The Commentariat -- Nov. 5, 2015
Internal links & defunct content removed.
Afternoon Update:
Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Obama vowed a year ago to give Central American children fleeing violence a new, legal way into the United States by allowing them to apply for refugee status while in their own countries instead of accepting help from smugglers or resorting to a dangerous trek across Mexico. But not a single child has entered the United States through the Central American Minors program since its establishment in December, in large part because of a slow-moving American bureaucracy that has infuriated advocates for the young children and their families."
Ed O'Keefe of the Washington Post: "The revelations [In Bush I's biography] come at the absolute lowest point of the year for Jeb Bush, who is mounting his own quest for the presidency." ...
... Philip Rucker of the Washington Post: Jeb "Bush is suddenly campaigning as if he's in a therapy session, wounded and wrestling with his identity both as a political performer and as heir to the Bush family dynasty. On a comeback tour [of New Hampshire] this week to rehabilitate his sputtering candidacy, Bush wore his emotions on his sleeve and volunteered introspective interpretations of why he wasn't winning." CW: Let's all vote for Jeb! so he can feel better about himself.
Greg Sargent: "The relatively staid and civil Democratic presidential primary may be about to take a hard turn into much more contentious territory: Bernie Sanders is now declaring that he supports ongoing investigations into Hillary Clinton's e-mail arrangement. And he's claiming her reversals on issues speak to her 'character.'... Sanders appears to be giving his blessing to the ongoing FBI probe.... In [a] Wall Street Journal interview, Sanders stated that Clinton's inconsistencies on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other issues 'does speak to the character of a person.'"
*****
David Nakamura & Mike DeBonis of the Washington Post: "The Obama administration released the full text of a 12-nation Pacific Rim free-trade accord on Thursday, launching what is expected to be a long and bruising fight to win final ratification in Congress for one of the president's top priorities."
Republicans Divided on How Much to Screw Old Folks. Robert Costa & Ed O'Keefe of the Washington Post: "Newly installed House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said he plans to pursue a 'bold alternative agenda' that would include major revisions in entitlements [CW: as the WashPo likes to call social safety-net program]. At the same time, leading GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump railed against proposals to end or significantly change Medicare.... The Republican presidential candidates are jockeying to be seen as in solidarity with Ryan, the darling of party elders, or with Trump, a voice for grassroots voters."
Jordain Carney of the Hill: "Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned on Wednesday that Democrats will block a defense spending bill this week for a third time. Reid said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was 'wasting the Senate's time' by repeatedly filing procedural motions to move forward with the defense bill that 'he knows will fail.'"
My Man Harry. Katherine Krueger of TPM: "Seasoned troll and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took his beef with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski to the Senate floor on Wednesday, bashing the MSNBC hosts for their interview with the billionaire Koch brothers earlier this week. Reid called the 'Morning Joe' interview with conservative mega-donors Charles and David Koch an example of the media catering to 'modern-day robber barons,' and read aloud his favorite excerpts from the segment. 'Wow. Those were some really tough questions asked by the host of "Morning Joe." That's sufficient journalism,' Reid said [CW: Actually, Reid said sarcastically, "That's tough journalism."] ... after reading excepts of the hosts asking the brothers if they play rugby together and whether their 'graciousness' came from their mother. He continued: 'Those questions are so easy, they may even qualify them to moderate the next Republican presidential debate.'... In January this year, Brzezinski, the so-called 'liberal' foil to conservative Scarborough, announced on the show she had seen the light on the Koch brothers after attending a Koch-backed retreat in Palm Springs":
** Peter Baker of the New York Times: "After years of holding back, former President George Bush has finally broken his public silence about some of the key figures in his son's administration, issuing scathing critiques of Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. In interviews with his biographer [Jon Meacham], Mr. Bush said that Mr. Cheney had built 'his own empire' and asserted too much 'hard-line' influence within George W. Bush's White House in pushing for the use of force around the world. Mr. Rumsfeld, the elder Mr. Bush said, was an 'arrogant fellow' who could not see how others thought and 'served the president badly.' Mr. Bush's sharp assessments ... gave voice to sentiments that many long suspected he had harbored but kept private until now. While he continued to praise his son, he did tell Mr. Meacham that the younger Mr. Bush was responsible for empowering Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld and was at times too bellicose in his language."...
... The Washington Post story, by Justin Moyer is here. It adds more detail, including the Big Dick's responses.
Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "At a Supreme Court argument on Wednesday about procedures in redistricting cases, the justices appeared to be trying to reconcile two conflicting impulses. They did not want to close the door entirely on challenges to gerrymandering, but they also did not want to be required to rule on them.... The case, Shapiro v. McManus, No. 14-990, is a challenge to Maryland's 2011 congressional maps. Democrats, the challengers said, had gone to elaborate and unconstitutional lengths to create oddly shaped districts to favor their candidates."
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), in a New York Times op-ed: "INSTEAD of blocking President Obama's efforts to close the costly Guantánamo Bay detention facility, Congress should be working with him to finally shut it down."
James Hohmann of the Washington Post: "Just like the midterms one year ago, [Tuesday's election results represented] another awful night for Democrats." ...
... Kevin Drum: "But that's not really right. Conservatives did win big victories in Virginia, Kentucky, and Houston. But Ohio's marijuana initiative most likely went down because it was too raw a giveaway to a bunch of rich donors, and San Francisco sheriff Ross Mirkarim was plagued by scandals that had nothing to do with his support for sanctuary cities. (The winner, Vicki Hennessy, was endorsed by SF mayor Ed Lee. She's hardly a conservative insurgent.) Elsewhere, liberals won public financing initiatives in Seattle and Maine. Pennsylvania elected three Democrats to the state Supreme Court. Movement conservatives lost big in two of Colorado's largest school districts." ...
... John Cheves of the Lexington Herald-Leader: "Whatever Republican Matt Bevin has in mind for Kentucky's health insurance reform efforts after he's sworn in as governor Dec. 8, there are unlikely to be changes this winter while people enroll for their 2016 coverage.... Legally, Bevin is free to reverse what Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear did two years ago when he established Kynect by executive order. However, no state so far has dismantled its health insurance exchange or repealed its Medicaid expansion -- not even those with Republican-controlled statehouses.... And the bureaucratic process for closing Kynect would not be swift.... Repealing Kentucky's Medicaid expansion, which covers people up to 138 percent of the poverty line, or even modifying the Medicaid program with federal waivers, could take months of negotiations with the federal government."
Presidential Race
Even. More. Un.Fucking.Believeable. Quinnipiac University: "One year before Election Day 2016, Dr. Ben Carson is virtually tied with Donald Trump as strong front-runners for the Republican nomination, and Carson tops former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 50 - 40 percent in the final face-off, according to a Quinnipiac University National poll released today." ...
... Steve M.: "... forgive me if I'm not enjoying the craziness in the Republican presidential race as much as some of you are. Forgive me if I don't agree that what's going on in that race is going to lead to the party's demise.... It may not matter how crazy the GOP candidate is -- Republicans are fired up in every election, desperate to nullify the Obama era, while it's difficult to inspire Democrats to vote. Why do we automatically assume that Democrats will suddenly be hungry for a win next year? The right stirs up rage every day...." ...
... ** David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report, in 538: "There are plenty of reasons to be cautious of national polls that show Trump and Carson leading.... But perhaps the biggest reason ... is that they're simulating a national vote that will never take place. In reality, the GOP nominating contest will be decided by an intricate, state-by-state slog.... And thanks to the Republican National Committee's allocation rules..., the more moderate GOP primary voters who live in Democratic-leaning states and congressional districts -- could weigh more than those of more conservative voters who live in deeply red zones.... As The New York Times' Nate Cohn astutely observed in January, Republicans in blue states hold surprising power in the GOP presidential primary process even though they are 'all but extinct in Washington, since their candidates lose general elections to Democrats.'" This explains why Republicans have selected relatively moderate presidential nominees while the party's members in Congress have continued to veer right." ...
... Ed Kilgore: "... there are a couple of planted axioms here that need to be questioned. First of all, 'blue' states are more likely to go late in the presidential nominating contest calendar.... they will have to choose from the field left to them by the more conservative red-state contests, whose influence, of course, will be magnified by media coverage.... Second, there the whole matter of defining candidates as 'moderate' or 'conservative.'... So it's a little unclear how these dynamics are supposed to work. Add in the fact that some blue-state Republican Parties are by no means 'moderate' -- Wisconsin, anybody?"
Josh Gerstein of Politico: "An organization related to the Clinton Foundation has again reversed itself on fixing errors on its federal tax filings and now says it plans to submitted amended returns. Clinton Health Access Initiative spokeswoman Maura Daley said Wednesday that the group has now decided to refile two years worth of forms with the Internal Revenue Service."
Bloomberg: "Donald Trump's campaign said Wednesday it had placed a $300,000 radio ad buy in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina to run through end of month."
Ashley Parker of the New York Times: "On Wednesday, more than a dozen of the nation's leading Hispanic groups are planning to hold a 'Dump Trump' rally outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where 'Saturday Night Live' is taped. Latino and immigration groups also plan to deliver a petition, with 460,000 signatures, calling on NBC Studios and [producer Lorne] Michaels to drop Mr. Trump.... On Monday, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus issued a statement also calling on NBC Universal and Mr. Michaels 'to disinvite Mr. Trump'" ...
... Meg Wagner of the New York Daily News: "Donald Trump used Twitter to let loose a slew of nasty images against GOP rival Jeb Bush: pictures that compared the former Florida governor to a Nazi, mocked his ties to Mexico and suggested he is intellectually disabled. 'ADIOS, JEB aka JOSÉ,' the billionaire-turned-presidential candidate posted to Twitter Tuesday, apparently retweeting a message from one of his followers.... The tweet included a collage of racist and derogatory pictures." ...
... Hadas Gold of Politico: "NBC removed several 'Saturday Night Live' promos featuring Donald Trump on Wednesday.... According to NBC co[r]respondent Peter Alexander, NBC had posted the link with eight SNL promos by mistake before removing three of them.... The original series of promos, posted as a single video, included a segment where SNL cast member Cecily Strong says, 'Because of equal time rules for television, Mr. Trump can only speak for four seconds in this promo.' Trump then says: 'So let me just say this. Ben Carson is a complete and total loser.' The Carson portion was edited out at some point on Wednesday afternoon...."
(New Jersey) Star-Ledger Editors: Ben Carson "has combined Rick Santorum's dogmatic conceit, Herman Cain's policy ignorance, and Michele Bachmann's unapologetic loopiness to create a woozy barstool doctrine that makes sense to a bloc of voters who are repulsed by the notion of electing anyone who once held high office." You lefties will want to read the whole editorial. It's excellent. Thanks to Marvin S. for the link. ...
'Cuba? Cuba?' You mean Cuba Gooding, Jr.? -- the guy who played me in that film classic "Gifted Hands"? Did you see it? They're featuring it on Netflix now. It's about my heroic rise from poverty to become a world-famous neurosurgeon.... 'Wet-foot, dry-foot?' Sounds like a medical condition. Did I tell you I separated twins conjoined at the head? I'm a world-famous neurosurgeon. Not a podiatrist, for crying out loud. My work was a little more complicated than removing plantar warts. That's why I would be great president.... Now, you may proceed. But no more 'gotcha' questions. -- Ben Carson, to Miami Herald reporters
Or something like that. -- Constant Weader
... Doc Ben Has Always Been Crazy. Nate McDermott & Andrew Kaczynski of BuzzFeed: "Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson told graduates during a commencement address in the late '90s that he believed the pyramids in Egypt were built by the biblical figure Joseph to store grain, and not, as most archaeologists contend, as tombs for pharaohs." Apparently Young Doc Carson believed that the Hebrew god directed Joseph in a dream to build the pyramids to accommodate the grain which Joseph advised the pharaoh to store. Joseph, BTW, is one of many mythical Bible characters. He was not a real guy. P.S. Do read the part about the aliens v. god. ...
... Still Crazy After All These Years. Erica Brown & Ellen Uchimiya of CBS News: "Ben Carson stood by his long-held belief about ancient pyramids in Egypt, that they were used to store grain, rather than to inter pharaohs. Asked about this Wednesday, Carson told CBS News, 'It's still my belief, yes.'" CW: The headline writers call this an "unusual theory." Why can't we get more honest headline writers? ...
... In Your Heart, You Know He's Nuts. Ed Kilgore: "... what should actually disqualify Carson [is] his extremist, paranoid 'world-view' which treats regular boring old center-left liberals as conscious and systematically deceitful would-be destroyers of this country bent on imposing a Marxist tyranny via 'politically correct' suppression of free speech and confiscation of guns. There's unquestionably a constituency for this point of view, but we may never know whether it would outnumber the Republicans baffled or horrified by it until such time as one of his rivals or the heretofore clueless media start talking about it. If they don't pretty soon, then one theory of the 2016 GOP nominating process could come true: conservatives want to rerun the 1964 elections, and they've finally found their Barry Goldwater." ...
... CW: Or what about the fact, Ed, that Ole Doc goes to Miami & submits to a phone interview with a Herald reporter without having the foggiest idea what U.S. Cuban policy is? This is a guy who thinks his own ignorance of the law is immaterial. Because he imagines he has "common sense" & can figure this stuff out if it ever comes up. It was mighty consequential that Dubya couldn't be bothered to read that daily briefing titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S." It would be catastrophic if a President Carson had read it & decided to apply one of his "common sense" solutions. ...
... Kevin Drum on why Carson is so popular among evangelicals. And what an empty-headed huckster he is.
Michael Barbaro & Steve Eder of the New York Times: "A decade after he used a Republican Party credit card for personal purchases like stone pavers at his home, Senator Marco Rubio on Wednesday pledged to disclose spending records from that account as he urgently sought to inoculate himself against what could be his biggest liability as a presidential candidate: how he manages his finances.... As his once-plodding presidential campaign experiences a surge in the polls, Mr. Rubio's rivals are now rushing to resurrect the matter in an attempt to portray him as a careless manager of money, despite Mr. Rubio's assurances that he paid for every personal purchase himself.... During his 2010 Senate campaign Mr. Rubio refused to release the full records of his charges on the card..., calling it an 'internal party matter.'" ...
... Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times: "The Tampa Bay Times asked Rubio's team for the records in June and again in early October. A top strategist, Todd Harris, said Tuesday they would be released soon, possibly within the month, but declined to answer questions about what they might contain.... A Florida man filed an ethics complaint against Rubio in 2010, and in 2012 the state ethics commission cleared him, though an investigator said the level of 'negligence' exhibited by Rubio's confusion between the GOP American Express and his own MasterCard, and failing to recognize the error on monthly statements, was 'disturbing.' Now questions are resurfacing."
Andrew Husband of Mediaite: Jeb! tells middle-schoolers that his father (you know, the president guy) would reprimand him in a way that would send him "into a deep depression for days." "Let's hope Jeb Can Fix It." CW Safety Alert: Watch for incoming MoDo. I'll bet she wishes she still had two columns a week. Between Pappy's biography & Jeb!'s psychological problems, she's got plenty to milk for weeks.
Hadas Gold & Steven Shepard of Politico: "It's looking like Chris Christie may not make the primetime debate stage at next week's Fox Business Network/Wall Street Journal debate. While Fox Business will not officially announce the lineup until Thursday, a new Fox News poll released late Wednesday puts him at 2 percent. That likely means Christie will get bumped to the undercard stage -- a big blow for the New Jersey governor, especially because it comes as he appeared to be gaining some traction in the presidential race."
Beyond the Beltway
Dan Hinkel & Lauren Zumbach of the Chicago Tribune: "Upending the portrayal of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz as a hero cop tragically gunned down in the line of duty just before his planned retirement, authorities on Wednesday said the Fox Lake[, Illinois,] officer died in a suicide he staged as it became clear he could face consequences for years of criminal behavior. At a news conference, Lake County Major Crime Task Force Cmdr. George Filenko said Gliniewicz, 52, shot himself in a 'carefully staged suicide' designed to look like a murder after he had engaged in 'extensive criminal acts.'" ...
... Ruth Fuller, et al., of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Investigators said [Fox Lake, Illinois, Police Lt. Charles Joseph] Gliniewicz killed himself but staged it to look like a murder as he feared an ongoing internal village audit would reveal he stole tens of thousands of dollars from a police youth group he led.... The officer had been stealing and laundering the money over seven years from the Fox Lake Explorers Unit, which was supposed to teach youngsters about law enforcement."
Karen Kucher, et al., of the San Diego Union-Tribune: "A man who shot at San Diego police officers from a Bankers Hill penthouse surrendered Wednesday afternoon after a five-hour SWAT standoff that locked down nearby streets and schools and prompted aviation officials to cancel incoming flights at Lindbergh Field. No one was wounded as dozens of rounds were fired through the day by officers and the gunman, identified as Titus Colbert, 33."
Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: "Police in Sacramento, Calif., said Wednesday that they have arrested a man in connection with the stabbing of a U.S. airman who helped foil a terrorist attack by an armed gunman on a Paris-bound train in August. James Tran, 28, of Elk Grove, Calif., was arrested Wednesday morning near his home and faces one count of attempted murder in the Oct. 8 attack on Spencer Stone, police said.... Stone is considered a victim in the altercation, and faces no charges."
Way Beyond
Rowena Mason, et al., of the Guardian: "The British government has suspended all flights between the UK and the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh after US and UK officials said they believe the Russian plane that crashed over the Sinai peninsula may have been brought down by an explosive device. The UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said his government is now advising against all but essential travel through Sharm el-Sheikh airport in Egypt as there is a 'significant possibility' that the plane was brought down by an explosion on board, the strongest remarks yet by an official on the cause of the crash. US officials have also suggested a bomb was planted on the plane by Isis or an Isis affiliate, according to several media reports citing unnamed sources."
Elisabeth Malkin & Azam Ahmed of the New York Times: "The Mexican Supreme Court opened the door to legalizing marijuana on Wednesday, delivering a pointed challenge to the nation's strict substance abuse laws and adding its weight to the growing debate in Latin America over the costs and consequences of the war against drugs. The vote by the court's criminal chamber declared that individuals should have the right to grow and distribute marijuana for their personal use. The ruling is a first step -- applying only to a single cannabis club that brought the suit -- and does not strike down Mexico's current drug laws. But it lays the groundwork for a wave of legal actions that could ultimately legalize marijuana."
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Reader Comments (16)
Ed Kilgore: "... what should actually disqualify Carson [is] his extremist, paranoid 'world-view' which treats regular boring old center-left liberals as conscious and systematically deceitful would-be destroyers of this country bent on imposing a Marxist tyranny via “politically correct” suppression of free speech and confiscation of guns."
It is not only in our hearts we know he is nuts, fellow commenters. Our heads have been telling us this for some time. Bottom line: does not matter whether "Dr. Ben" is drugged, brain damaged, chronically hallucinating or All of the Above, he is a fucking crazoid!
I said quite some time ago that I thought he possessed a "delusional paranoid personality." He is quite far down the psychotic spectrum, and I think that pretty much describes it. However, what concerns me even more is this guy's growing popularity and electoral support. Yikes! What does this say about the American nut case wing nuts who are supporting him? I am beginning to think we are a nation of delusional paranoids! Worse yet, STUPID delusional paranoids. Many, many of them.
Ben Carson's stupor is seen by the Tea Partiers as "considered calm." His hallucinated biblical allusions are said to be "prescient." He is a famous, and revered pediatric neuro-surgeon, but the evidence is beginning to come out about a myriad of malpractice cases against him--several of which he "settled." Never a good sign.
After learning that Kentucky elected a Tea Party Republican guvner, who showed up to support Kim Davis during her dark days, I do believe anything can happen. Even Ben Carson as Republican presidential candidate, unless the money men off him!
Sigh....
The Star Ledger's excellent editorial on Carson. The print version had a better title: Ben Carson: An outsider, or just out of his mind?
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/11/ben_carson_qualified_to_perform_brain_surgery_but.html#incart_2box_opinion
When I was teaching I found that many middle school kids had trouble understanding the word "Irony." I used the example of the local police chief coming to the school to talk about drugs–-urging children to "just say no." Then one day we read that this same police chief was arrested in a drug scam––not only was he selling drugs, but he himself was an addict. I had tried different examples, but this one seemed to penetrate. I thought of this while reading about Gliniewicz, the hero cop. Along with this tale we have today in our political field a plethora of examples––if I were back teaching I'd have a field day with that word.
@Kate: Some time ago when I wrote about Carson after having looked up his medical bona fides there was information about these malpractice suits, but Marie reminded me that this was not unusual for brain surgeons. Still...
I watched a group discussion (the kind Fox puts on, especially Hannity) where "regular" Joes and Jills give their opinions, usually after a debate. I remember two women extolling their admiration for Carson and a few men who thought he was "a new voice to be heard." One could not say they presented as loons, nor did they seem especially ignorant. They appeared to have been completely snookered by Carson's calm demeanor and his religious trappings; that to me is what is scary. That old snake oil sales pitch that many people bought hook. line and sinker.
"If you want someone to have a beer with, I'm not your guy. But if you want someone to drive you home, I'm your guy."
Ted Cruz
Hidden messages: I don't drink. I'm presenting myself here as someone who will take care of you and the word "home" just makes it all sound cozy.
"The Communist government in Vietnam has agreed to American terms to grant potentially far-reaching labor rights to the country’s workers, including the freedom to unionize and to strike..."
~ From the NYT lede on Pacific Trade Deal
I wonder if this is reciprocal. Will the U.S. Red States agree to grant far-reaching rights to American Labor?
(note to P.D.'s students: that's irony)
Somewhere between Fox Lake, Illinois and Washington D.C. resides the heart of the monarchist wing of the Republican party where those with "position" will be respected unfailingly. Until they're not. The dirty cop and dirty Dick should be lumped together and examined as an expression on the 'unexamined life'. By the way here is what the Guardian has to say about draft-dodger Cheney, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/05/george-bush-senior-iron-ass-cheney-arrogant-rumsfeld-damaged-america.
The idea of creepy Ted Cruz giving me a ride home (just picture him admiring himself in the rear view mirror in between weird sidelong glances) reminded me of this clip. You can substitute the Christopher Walken character for any of the Confederate loons running for president. The last 15 seconds especially gives you an idea of what it would be like with someone like Ben Carson at the wheel of state.
Can you imagine doing this for four years?!?
Kate Madison re, “nation of delusional paranoids"
I’m always struck by the irony in calling our species Homo Sapiens, Latin 'Wise Man', as well as any description as rational, having long ago concluded there's rarely a sane one in a busload.
@ D.C. Clark—could it be that there are two Latin variations?
First, there is the Homo Spien and then the other, the Homo Sap?
Amygdala Hijacking and Success at the Polls.
Democrats stay home. They don't vote. They'll get to it later, in the "big" election. But even then plenty don't make the effort. Meanwhile, on the other side, you could not keep these people, the haters, the racists, those who may not be outright racist, but who have no problem with racists as electoral allies and politicians, from the polls.
It's a great motivator. Inculcating hatred, inspiring contempt and disgust also has the additional benefit, for Confederates, of blackjacking logic. Fact checking is not only not considered, it doesn't exist, as a goal nor a process. Injecting the vicious emotions of disgust and hatred into public discourse allows Confederate manipulators to achieve a classic "Amygdala Hijack". According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, who coined the term, "...when [the amygdala] feels threatened, it can respond not just irrationally, but destructively." Makes sense, considering that the amygdala is a center for processing emotional responses and decision making. The difference is that typical amygdala hijacks are temporary.
Confederate hijacking keeps people in perpetual states of emotional distress and illogic. This could also be a reason many of them will happily vote against their own interests. If people so conditioned believe they have a chance to stick it to the hated Muslim in the White House or any of his equally despised liberal pals, women, the poor, immigrants, haters of Real Americans, they will make sure they're in line to vote before the doors are open.
Democrats? Not so much. Hatred is not such a big thing for Democrats. We may say "Gee I hate that guy" but not enough to get out of bed and show up to vote, in which case it's not the kind of hatred that motivates 'baggers and white supremacists.
This is why a relatively small number of voters are controlling enormous swaths of this country and why policy decisions are being affected, all to the worse, by people whose hatred and thirst for vengeance have been amped up by manipulative media jackals and billionaire despot amygdala hijackers.
Milton had the idea when he gave these words to his "apostate angel":
“All is not lost, the unconquerable will, and study of revenge, immortal hate, and the courage never to submit or yield.”
Not sure courage is the right word for these people; more like desperation.
And it's also not like we've been living in Paradise, but we do have plenty more to lose by letting these people have free rein. Both sides don't do it.
Vote, that is.
I'm not sure what will motivate Democrats, but they better figure it out soon, otherwise a lot more than amygdalas will be hijacked.
Damn the typo!!
First, there is the Homo Sapien and then the other, the Homo Sap?
@MAG: You never have to worry about typos here. Any regular reader who wasn't good at interpreting typos when they started using Reality Chex is right good at it now, having learned from repeated experiences, I'm a helluva a teacher, even when I don't try.
Marie
This pyramid theory is a new one on me. Looks like crazy is not a recent visitor to Chez Carson.
So the biblical character Joseph wasn't happy with his many colored coat so he decided to start building pyramids. Methinks Carson is overly enamored of pyramid schemes, both fictional and financial. Maybe Joseph was peddling cancer cures to the pharaoh too! Smart kid, that Joseph.
Well, I know it's fictional and all, but you buy the premise, you buy the joke. Let's see what the Christianists say about ol' Joe.
According to the Genesis timeline on biblehub.com (which, for all you Nosy Parker science types tells us that the universe began somewhere around, or just before 4,000 BC), Joseph was kicking up the dust in Egypt in the year 1886 BC. At that point, he was "put in charge", meaning, I suppose, in a position to invent the idea of pyramids.
Now lets consult the non-fictional timeline created by buzzkill scientists and archaeologists. According to the real world, Egypt's first pyramid, built as a tomb for Djoser, was begun around 2630 BC. Hmmm.....over 700 years before ol' Joe invented the pyramids. How did that happen? Oh wait. Goddidit. The most famous pyramid, the one at Giza, was built around 2580. Still quite a while before 1886, but what the hell, I mean, heck.
Seriously kids, even if you agreed with everything a candidate was saying politically, if he went around saying things like The Great Library at Alexandria was built by god (but not aliens) to house his Xbox games, you might be inclined to look somewhere else for a president.
Not these jamokes. They don't even blink. And the other thing to consider is that Carson was making spinning his pyramid story back in the 90's. He's had 20 years to advance the crazy! But hey, let's put this guy in charge of our nuclear arsenal.
Good thing aliens weren't involved. At least not yet.
MAG,
Homo sap. Isn't that something used to hit people over the head?
@Akhilleus, I think Homo Sap is leakage from the brain cells.
Thanks for the clumsy fingers consolation, CW!
On the issue of transgender use of restrooms I just sent this to the NYT.
To those who are uncomfortable with going to the same restroom with a transgender person I strongly suggest you never go shopping in Paris.
Common, particularly in department stores, are one restroom with only stalls. I have been there many times and I have no knowledge or interest in whether the person next to me is standing up or sitting down. Certainly no problem sharing the same sinks. And of course as a male I have been surprised when I am standing at a urinal in a men's restroom and the female cleaning person comes in to work. I mean I am facing the wall!
And now word from one of the great promoters of Right Wing Hysteria about job loss, one who routinely blames Obama and the left for their dereliction of "job creation":
“Please watch your inbox for important information about your employment status tomorrow.”
In other words, employees of the venerable and excellent National Geographic better watch their asses because now they work for Rupert Murdoch. At least for a while, because he's already fired a shitload of them and more will be fired soon.
Murdoch has initiated the biggest job loss at National Geographic in its 127 year history. Wingnut forces have begun to eviscerate one of the crown jewels of print journalism, the same way he has destroyed other outlets.
Look soon for National Geographic, a steadfast friend of actual science to begin promoting Confederate conspiracy theories and blaming things like climate change on liberal schemes.
This fucking egotistical scumbag needs to contract some horrible, debilitating disease, and die. Soon.
I know I shouldn't be quite so antagonistic and nasty, but fuck that. This guy has done so much to destroy the quality of life for billions of people around the planet and to enrich the very few. He needs to pay up.
Asshole.