

    zhena gogolia

    May 12, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    This is Rep. Andrew Clyde (Q-GA) saying the January 6 insurrection looked like “a normal tourist visit” inside the Capitol pic.twitter.com/ZuLc8nPsBj— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) May 12, 2021

  118. 118.

    Ksmiami

    May 12, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    @hueyplong: I look forward to republic of Canamerica! But seriously must we be cursed to make no progress by empowering the most vile among us? I’m sorry after the pandemic etc and the pod ppl I don’t see any advantages

  119. 119.

    Jeffro

    May 12, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    @Another Scott: as long as the media keeps asking Youngkin about various “America First” positions and his loyalty to trumpov, I’m good with it.

    The papers have been tough on ol’ Cox: “career over” read one subhead.  Yeowch!  (It’s not mean if it’s true, but still)

  120. 120.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    May 12, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    @James E Powell: Sure, except these are people I actually know, not a Fox news story.

  121. 121.

    Brachiator

    May 12, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    In the OP, I expressed the hope that elected Repubs’ odious antics would turn off non-cultists in their ranks, but the real question is will our voters show up in the midterms. They did in the GA special election and surprised the crap out of everyone (ditto WI in a critical earlier vote). It will take a similar effort. We need Abrams and Wiklers in every damned state!

    Yep. Yep. Right now, I think people understand how odious and dangerous the GOP crazy base is. We will see what happens when we get closer to the midterms.

  122. 122.

    trollhattan

    May 12, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    So this is a thing.

    Buckingham Palace has requested on Wednesday that Queen Elizabeth II‘s likeness be removed from a so-called “Trump Train” bus, according to a Buzzfeed report.

    The palace confirmed to Buzzfeed News that the Queen’s image was on the bus and “representations asking for [the photo’s] removal have been made.”

    The queen is seen in a photoshopped image on the outside of the bus wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and a QAnon brooch on her red jacket.

    https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/553223-buckingham-palace-requests-trump-train-remove-image-of-queen-from

  123. 123.

    VeniceRiley

    May 12, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    @rikyrah: Perhaps they don’t have Pfizer? If they do, maybe they’re waiting for the dr. Walensky sign off on the findings. That might not be until Friday

  124. 124.

    Steve in the ATL

    May 12, 2021 at 5:27 pm

    @prostratedragon: how about your current (and my, SD’s, and Raven’s former) city releasing thousands of feral cats from shelters to combat the rat problem?  I don’t recall any of the Daleys or that asshole Emmanuel getting that creative!

  125. 125.

    persistentillusion

    May 12, 2021 at 5:28 pm

    @Tony Jay: Tangerine Twatwaffle from the list Tennant read for some late night host…

  126. 126.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 5:29 pm

    @bnateAZ:  Feeling sympathetic vibrations in Cook of Illinois.

  127. 127.

    trollhattan

    May 12, 2021 at 5:30 pm

    @rikyrah: ​
     
    California is lurching in that direction.

    People ages 12 to 15 looking to get a COVID-19 vaccination can start scheduling their appointment now through one health care company.

    CVS Health will be scheduling vaccinations for youths starting Wednesday — and will be giving the shots as early as Thursday at 565 pharmacies around California.

    The company released the news after a key panel of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the agency sign off on giving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to children in this age group. The vaccines already were available to people ages 16 and older.

    “With every new wave of eligibility, our teams have worked around the clock to ensure vaccine access as soon as possible,” said Karen Lynch, president and chief executive officer of, CVS Health. “Offering vaccinations to younger populations at thousands of locations across the country brings us one step closer to prevailing over the pandemic.”

    Leaders of the California Department of Public Health said Tuesday that the myturn.ca.gov site would allow parents and guardians to get their children registered as early as Thursday.

    https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article251361963.html#storylink=cpy

    Personally very disturbed by the large cohort of “nah-ga-geh-it” folks we have, locally estimated at 40% of adults. “Blue county” my aching butt.

  128. 128.

    Steve in the ATL

    May 12, 2021 at 5:31 pm

    @Another Scott:

    Glenn Youngkin was polling at 0%

     Baud has dreams of polling this high!

  129. 129.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 5:32 pm

    @Steve in the ATL:  If only it were that simple … Don’t know if I’d want kitties eating the subject matter though.

  130. 130.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 5:33 pm

    Woo! Oldest child got his first job offer and it’s a good one!

  131. 131.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 5:33 pm

    @Steve in the ATL: 
    I’d prefer the $5 million.

  132. 132.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 5:33 pm

    @Martin:

    ?

    Biden is already paying dividends.

  133. 133.

    Martin

    May 12, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    @Baud: I don’t think Biden can take credit for this specific offer. However, he graduated right when the pandemic hit and we decided he’d just cruise here at home until he could get vaccinated. He got the shot 10 days ago, so in the sense that getting vaccinated was key to this moment, then yeah, Biden deserves a ton of credit from that vantage point.

  134. 134.

    Doc Sardonic

    May 12, 2021 at 5:37 pm

    @rikyrah:  Check http://vaccines.gov with the zip code and you can specify Pfizer and it will tell you who has it in stock. Did a check for 60601and there does not seem to be a great deal of the Pfizer available currently.

  135. 135.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    @Martin:

    I don’t think Biden can take credit for this specific offer.

    Have we learned nothing from the right?  Biden gets credit for all good things.  Like Jesus.

  136. 136.

    Steve in the ATL

    May 12, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    @Baud: ugh one more 1099-DIV to deal with.  Much easier to process the capital losses under GQP administrations.

  137. 137.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 5:39 pm

    Manchin tells ABC News he won’t support SR1 for voting rights.

  138. 138.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 5:39 pm

    JuanitaJean: Where are the Four Horsemen:

    In what truly portends as a sign that the end is nigh, reports are coming out that Greg Abbott is seriously considering a run for the presidency. I’m not kidding about this. I really wish I were.

    […]

    Hmm…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  139. 139.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    @Another Scott:

    Why is that any worse than any of the others?

  140. 140.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    @prostratedragon:

    Sanctimonious pablum like this does not help him:

    “It’s about the country,” Manchin said. “It’s about the fairness of the system. If the voting system in our country can’t be secure and it can’t be open and accessible to everybody and protected for everybody, no matter what your race, no matter what preference, you have — you have not only a right but a responsibility to vote and we shouldn’t make it difficult for you.”

    But if some insist on doing so, who is he to object, right Joe?

  141. 141.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    @prostratedragon:

    The bill (John Lewis Voting Rights Act) passed the House last session but was never brought to a vote on the Senate floor.

    So far no Senate Republican has come out to back that legislation, but Manchin said he’s spoken to GOP colleagues and he sees a path forward.

    He vowed that he would not bring the bill to the floor for consideration unless it has bipartisan backing.

    He’s so committed to working in a bipartisan way that he’s vowed not to use other measures that would allow the Senate to pass the legislation with a simple majority.

    For example, Manchin said he won’t support the use of reconciliation, a procedural tool that allows the Senate to bypass the usual 60-vote threshold necessary to pass legislation, to move the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

    He also won’t support a one-time change to the Senate filibuster rule, despite pleas from some advocates.

    “If you do it for one time you basically destroy the Senate as we know it,” Manchin said.

    What a fucking idiot. Or not and he knows exactly what he’s doing. I’d like to be wrong but I think this is going to turn out exactly like his bipartisan Newtown Shooting legislation back in like 2013 or whatever that was severely watered down for Republicans and they still didn’t vote for it

  142. 142.

    ljdramone

    May 12, 2021 at 5:51 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    the flip side of Mango Mussolini:

    Cheeto Benito

  143. 143.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 5:51 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):  Of course. I’m really going to hold my tongue on him, but, you know, we’ll see. All that hot air generally ain’t no good.

  144. 144.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 5:51 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:

    The question then is: are these people representative of other suburbanites across the country? Also, do these exist in significant numbers to affect anything? I’m not sure that’s the case

  145. 145.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    Colonial Pipeline restarts operations after cyberattack

  146. 146.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 5:56 pm

    @Betty Cracker: From efg in the archives, apricot asswipe.

  147. 147.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 5:57 pm

    @prostratedragon:

    Yeah. I should too. I really wish somebody would ask him about that Newtown bill and how this effort is going to be any different

  148. 148.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 5:58 pm

    Thank you ????

     

    President Biden (@POTUS) tweeted at 3:48 PM on Wed, May 12, 2021:
    Tomorrow we will cross 250 million vaccine shots administered since we took office.

    It’s a truly remarkable achievement for the nation.
    (https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1392582587550421000?s=03)

  149. 149.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): He has more democrats that might see it more favorably.

    Stop watching the sausage being made, it’s an ugly process.

  150. 150.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    I thought that passed the Senate but didn’t get a vote in the House.

  151. 151.

    J R in WV

    May 12, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    Way back when we kept livestock, we had a hogpen where we kept a pig –> hog. When we took the hog to the butcher, there was no more food being dumped into the hogpen, so the giant rat living under the floor of the hogpen left for better food chances.

    Was the size of a possum, a huge rat. Our current at the time giant white cat, with red flashes, killed that giant rat, which was perhaps a little bigger than the boss tomcat. Ralph also attacked a fox sneaking up on the tree the chickens roosted in — he was losing that fight when Wife showed up with the handle from a post-hole digger – whacked that fox HARD, carried Ralph the big tomcat into the house. Fox was trying to drown our boss cat in the tiny creek, wound up with (probably) broken ribs, etc.

    Cats are great predators, but depending upon the size of their prey… they can and do lose some fights.

  152. 152.

    Elizabelle

    May 12, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    @ljdramone:   Could be Cheato Benito too.

    Although Cheeto does emphasize the artificial orange and getting crap all over yourself from contact.

  153. 153.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    @prostratedragon:

     All that hot air generally ain’t no good.

    Just a bunch of balloon-juice.

  154. 154.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    The Farmer’s Market that I went to near work starts again on MAY 27TH???

  155. 155.

    Kay

    May 12, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    Governor Mike DeWine
    @GovMikeDeWine
    ·12m
    To be eligible to win, you must be at least 18 years of age or older on the day of the drawing. You must be an Ohio resident. And, you must be vaccinated before the drawing.
    We will have further, specific details tomorrow and in the days ahead.

    DeWine’s doing a sweepstakes – a million dollar winner a week.
    There’s another one for kids- they get a chance for a 4 year college scholarship-

    My sister loves this- thinks it’s brilliant

  156. 156.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    @Kay:

    A vaccine passport for a lottery? Oh the irony.

  157. 157.

    Another Scott

    May 12, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    @Baud: He’s nominally competent in some ways.

    He’s more dangerous than Fled Cruz and Hee Hawley and the rest because he has a better chance of winning.

    A low chance, but not comfortably low enough.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  158. 158.

    Kay

    May 12, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    Governor Mike DeWine
    @GovMikeDeWine
    ·18m
    On May 18th, an electronic portal will be opened up for young people who have been vaccinated to be able to register. We will do this every Wednesday, for five straight Wednesdays — each time randomly selecting one student to receive the full, four-year scholarship.

    What a funny thing- he’s using stim money

  159. 159.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 6:06 pm

    @J R in WV:

    Was the size of a possum, a huge rat.

    Was it orange?

  160. 160.

    Kay

    May 12, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    @Baud:

    We’re pro-vacc!

    Plus, I feel lucky, Baud. I got this.

  161. 161.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    May 12, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    @Another Scott: I don’t think any of the politicians will impress the TFG voters, they like their candidate pure and not touched by politics.  Someone who will drain the swamp.

  162. 162.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 6:09 pm

    @Another Scott:

    I don’t know who is setting these odds, but I’ll take your word for it.

  163. 163.

    horatius

    May 12, 2021 at 6:10 pm

    @Cameron: ​
      I personally prefer Roy Edroso’s “the outlaw Jersey Whale”

  164. 164.

    sdhays

    May 12, 2021 at 6:10 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    “If you do it for one time you basically destroy the Senate as we know it,” Manchin said.

    What I don’t get is how anyone who is actually in the Senate thinks this is a good thing. The Senate has been basically a place where absolutely nothing happens for nearly 20 years unless the filibuster is rendered inoperative – either through actual super-majorities like in 2009-2010 or through reconciliation.

    The Senate that they claim to be trying to preserve hasn’t existed since the mid-W administration, at least. It’s already dead. The only actual way to bring back the bipartisan Senate is to make it clear that “something” is definitely going to pass. In that situation, minority legislators have a choice of phoning in their “no” vote or collaborating with the majority, and at some point, blanket “no’s” will no longer be a given.

    But until the filibuster is gone, they’re just making the Senate a worst place to (not doing any) work.

  165. 165.

    Geminid

    May 12, 2021 at 6:12 pm

    @Jeffro:  Late in the nomination campaign, Youngkin was also endorsed by Corey Stewart, who got stomped by Tim Kaine in the 2018 Senate race. A writer at Bearing Drift noted that the Youngkin campaign did not acknowledge the endorsement.

    An interview with Youngkin will be aired at 5:08 tomorrow afternoon on Charlottesville’s WINA AM1070. Could be an interesting preview of his communications strategy.

    But that is kind of close to dinnertime….

  166. 166.

    mrmoshpotato

    May 12, 2021 at 6:12 pm

    @prostratedragon: Rats and cats and rabbits, oh my!

  167. 167.

    JMG

    May 12, 2021 at 6:13 pm

    If Trump’s breathing and can still be presented to the public (neither cinch bets) by 2024, no other Republicans will even run. Look for state GOP organizations to abolish their primaries if some other egomaniac dares to compete with him.

  168. 168.

    Elizabelle

    May 12, 2021 at 6:16 pm

    @JMG: I think Trump may be a federal felon by then.

    The Al Capone route.

  169. 169.

    mrmoshpotato

    May 12, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    @Baud: I hope all of the idiots enjoy their Rubbermaid bins of fire hazard.

  170. 170.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    @piratedan:

    ??????

  171. 171.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Alright, I’ll keep this in mind

  172. 172.

    Ksmiami

    May 12, 2021 at 6:21 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): seriously fuck Joe Manchin.

  173. 173.

    Kay

    May 12, 2021 at 6:22 pm

    Melanie Zanona
    @MZanona
    ·53m
    New detail on Stefanik:
    She addressed the moderate Tuesday Group today and was pressed on whether Biden won the 2020 election, per a source on the call.
    Stefanik said Biden *is* president, but there are voter irregularities that need to be addressed.

    This pathetic fraud has so much contempt for the public she thinks people will be fooled by this bullshit
    There’s no difference between saying this and saying Biden stole the election.
    What gets me is how they all think they’re so wildly clever. That moving the words around is so masterful that no one will ever know she’s the 2021 equilvalent of a Birther.

  174. 174.

    Geminid

    May 12, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    @Elizabelle: I like “Wussolini.”

  175. 175.

    dnfree

    May 12, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    @Martin: Thank you for your detailed analysis of how things changed when people started to be able to vote multiple ways, or to fix errors.  This is along the lines of my speculations, having used transaction databases and change audit databases in corporate jobs where integrity of data was essential.  I agree—it depends on how each state or each system operates, but it is now most likely possible to tie a ballot to a voter.  It’s supposed to be difficult to do and illegal to use the information, I would hope.

  176. 176.

    J R in WV

    May 12, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Was it [ the rat] orange?

    Nope, std rat grey with a naked tail. Was almost certainly a Republican, tho~!!~

  177. 177.

    Kay

    May 12, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    Stefanik said Biden *is* president, but there are voter irregularities that need to be addressed.

    She won’t say Biden won the election, because she’s subservient to Donald Trump.

  178. 178.

    trollhattan

    May 12, 2021 at 6:25 pm

    Joe’s having a positive impact on his WV fellow “Democrats.”

    West Virginia Delegate Mick Bates has switched parties from Democrat to Republican, further strengthening the GOP’s stronghold at the West Virginia statehouse, according to West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

  179. 179.

    Geminid

    May 12, 2021 at 6:25 pm

    @Kay: An essential skill of Republican politicians these days is the ability to talk out of both sides of their mouths.

  180. 180.

    dmsilev

    May 12, 2021 at 6:26 pm

    @Elizabelle: Prison isn’t necessarily an obstacle: W.E duBois ran for President from his jail cell, so there’s precedent.

  181. 181.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 6:26 pm

    @Kay:

    I give even odds that she loses her bid to replace Cheney.

  182. 182.

    ThresherK

    May 12, 2021 at 6:26 pm

    I don’t know what to make of Tapper, whether or not this will hold, but he’s been doing much better on things for about a few years. And I am not trying to be savvy, or Jay Rosen, but I’ve mentioned as such a couple times here and at LGM, so when I see him doing this I like it.

  183. 183.

    Andy

    May 12, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    @dmsilev:

    It was Eugene V. Debs.

  184. 184.

    R-Jud

    May 12, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    @horatius: I liked Jim Newell’s “Governor Sandwiches”.

  185. 185.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    May 12, 2021 at 6:44 pm

    @Baud:

    It unfortunately has not. It’s only been passed by the House. From Wiki:

    The John Lewis Voting Rights Act has not yet been introduced in the 117th Congress. The original sponsor of the bill Rep. Terri Sewell stated that this was an intentional move. Sewell stated in a press briefing from the SPLC that the House would hold many hearings in order to be able to defend the bill from any court challenges. Sewell stated that she doesn’t see herself introducing the legislation before May or June 2021, and that she doesn’t believe the bill will be voted on until September 2021.

    The bill is expected to face a major hurdle of getting through a Republican filibuster in the Senate. It would require 60 votes to break the filibuster and proceed to an actual vote on the bill, meaning that at least 10 Republican Senators would need to support the legislation. Some Democratic Senators have stated that they wish to get rid of the filibuster entirely, with the passage of the bill as a part of the reason why, but a multitude of others are opposed.

  186. 186.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:  We’re doing this for love. He wasn’t elected to bloviate.

  187. 187.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    @catclub:

    The most traceable votes are Provisional Ballots. Because, each ballot is attached to a Provisional ID number. You have to research Provisional Ballots, and based upon the research, accept or reject the ballot. Most other ballots are anonymous. You might be able drill down to which batch your mail ballot was in,.but that’s about it.

     

    Provisional Ballots are the least anonymous.

  188. 188.

    Jinchi

    May 12, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    @Another Scott: ​
     

    Which is one reason why it was incredibly stupid for Jenner to say she didn’t vote and played golf instead…

    It wouldn’t be public record who she voted for, but it would be public record if she didn’t vote at all.

    In any case, I don’t know why the press spends so much time interviewing Jenner, who isn’t even leading in the polls and clearly has no interest in actually governing other than to “hire the right people” to tell her what to sign.

    Here’s a crazy idea: Maybe just let one of those people run instead.

  189. 189.

    Baud

    May 12, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    I was referring to the gun control bill, which is what I thought you meant when you said Newton.

  190. 190.

    Elizabelle

    May 12, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    @Geminid:   Wussolini.

    Laughing.  Out for a walk; check in again later.

  191. 191.

    Steve in the ATL

    May 12, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    @Andy: did you do the New Yorker crossword puzzle today?

  192. 192.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Wipe them out

    All of them

  193. 193.

    rikyrah

    May 12, 2021 at 6:53 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:

    Nervous of the size of.the.Infrastructure bill?

    ????

  194. 194.

    trollhattan

    May 12, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    @Jinchi:

    In a Republican state not voting gets you remove from the voter roll.

    Jenner is a fucking moron who wants some more camera time than merely being Kardashian provides. Pity.

  195. 195.

    prostratedragon

    May 12, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    @trollhattan: ​ What I’m talking about. Wait for it.

  196. 196.

    Kay

    May 12, 2021 at 6:55 pm

    PatriotTakes Flag of United States
    @patriottakes
    · 8h
    Lin Wood states that Trump is still the president and that the military would call on him “for the code if they need a first strike.” He also states he believes Trump signed the Insurrection Act in secret.

    Perfectly normal political party. Yup.

  197. 197.

    Geminid

    May 12, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    @Kay: Lin Wood packed his carpetbag, moved from Georgia to South Carolina, and is running for Republican State Chairman. Last I read, Wood was doing well at county level conventions, and he may win.

  198. 198.

    Brachiator

    May 12, 2021 at 7:20 pm

    @Kay:

    Lin Wood states that Trump is still the president and that the military would call on him “for the code if they need a first strike.”

    What is the street price of the drugs this dope is taking?

  199. 199.

    Steeplejack

    May 12, 2021 at 8:06 pm

    @Martin:

    Congratulations to the kid! What is he going to be doing? Is he the dancer?

  200. 200.

    AnotherBruce

    May 12, 2021 at 11:31 pm

    @Albatrossity: Papoloma virus is the technical term for genital warts. Don’t ask me how I know this.

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