Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

This really is a full service blog.

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

75% of people clapping liked the show!

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

The only way through is to slog through the muck one step at at time.

It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

Since we are repeating ourselves, let me just say fuck that.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

I would try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Sometimes the world just tells you your cat is here.

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66Comments

  2. 2.

    bbleh

    MY “fuck it” file now includes a seemingly endless series of leftover-fueled post-Christmas family get-togethers.

    I am DONE with Christmas and DONE with FKN 2023!!  Considering putting a “Have A Happy New Year 😀” sign on the front door and locking it.

  4. 4.

    smith

    @WaterGirl: If it turns out that TFG can be disqualified from holding federal office for his attempted coup, maybe we can start applying the same to the members of Congress who conspired with him.

  8. 8.

    Another Scott

    @WaterGirl: The headline in that graphic is wrong.  I only see a handful of Senators (Cruz), most are in the House.

    [/pedant]

    “Are there no copy editors!!1”  No, there are no copy editors.

    :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  9. 9.

    trollhattan

    The fence project is finally complete–remaining lattice (not to be confused with lettuce) and gate installed, final cheque written. Man, what a clusterflock this has been. But this time you’re not fooling me, mother nature and decay, I spec’d metal posts. Hah!

  12. 12.

    piratedan

    @WaterGirl: my fears/suspicions as this has unspooled kind of confirm the suspicions that the “plot” to re-install Trump had a shitpotfull of Republican office holders who were aware of what was being tried/attempted.  They were such patriots that since that time, not a single one of them (to our knowledge) has come forth to reveal what they knew and when they were involved or even offer anything clarifying in a public statement about what the text contained or if it was just wholly innocent chatter (HAH!).

    This isn’t your garden variety corruption about investing in a company that you know is going to win a government contract kind of stuff, this is again.. the attempted overthrow of a soon to be sworn in administration through a fair and open election.  No one approached the FBI, the DOJ, the press… none of that has happened.  Everyone is just keeping on with the keeping on.

    I don’t want to see the Dems become what the GOP has long accused them of, tyrannical, dictatorial etc etc etc but at some point, if we’re going to survive as a nation based on Democracy that handles its politics by the rule of law, doesn’t there have to be a reckoning?

  17. 17.

    Another Scott

    @trollhattan:

    Our ~ 19 year old backyard fence is suffering the rotting-wooden-post disease. (Mostly clay soil, posts rotting out in the concrete footings.) About 6 posts are leaning – maybe more. I’m not looking forward to repairing/replacing it, but it needs to be done.

    I assume anything other than “dig a hole, put in the post, pour in a bag of concrete mix, pour in a bucket of water, poke at the mixture with a stick for a couple of minutes, move to the next one” will double or triple the price from the increased labor and materials… :-/

    I guess 19 years isn’t unreasonable, but I don’t want to go through this again when I’m in my 80s and labo[u]r is 2-3x as much, if I can avoid it.

    I’d enjoy hearing about the lessons learned in your adventures, if you feel like sharing!

    Good luck!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  18. 18.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Re: the “File under Fuck It” sign, I am personally very happy to have a photo. It gives me the perfect image to use in reply to my RWNJ brother whenever he sends me one of his links to bullshit conspiracies or political videos.

    So thank you.

  21. 21.

    Lyrebird

    @Another Scott: Happy copy editing!  Seriously, though, thank you for including that snippet of legal news on an earlier thread.

     

    Here I thought you’d find WaterGirl another source for those signs!

  25. 25.

    Ohio Mom

    @Another Scott: Sell the house before the fence needs replacing after this next go-round.

    Your 70s are a good time to downsize, you still have energy to scope out next place, pack up and settle in new home.

  27. 27.

    Hungry Joe

    Since we’ve been in isolation (COVID symptoms much improved) we’ve binged a few Scandinavian police thrillers/procedurals. A very good Icelandic series (“The Valhalla Murders”) included a scene jaw-droppingly at odds with American-style policing.

    The policewoman protagonist knows that her partner has gone to an abandoned power station to check a possible clue in the serial-murder case* they’re working on. She then finds evidence that the killer might actually be there. Frantically, she phones her partner, but he left his cell in his car. She drives madly to the power station, starts to rush inside — and hears screaming.

    Here’s where it gets … different. She dashes back to her car while phoning HQ, telling them that she needs the security code RIGHT NOW. They demand to know: Why do you need it? Partner in danger, she yells. They give her the code. She opens the trunk of the police car. Inside is an electronic safe. She punches in the code, opens the safe, grabs a pistol, and runs back to help her partner.

    I’ve long believed that cops should carry any weaponry they want … in their squad cars. There should be strict guidelines on when it’s appropriate to remove one; probably 95% of the time, it’s unnecessary. Any time they do remove a weapon, they must file a report explaining the reason. And it had better be good.

    * Scandanavians don’t actually kill each other all that much (any more), but they sure are good at pretending they do.

  28. 28.

    mrmoshpotato

    I mean, seriously, there were clearly 3 of them for sale. What was I thinking?

    You weren’t .  You bought none of them – instead of all three! 😁

  30. 30.

    piratedan

    @Another Scott: imho chain link is not aesthetically pleasing although if coupled with creeping plant life, could be one way to go.

    Out here in the desert, I’ve seen more and more gabion wall construction going into place, in short making the most of what we have in ample supply (rocks).  Granted out here its mostly for erosion control, but depending upon needs and the amount and types of rocks used, it could also be solid and decorative and look a bit better than cinderblock/masonry.

  31. 31.

    trollhattan

    @Another Scott:

    Our ~ 19 year old backyard fence is suffering the rotting-wooden-post disease. (Mostly clay soil, posts rotting out in the concrete footings.) About 6 posts are leaning – maybe more. I’m not looking forward to repairing/replacing it, but it needs to be done.

    I assume anything other than “dig a hole, put in the post, pour in a bag of concrete mix, pour in a bucket of water, poke at the mixture with a stick for a couple of minutes, move to the next one” will double or triple the price from the increased labor and materials… :-/

    I guess 19 years isn’t unreasonable, but I don’t want to go through this again when I’m in my 80s and labo[u]r is 2-3x as much, if I can avoid it.

    I’d enjoy hearing about the lessons learned in your adventures, if you feel like sharing!

    We could have twin yards–heavy clay soil underlain with hardpan that creates swampy conditions in wet years. The posts rot at the soil line, whether redwood, treated, whatevs. Have propped the thing up the last two winters. Sketchy.

    I can’t A:B with:without metal since we didn’t bid it that way, but suspect with the price of lumber it’s not a big hit on the total budget. They’re installed as you describe–concreted into a fresh post hole, then the fence is built incorporating them.

    Our last fence was factory-made 8-foot segments but this one is stick-built on site, except the prefab lattice top trim. Frame is bolted into the posts, the posts are trimmed with wood and are not visible. Took photos so if anything needs repairing, I can probably DIY it. Or at least buy a new power tool and give it a go before calling someone.

    Think we got six bids and the range was huge. Six months to pick and schedule, in total.

  33. 33.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @sheila in nc:

    There was a time in my life, more than a decade ago now, when I was a political officer for the Government of Canada and could name every Senator and Representative from the territory we covered (AL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN) and at least recognised the names of every Senator — yes, all 100 of them.

    Sad to say, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of Ted Budd.

  34. 34.

    mrmoshpotato

    @trollhattan:

    The fence project is finally complete–remaining lattice (not to be confused with lettuce) and gate installed, final cheque written. 

    Ok…

    So please update us on the lettuce too.

  37. 37.

    Redshift

    @smith:

    If it turns out that TFG can be disqualified from holding federal office for his attempted coup, maybe we can start applying the same to the members of Congress who conspired with him.

    That’s a much easier sell, because it’s been done before. The members of Congress who joined the Confederacy were barred from running for office by the sitting Congress, without being convicted of insurrection. Also the weird legal quirks around “officer of the United States” for the presidency don’t apply to senators and congresspersons, they definitely are.

  39. 39.

    smith

    @Another Scott: If you do replace it, I recommend using Oz posts rather than the old fencepost-in-concrete method. They are metal shafts that hold the wooden posts above the soil and thus greatly retard the rate at which the posts rot at the bottom.

  42. 42.

    bcw

    Things are never lost in the age of the internet. Google “file it under fuck it” and away you go – that label and numerous other versions all available at a low low price.

  43. 43.

    sheila in nc

    @SiubhanDuinne: Sadly, he defeated Cheri Beasley for our open Senate seat last election when Richard Burr retired. I doubt if he will distinguish himself in any beneficial way. But it would totally not surprise me to find he was neck deep in the insurrection stuff.

  44. 44.

    Kelly

    @Another Scott: Do not pour concrete around wood fence posts. The concrete holds water which speeds the rot. Tamp 3/4″ minus crushed gravel into the bottom of the hole, set the post in and tamp more 3/4″ minus around the post. If you have someone to hold the post while you tamp you won’t need to brace the posts like you have to while the concrete sets. Tamp the bottom 4″ of around the post really hard. Then plumb the post and tamp a bit as you fill. Finally tamp the top 4″ to 6″ really hard and mound the gravel up a couple inches around the post. A 2×4 makes an OK tamping pole.

  46. 46.

    mrmoshpotato

    @HinTN:

    ETA: Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, Raphael (no preferred names allowed) Cruz 

    Excuse me, Cruz’s name is Shithead Ted (and I’m sure he doesn’t prefer that!)

    We can at least do that for the Cancun Canadian assclown.  Hi Jay, offer still stands.

  48. 48.

    mrmoshpotato

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    There was a time in my life, more than a decade ago now, when I was a political officer for the Government of Canada and could name every Senator and Representative from the territory we covered (AL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN) and at least recognised the names of every Senator — yes, all 100 of them. 

    Tell us more about the Canadian invasion and occupation of AL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN.

  51. 51.

    WaterGirl

    @bcw: Didn’t think of that.

    In the list I find:

    – nameplates (not sure whether that will be the right thing or not)

    – File this Under Fuck It journals – wouldn’t take long to fill that journal!

    And my personal favorite so far – the My Tax Illinois help guide.  Does god love us enough that some state of Illinois employee managed to sneak “file this under Fuck It” into their help guide?

  52. 52.

    HumboldtBlue

    Maine’s top election official has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for president next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause.

    Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Mr Trump was not eligible because of his actions leading up to the US Capitol riot in 2021.

    Maine now joins Colorado as the two states to ban Mr Trump from the ballot.

    The decisions increase pressure on the US Supreme Court to weigh in.

    Colorado votes reliably Democratic, however Maine is more politically competitive and would be more significant for Mr Trump – the Republican frontrunner – to lose.

    The Trump campaign has already said it will lodge an appeal in the state’s courts against the Maine ruling, which won’t take effect while the legal process plays out.

    Hours after Maine’s decision, California – America’s most populous state- announced that Mr Trump would remain on the Republican primary ballot there.

  53. 53.

    WaterGirl

    update:

    nameplates on Etsy (sorry that one is sold out)

    nameplate – in stock!

    journal – site no longer exists

    mug – ugly

    (so much for the one in stock:

    There was a problem with our checkout

    And then there’s this little note:

    New website coming soon. While we are working on it, some items pictured may not actually be in stock.

    Sigh.  never mind.  curse you, internet, for getting my hopes up.

    I do recall now that I bought one for my niece’s husband for christmas that year instead of buying one for myself.

  54. 54.

    brendancalling

    Sitting on the Market Frankford El train and the dude sitting in front of me is shamelessly shooting up in front of everyone, not even trying to be discreet.

  61. 61.

    Sandia Blanca

    FYI, found the following post from Cole on Xitter (posted about 9:30 a.m. local time):

    “I’ve been driving to arizona for the past two days with Joelle, two cats, and a dog. Yesterday was a long difficult day. Having breakfast in a diner in Tucumcari and I ordered pie and an ice cold milk

    Judge me”

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