Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Giving up is unforgivable.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

I am pretty sure these ‘journalists’ were not always such a bootlicking sycophants.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Republicans in disarray!

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

“But what about the lurkers?”

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

I really should read my own blog.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

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

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

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Everybody saw this coming.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”

You are here: Home / Open Threads / The Texas Mess

The Texas Mess

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Someone asked for a thread on Greg Abbott’s decision to ignore a Supreme Court ruling and double down on the razor wire.   Like Cheryl Rofer over at LGM, I don’t know exactly how to deal with this clown.  But this I do know:  he wants a confrontation with Biden, badly, as do the 25 Republican Governors backing him.  He will keep escalating and threatening secession until he gets the confrontation he wants.

I hope the Biden administration will keep its power dry and confront Abbott at a time and place of their choosing, with a response that is firm but proportional.  I have no idea what that response should be, so I’ll leave it there.

Reader Interactions

114Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    I hope the Biden administration will keep its power dry and confront Abbott at a time and place of their choosing, with a response that is firm but proportional

    Agreed. The Internet is impatient, but That just plays into the GOP’s hands.

  2. 2.

    Martin

    Technically, I don’t think he ignored the ruling. The ruling said the feds could take the razor wire down. Didn’t say Abbott couldn’t keep putting it back up.

    I know this is all theater for the election, but this is going to end in violence between the feds and Trumpers before then. I don’t think this is going to work in their favor.

  3. 3.

    Hoodie

    If Abbot’s claim is that Texas is being invaded, then why not just nationalize the TNG?   Biden could say it’s necessary to deal with the “invasion,” but tactics really should be managed by the US Army, not the governor of Texas, who has no pertinent expertise.   Then the Army says the CBP should handle most of the tasks because they’re more trained in dealing with immigration, kind of like the Navy uses the Coast Guard for anti-piracy missions because the CG is more experienced in ship boarding.

  4. 4.

    3letterjon

    What Biden should do:

    1. Wait for the next national disaster (forest fire? flooding? prairie dog sighting in Kansas?)

    2. Federalize all the state guard troops that were sent to the border.

    3. Send those troops to deal with the needed emergency.

    4. Keep them there just long enough to annoy everyone.

    5. Repeat as needed.

    6. Send the Guard of the first governor who whines to North Dakota to dig a ditch.

    7. Send the Guard of the second governor who whines to North Dakota to fill in that ditch.

    8. Repeat as necessary until those Guardsmen have been activated long enough to get regular military pay.

  5. 5.

    Scout211

    Trump is inciting his rabid base on this one.

    Protest Convoy Headed to Southern Border Is Calling Itself an ‘Army of God’

    A trucker convoy of “patriots” is heading to the U.S. border with Mexico next week, as the standoff between Texas and the federal government intensifies.

    The organizers of the “Take Our Border Back” convoy have called themselves “God’s army” and say they’re on a mission to stand up against the “globalists” who they claim are conspiring to keep U.S. borders open and destroy the country.

    “This is a biblical, monumental moment that’s been put together by God,” one convoy organizer said on a recent planning call. “We are besieged on all sides by dark forces of evil,” said another. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. It is time for the remnant to rise.” (The remnant, from the Book of Revelation, are the ones who remain faithful to Jesus Christ in times of crisis).

    And calling on the MAGA states to fight the federal government

    Trump Calls on ‘All Willing States’ to Send National Guard Soldiers to Texas

    Like pouring water on a grease fire, former President Donald Trump has weighed in on the escalating standoff between the federal government and Texas.

    In a multi-part social media post shared Thursday night, Trump called on “all willing states” to deploy their national guard forces to Texas “to prevent the entry of illegals, and to remove them back across the Border.”

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told Tucker Carlson on Friday, that so far, ten governors had sent National Guard or other law enforcement resources to assist on the border, and will be “disappointed” if others do not follow suit.

  6. 6.

    teezyskeezy

    Federalize the TX state guard and see who the traitors are that defy orders. Make them wanted felons with reward for information leading to their capture. All military and LEO orgs are full of radicalized right wingers. Might as well start cleaning house.

  7. 7.

    teezyskeezy

    @Scout211: Well technically the explicit call is to forcifully remove immigrants crossing the border not explicitly to fight the feds, but, yeah, it sure is creeping up to another insurrection, isn’t it?

  8. 8.

    oldtighthead

    Biden needs to do something, something emphatic, and fairly soon. I think Obama invited/enabled a lot of problems by not taking down the whole Bundy apparatus after the standoff at their ranch in Nevada.

  9. 9.

    eversor

    SCOTUS will back Abbot, because Christianity must triumph.

    Anything past that doesn’t matter.

    @Hoodie:

    The Navy doesn’t have to use Coast Guard for boarding actions.  The Navy routinely conducts MIO and VBSS operations on a close to daily basis.  It’s part of our bread and butter.

    However getting boarded by the Navy tends to involve something along the lines of SEAL, Marines, or a dedicated team and is a world of hurt differently than getting a visit by Coast Guard forces.

    I was in the Navy and did MIO and VBSS operations and we never needed the CG.  And given that the Navy is, as always, running the counter pirate operations around the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and more, to the point where two SEALs were recently killed I don’t know how you could get the idea that they don’t do it.  Or did you also miss the Captain Philips fiasco?

    But yes the Navy doesn’t deal with pirates and Christianity is also really good.  Balloon Juice strikes again!

    We don’t like using the Navy in our local areas

  10. 10.

    teezyskeezy

    @eversor: I mean they didn’t back him last time, so that’s clearly not 100% true. But at least you are putting out predictions that can be right or wrong. It’s a step.

  11. 11.

    Van Buren

    I guess I’m the only one in favor of rolling Abbott in front of a firing squad and then asking the other R guvs who wants next.

  12. 12.

    teezyskeezy

    @eversor: You probably make even fewer friends than me here and that’s an accomplishment, but my advice is to try to be more diplomatic if you want to convince people of your militant atheism. However, I won’t say there is not a place for you in the world or here. It takes all kinds.  Sometimes and individual has a balanced approach, sometimes a group is balanced by individuals that span the spectrum, including some outliers. So…I’d never filter you even if you are a bit on the offputting side…the world needs contrarians even if no one likes them.  However…other people are probably definitely filtering you.  You are probably telling people all about how you like pie and you don’t even know it. I’m probably doing the same to a number of people here.

    Do you know about the pie filter?

     

    Disclaimer: This was heavily edited over a 3-4 minute window.

  16. 16.

    Harrison Wesley

    Abbott seems to be getting awfully frisky now that DeSantis has retreated to communing with his pudding cup.

  17. 17.

    sdhays

    @Scout211: “Blessed are the peacemakers, you know, the people who get sexually aroused at the thought of immigrant children drowning in the Rio Grande”.

    🙄

  20. 20.

    Hoppie

    We live 15 miles north of the busiest land border crossing in the WORLD (not in Texas), and don’t see what is the problem at the border – unless it’s how long it takes to cross.  Enforced imprisonment for EMPLOYERS who hire undocumented workers would dry up the incentive.  Why isn’t Abbott doing the obvious?  (Yes I know the answer)

  21. 21.

    TBone

    Deescalate. Mock mercilessly.  It’s just a piece of paper at this point.  All hat, no cattle.  Abbott is a cull and everyone knows these AGs are truly cowards.

  22. 22.

    jnfr

    I read today that there’s another attempt at a convoy gathering in California. Bannon-backed, and heading for the Texas border where Abbott is throwing down his gauntlet. I saw some videos about it online.

    Hard to tell whether these things are that serious. The convoy that went to D.C. last year didn’t get much traction, but the Canada one was a big nuisance at least for a while.

  23. 23.

    Chris

    @Scout211:

    I miss the days when people who thought they were called by God just rampaged around the Midwest trying to scrounge up the money to save an orphanage, and occasionally scared the shit out of some Nazis instead of joining them.

  25. 25.

    Parfigliano

    Let them secede.  Conquer them.  Hang all members of their government.  Make them like American Samoa.  No US  House or Senate representation.

  26. 26.

    Hoodie

    @Hoppie: Abbot doesn’t want to do anything other than to posture, just like just about every other Republican.   You have to call these guys’ bluff.  Go ahead and nationalize the TNG, which also conveniently lets Biden say he’s actually doing something while the GOP plays games in Congress.   That doesn’t means  you do anything to punish the TNG, you just change their chain of command.  The TNG doesn’t actually have to do anything other than let the CBP do their jobs.  They can sit back and watch.   We’ve done that before.

  27. 27.

    Yarrow

    I’ve seen speculation that this is partly Abbott trying to get on the short list for TFG’s VP selection.

  32. 32.

    teezyskeezy

     

    @Hoodie: You have to consider some *might* actively defy orders to do nothing and instead assist in removing immigrants and at that point you have to bring the hammer down.  Me…i’d try to get the military to try them, but nicer people than me would probably opt to bring it through the civilian court system.

  33. 33.

    Urza

    @Yarrow: TFG would never accept a guy in a wheelchair no matter how much ass kissing there is.  If Abbot doesn’t realize that its just sad.

  35. 35.

    teezyskeezy

    @Alison Rose: Does he not look calm to you? Kidding, you are right, less of that, but if anyone defies the feds with force the feds need to bring the hammer down.

  36. 36.

    Hoodie

    @teezyskeezy: Unlikely.  Those guys mostly join the Guard to get the bennies.  They won’t risk that.  Plus, if they’re nationalized, I would imagine that fully fall under UCMJ, which can be a harsh mistress.

  38. 38.

    Nukular Biskits

    I agree that, if what is occurring is an “invasion” (which it isn’t, but stay with me here), then President Biden should federalize the NatGuard.

    That would take a lot of the wind … uh, I mean, hot air, out of Abbott’s sails and those of those other Republican governors.

  39. 39.

    teezyskeezy

    @Hoodie: Unlikely, yes, but across the entire force, there could be some.  It must be considered, and dealt with if it happens.

    Ashley Babbitt stormed the Capitol, remember. That was a completely irrational act, but it happened.

     

    Edit: also, I’m thinking it is a little unfair to say *most* Guardsmen are in it for speed. That’s not true.

  40. 40.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @eversore:

    I just wanted to take a minute from my day to say “Fuck you.”

    That’s all. Respond if you wish but I have nothing further to say as there’s nothing more to say to you than fuck you.

  44. 44.

    Harrison Wesley

    With all of the international crises the US is involved with, we really needed something special to get the pot boiling here at home.  I guess this will have to do.

  45. 45.

    MattF

    I’m as clueless as anyone on how to fix this— but it does have the potential to settle the insurrection question. If Biden becomes the commander of the TNG, then Abbot ordering them to disobey Biden is insurrection. Period.

  46. 46.

    Urza

    @Yarrow: MAGAs aren’t going to take a guy in a wheelchair either, genes aren’t manly enough regardless of how much suffering he inflicts.

  47. 47.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Antonius: ​
     

    Cut off all Federal funding for Texas administratively until the state complies.

    This. If they refuse to recognize the authority of the Federal government, they don’t get any Federal money. Not just the state itself, but the people in it, any projects in the state that Federal money is going toward, etc. No Social Security, no Medicare, no Medicaid. Give the state 120 days to comply, and then the hammer falls.

    Also, to the extent that the Rio Grande is navigable, the Coast Guard, the Marines, or some other branch of the military needs to be sending boats up and down the river and apprehending anyone who protects existing obstacles or tries to put new obstacles in the river.

  48. 48.

    gene108

    @Hoppie:

    Enforced imprisonment for EMPLOYERS who hire undocumented workers would dry up the incentive.

    The fight with Abbott isn’t about undocumented immigrants sneaking in without proper papers. It’s to limit the flow of legal immigrants seeking asylum.

    The anti-immigration crowd, like the anti-abortion crowd, aren’t going to be happy until all immigration is halted.

    *************

    I wonder what the recruitment standards are for the TNG? Watching people mutilate themselves on razor wire or drown in a river, and not only refuse to provide help, but block others from helping is really a level of evil that is scary.

    Republicans want to trigger a full on nullification crisis, so the federal government’s authority is subservient to state’s authority. I think Abbott’s oppositional defiance of the Supremacy Clause, along with the backing of 25 other Republican governors, makes me think this is part of a broader plan to undermine the rights we’ve come to take for granted.

    Yes, this includes states thumbing their noses at Republican administrations, because no one is going to tell these fascist wannabe state politicians who is the boss of them.

  49. 49.

    teezyskeezy

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: I know you are going to disagree, but I think you all should engage @eversore on two questions: 1. What is his/her tangible goal here, and 2. Is there a tangible thing that happened to him/her to make them particularly militant on this issue.  There’s a reason we are all like we are.

     

    Or did I just say some shit to you about pie?

  52. 52.

    teezyskeezy

    @MattF: Yes, and many are dismissing the possibility, saying none of them would dare.

    But what if they do? Gotta be ready to deal with that. If Biden nationalized the Guard and there were even just 1% defecting (granted it might be more granular than that I don’t know shit about military organization) and you do nothing to them…then another 1% will say, shit, I can do what I want…and that will compound.

    Actually it won’t even be as stable as compounded interest…it will be a snowball effect of everyone who is loyal vs. everyone who is a right wing fuck, right away.

  53. 53.

    Another Scott

    Meanwhile, … NBCDFW.com:

    Texas Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) wrote a letter to his Senate colleagues Thursday night, calling to reopen the Senate’s impeachment trail into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

    Springer voted to acquit Paxton in his impeachment trial last September but now feels misled after a recent court filing by the Attorney General.

    “I am asking the Senate whether there is a legal mechanism to reopen the impeachment proceedings. Failure to at least consider this possibility runs the risk of AG Paxton making a mockery of the Texas Senate.”

    Texas Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster)

    In a court filing last week, Paxton’s office told a Travis County court his agency will stop fighting the whistleblower lawsuit by four former top staffers. He wrote he no longer will contest accusations he illegally fired the whistleblowers after they reported him to the FBI for bribery and corruption.

    Violations of the Whistleblower Act were one of the Texas House’s impeachment allegations against Paxton. Article 6 accused him of violating his duties of office by retaliating against employees who made a good-faith report to law enforcement. The Texas Senate acquitted Paxton of that charge in a vote of 16 to 14.

    Springer voted to acquit at the time.

    The whistleblowers reported Paxton to the FBI because they believed he used his office to help Austin real-estate developer Nate Paul in exchange for a job for his mistress and part of a home remodel. He denied all wrongdoing in the impeachment trial and continued until this latest filing in Travis County court.

    In statement to the Texas Tribune, Paxton wrote : “Springer has to leave the senate because he was such a bad senator, wasn’t going to get re-elected, and needed a job. Why should anyone listen to his sour grapes.”

    Hmmm….

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  54. 54.

    Timill

    Wait till some idiot in the TNG fires on the Border Patrol.

    Intern all members of the TX congressional delegation (both D and R).

    Elect Jeffries Speaker. Problem solved..

    [Also: sit on all Fed checks headed for TX]

  55. 55.

    gene108

    @Harrison Wesley:

    All the way back to the Articles of Confederation.

    Not that far back, but definitely pre-New Deal, when there was a lot less “interference” from the federal government. I just can’t accept this many prominent Republicans sign on to something without a deeper plot boiling. Some billionaire or operative is pulling the strings.

  57. 57.

    Rjv

    Tired genre, I realize, but imagine if a blue state refused to follow Kommander John Roberts’ orders

  58. 58.

    Yarrow

    HAHAHAHAHA! The official Joe Biden account quote tweeted this:

    Biden-Harris HQ @BidenHQ
    CNN: A person close to Trump says that he is rattled by President Biden and his campaign’s efforts to get under his skin. Biden campaign aides have said the taunting will keep up

    and tweeted this:

    Be Best.

    https://t.co/uiPoZgjQzm— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 26, 2024

    I love it when Dark Brandon shows up!

  60. 60.

    Salty Sam .

    Tell me how this is any different from a slow-motion, less intense Jan.6th insurrection.  Abbott is defying Federal law, Trump himself is now egging the situation on, private citizens (the truckers) are starting to show up and engage … how should the Biden Administration deal with this?

    What would have been a proper response to Jan. 6th, had Biden been in office and had plenty of advance warning?  Because it seems to me that is the situation here.

  66. 66.

    Alison Rose

    @teezyskeezy: He has no tangible goal. He’s a bored idiot with nothing better to do than try to piss off libs.

    As to your second question, he has apparently stated in the past that he was victimized by someone associated with a church. For which I extend empathy. However, I do not think being harmed by a person in a certain group means it is okay to demonize everyone in that group forever. I’ve been assaulted more than once by men. I don’t constantly screech about needing to castrate and/or jail all men. One of those men was originally from India. It didn’t turn me into a racist who hates all Indians.

  67. 67.

    Harrison Wesley

    @Rjv: Why, the NYT would immediately dispatch a crew of crack reporters to interview the Swastika Sunday Supper Club at Bud’s Anal Grill to find out what real heartland Americans thought of such treasonous behavior.

  68. 68.

    TBone

    @Salty Sam .: it’s not gunfight at the OK corral.  If it gets that far, the feds will crush them like stomping on a palmetto bug.  They know it. We all should know it.

  69. 69.

    Frank Wilhoit

    The historical parallel that y’all’n are groping for is Ireland, 1912-14.  It is in some ways an extremely close parallel, notably in the fact that the Conservative Party (in opposition) was working to split the Army.

  71. 71.

    TriassicSands

     I have no idea what that response should be, so I’ll leave it there.

    Military invasion and the execution by firing squad of Abbott, Paxton, and the entire Texas Nazi Party.

    I’m going for proportionate.

    Seriously, it’s hard to know how to deal with cretins like Abbott. As with Trump, any confrontation just raises their profile and fires up the base. It’s fascinating that the SCOTUS SIX are working so hard to do the GOP’s bidding and here is Abbott undermining their authority and legitimacy.

    Once again, as always for Trump and the cult, the only laws that matter are ones that favor the party. If Biden ignored a SCOTUS decision, I think it goes without saying that the House would immediately vote to impeach him. We’ve reached a point now where the level of hypocrisy we see from Republicans is almost unbelievable, but after so many years of escalating dishonesty and unprincipled behavior nothing is shocking or even surprising anymore. It became obvious years ago and has only been reinforced with each passing day that there is no bottom to the Republican barrel of depravity. The sky may be the limit, but its located in the pit of hell.

  72. 72.

    Jeffro

    Biden: “Mr. trump calling for ‘all willing states’ to send their men and women in the National Guard to the border, when there is already a tremendous bipartisan deal with unprecedented funding just waiting for Congress, tells you one thing: this man cares not ONE BIT for this country, not ONE BIT for solving its problems.

    I have said before and will say it again: he will burn. down. our Constitutional republic in order to save himself from the myriad of legal consequences that have begun raining down on his criminal behavior.

    Don’t fall for it, Americans.  Red state, blue state, it doesn’t matter.  We are all Americans, and we don’t let a career criminal incite us to fight one another.

    Let’s solve this in the People’s Congress, where a bipartisan deal awaits.

    Thank you, may God bless America, and may God bless our troops – no matter the motivations of the MAGA extremists who send them far from their home states.”

  73. 73.

    Lyrebird

    @Hoppie: Is that in SoCal?

     

    And there have been times, like under Clinton, when DoJ has prioritized going after abusive employers.  But yeah current TX Gov? Not likely.

  78. 78.

    Alison Rose

    @gene108: Just because he hasn’t said a particular commenter should be killed doesn’t mean him saying “we need to jail and/or kill all Christians”* isn’t an attack on any Christians who happen to comment here.

    Let me ask: If his comments were about Jews or Muslims or Buddhists or Sikhs, how would you feel then?

    (*and yes, back before he switched gimmicks to “I’m voting straight GOP and Christianity forever!” when he was still doing the “We have to get rid of Christianity” thing, that is indeed what that meant. Because how do you get rid of a religion other than by banning it and either imprisoning or executing anyone practicing it?)

  81. 81.

    TriassicSands

    @Salty Sam .:

    We live in Upside Down Land now. Responding to Republican lawlessness only improves their standing among supporters.

    Do you know what would have made Trump even more popular today among Republicans? If he faced a half dozen criminal trials and 191 indictments instead of the paltry 91 counts he currently faces.

  83. 83.

    gene108

    @TriassicSands:

    It’s fascinating that the SCOTUS SIX are working so hard to do the GOP’s bidding and here is Abbott undermining their authority and legitimacy.

    Apparently, the SCOTUS gave Abbott an out. They didn’t specify he had to cease and desist putting up razor wire. He just had to cooperate to let the CBP take down the razor wire.

  84. 84.

    Paul in KY

    @Urza: Maybe Abbot watched Dr. Strangelove & thought he could be like the wheelchair dude. Of course, that guy was German…

  86. 86.

    TeezySkeezy

    @Alison Rose: Eversore is annoying, but I really don’t think we should equivocate a set of beliefs that one ostensibly chooses to believe with a race or with ethnicity (the latter two being something we don’t choose for ourselves).  I know when people say that, it often devolves into racism because too often racist people from outside a particular ethnicity will equivocate that particular ethnicity with the religion that is most often associated with said ethnicity by outsiders (mouthful, yes…but that’s the issue). So it does too often become a racial discrimination issue. However, religion is a set of beliefs we choose. It’s not race or ethnicity. Eversore is a pissy twat about a set of beliefs, not someone’s DNA (unless demonstrated otherwise, certainly not putting myself out to defend em).

  87. 87.

    Bobby Thomson

    I’m good with a lot of dead Confederates, in proportion to their 19th century losses.  That’s a proportionate response.  The last time it enabled us to actually do things for a decade.  Might be longer this time.

  89. 89.

    TriassicSands

    @Baud:

    The only thing wrong with that is it appears to be written in chalk. It would be better if it had been jack-hammered into the concrete. Or tattooed onto the foreheads of Trump and his “stellar’ legal team.

    Hubba, hubba, hubba was once a (crude and juvenile) way to express the feeling that a woman was beautiful or sexy. Today, I think saying Habba, Habba, Habba would be a way to express how corrupt and stupid someone is. Ms. Habba claims that the $83.3 million judgment is because Trump leads in the polls. If breathing required conscious thought Ms. Habba would suffocate. What a piece of work.

  90. 90.

    Alison Rose

    @TeezySkeezy: So you would be okay if his comments were about other religions? If he said we needed to get rid of Islam? Because while they may be a sort of “born to it” aspect there, it is still something someone chooses.

  91. 91.

    Salty Sam .

    @TriassicSands: We live in Upside Down Land now. Responding to Republican lawlessness only improves their standing among supporters.

    True- but at some point, a response MUST be made.  We are at this point because Dem administrations have let things slide in the past.  A previous commenter mentioned the Bundy’s-  those assholes and their followers should be rotting in a Federal prison somewhere.

    As for MAGA supporters, Fuck Their Feelings.

  92. 92.

    Salty Sam .

    @TeezySkeezy: Eversore is a pissy twat about a set of beliefs…

    Maybe you missed it, it’s been awhile since he was really on fire in the comments, but he repeatedly used eliminationist rhetoric against any and all Christians.

    Cole has an admirably liberal commenting policy.  If it were my blog, I’d have banned that shit-head a long time ago.

  93. 93.

    piratedan

    Not in favor of holding federal money from Texas, because of who will be hurt, just everyday folks who depend on social security and Medicare and such.  I think Biden is going to ask the Coast Guard and Border Patrol to keep doing what they are doing, document what is taking place and escalate what they experience up their chains of command and coordinate with Homeland.

    Texas and the other GOP Governors are looking for a wedge and confrontation to take the focus off of all of the Biden success and Trump troubles.  

    Biden is not going to shoot first, that’s not who he is…. If Abbott puts the wrong person in place and they do shoot first, well then the gloves are off and we’re watching Ft. Sumter II, GOP Boogaloo.

  97. 97.

    gene108

    @Alison Rose:

    From the way I read his ranting, he’s more about converting (forcibly?) Christians to whatever flavor of atheism he adheres to. It’s offensive, but most people on liberal blogs are atheists with varying degrees of hostility to organized religion, which they mention from time to time.

    Just calling someone an asshole, just because they mostly comment rant obsessively on a topic to the point of annoyance isn’t good for community decorum. Especially since the post on this thread is more about the Navy’s ability to interdict and board other naval vessels.

    Let me ask: If his comments were about Jews or Muslims or Buddhists or Sikhs, how would you feel then?

    Given the institutional power of Christianity in this country, it’s a bad comparison. Christians can be mocked or insulted for their beliefs. There aren’t panics over churches being built, unlike the “Ground Zero Mosque”, and local shit storms over requests to permit the construction of mosques in rural areas.

  98. 98.

    TeezySkeezy

    @Salty Sam .: well thats why i said i wont go out on a limb to defend him if someone proves me otherwise. You did. Thats fascism on his part and I dont believe in that.

  100. 100.

    Salty Sam .

    @TriassicSands: I couldn’t agree more, but the response has to be well thought out and appropriately timed.

    You and I are in complete agreement.  Some of the suggestions here border on ludicrous.  Firing squads, withholding funds, etc.

    Anybody with a lick of sense knows the proper response is to stake Greg Fuckin Abbott to the largest fire ant mound in the pasture…

  101. 101.

    Alison Rose

    @gene108: Forced conversion is also a bad thing, BTW. No matter who does it.

    And may I remind you: Eversor also said all of us — everyone on this blog — supported rape because a few people were going to have a meet-up at a restaurant that once employed a man who was later on accused of assault. He didn’t hint at it. He said it as explicitly as possible. Some of us are survivors and he included us in that screed.

    He’s a fucking asshole and he should be told so often.

    And sure, Christianity isn’t a minority. That doesn’t make screaming about wanting to eradicate all Christians okay. Again, men are also not a minority. If the only thing I ever said on here was that all men deserve to be locked up or killed, would that be acceptable because men have more societal power?

  102. 102.

    TeezySkeezy

    @Alison Rose: the eliminationist rhetoric is bad and gross. However, I think the world would be better with fewer strict textual adherents of all denominations. But thats something people have to come to through their own enlightenment, not by force–otherwise more evil has been committed.

  104. 104.

    Another Scott

    One for TaMara, and the yoots. WhiteHouse.gov:

    JANUARY 26, 2024

    Statement from President Joe Biden on Decision to Pause Pending Approvals of Liquefied Natural Gas Exports

    In every corner of the country and the world, people are suffering the devastating toll of climate change. Historic hurricanes and floods wiping out homes, businesses, and houses of worship. Wildfires destroying whole neighborhoods and forcing families to leave their communities behind. Record temperatures affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, especially the most vulnerable.

    From Day One, my Administration has set the United States on an unprecedented course to tackle the climate crisis at home and abroad – securing the largest climate investment in the history of the world, unlocking clean energy breakthroughs that will power a clean economy and create thousands of jobs, advancing environmental justice for all, and rallying world leaders to transition away from the fossil fuels that jeopardize our planet and our people.

    But more action is needed.

    My Administration is announcing today a temporary pause on pending decisions of Liquefied Natural Gas exports – with the exception of unanticipated and immediate national security emergencies. During this period, we will take a hard look at the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America’s energy security, and our environment. This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.

    While MAGA Republicans willfully deny the urgency of the climate crisis, condemning the American people to a dangerous future, my Administration will not be complacent. We will not cede to special interests.

    We will heed the calls of young people and frontline communities who are using their voices to demand action from those with the power to act. And as America has always done, we will turn crisis into opportunity – creating clean energy jobs, improving quality of life, and building a more hopeful future for our children.

    ###

    Good, good.

    And the “with the exception of unanticipated and immediate national security emergencies” language keeps VVP from grinning about the USA somehow turning off LNG to Germany while the Ukraine war continues. (The USA isn’t going to freeze western Europe.)

    This reminds me of the “continent-spanning death funnel” [ /Charlie-Pierce ] that Obama shut down in November 2015. The Keystone XL company finally gave up on it in June 2021.

    Democrats have been and are acting on climate and clean energy. I’ll bet the yoots are noticing.

    Eyes on the prizes.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  105. 105.

    Chris T.

    @teezyskeezy:

    Edit: also, I’m thinking it is a little unfair to say *most* Guardsmen are in it for speed. That’s not true.

    I think Hoodie meant “benefits”, not “benzedrine”, when he/she/they wrote “bennies”.

  110. 110.

    Ivan X

    @TeezySkeezy: I’d agree, in principle, but in this case, the commenter in question is not arguing in good faith. We know this from past exchanges, where he was treated with more credibility than warranted; he refused to ever address the substance of anyone’s comments, after they engaged in the manner you are suggesting one might.

    Then, he showed up one day just to say that he voted straight Republican in (I think) the VA special election. Why? To spite us. That’s right, us, the readers of this blog, because as a community we won’t join him wholesale in his moral equation of Christianity to Nazi Germany, the thing that matters to him most. I am not making this up. He literally said something to the effect of having voted R because we make him mad for not condemning Christianity. Look what we made him do!

    So, I mean, “fuck you” is all he can reasonably expect to get at this point, since what he seems to want most, if he can’t have what he wants, is for others here to feel shitty. And, if he’s telling the truth (who knows?) about how he voted and why, then he doesn’t deserve better, though I don’t feel it’s worth wasting my breath on or raising my blood pressure for. Regardless of the motivation, functionally he’s a troll, and so I don’t feed him, and wish others wouldn’t either.

    He can say what he wants, hateful though he is, and I don’t pie him (or anyone). But I sure don’t think he deserves continued oxygen from us, and I’m annoyed at myself for even writing this much about him, much as I am annoyed when I expend any energy writing about Trump. What good does it do anyone?

  113. 113.

    Skippy-san

    Federalize the Texas Guard. The head of the National Guard Bureau should be answering many questions from SECDEF on why the Guard is not cooperating with the Border Patrol.  It’s a gross misuse of the Guard what Abbott is doing now.

  114. 114.

    Skippy-san

    @eversor: You clearly were not paying attention then and also you ignore the distinction between domestic and international operations.

    You are not the only person here that served.

    And your viewpoint on Abbott is beneath contempt. Its evil.

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