"Will you shut up, man?" US Politics October 2020

Are you sure it was him? Because I found myself reading some Tim Alberta thing on the subject this morning, and it seemed excessively detailed.

Have Weigel and Alberta ever been seen in the same room?

with David Brooks and some good prosciutto.

Brooks has been doing a lot more of the, "Gosh, everything is so bad, how did it get this bad!" type of column, while occasionally making correct diagnoses. To be honest, it would be unnerving under normal circumstances, but that he refuses to accept that conservative policies and social mores are responsible for a majority of these societal ills makes it just another day for him.

Also, I know we should focus on the here and now, but I will honestly say that I will do anything I can to prevent a Buttigieg presidency.

I have the same criticism about Buttigieg! xpost

I spent part of the weekend hiking in north GA and you can probably guess what the yard sign sitch was on the drive up. One in particular did stand out though. It was the guy’s name (which escapes me rn), underneath that “Republican” and underneath that a silhouette of whatever assault rifle gets chuds the frothiest. In its own super special way I kind of appreciated it.

If I had the time, cash, & frankly the temerity I’d consider moving safely outside the 285 loop, running the same campaign. and if I were to win, legislating as a pro-gun socialist until being recalled (or more likely assassinated).

with David Brooks and some good prosciutto.

― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, October 13, 2020 12:03 PM (ten minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

what is this "pro-shoot-oh" you speak of? i went to a public university, sorry

My mom was telling me the other day about how much she likes David Brooks and appreciates his moral perspective. I held my tongue.

what is this "pro-shoot-oh" you speak of?

the chosen charcuterie of second amendment enthusiasts around the country

Meantime, remember this feeb?

Some quotes from Ronny Jackson, who was meant to pitch Biden's unfitness for office:

"I actually don't even practice medicine at this point."

"I literally had nothing to do with [Biden's] medical care at the White House."

"I'm not even remotely trying to diagnose him."

— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) October 13, 2020

(He's due to land in the House, GOP safe seat by all accounts, and I hope he's miserable there every day.)

I'm particularly fond of the Martha McSally signs I see: PROTECT OUR GUNS!

Wait no I think it's a Wendy Rogers sign

xpost I like the Brooks/Mark Shields roundup thing on the Friday PBS Newshour... I borrow soundbytes and employ them over the weekend to sound smart and connected.

I was so excited when I found out Trump's doctor was going to Congress and then I found out Ronny Jackson is NOT Dr. Longhair in the white lab coat, but a different Trump doctor

Dr Longhair's going on tour with the Doobie Brothers

Thought Dr. Longhair fixed him up with a satchel of gris-gris which was the real secret cure.

I like the Brooks/Mark Shields roundup thing on the Friday PBS Newshour...

My wife, who is disconnected from all social media and therefore is not up to speed on the web's hot takes about everything within minutes of it happening, finds that Brooks/Mark Shields roundup thing helpful for some ungodly reason, even though Shields is increasingly unable to finish a sentence without treating it like an obstacle course. I view it as a ten minute visit to the television equivalent of the Saharan Desert.

My wife, who is disconnected from all social media and therefore is not up to speed on the web's hot takes about everything within minutes of it happening

Your wife otfm

My brother trying to early vote in Texas. Dallas area. Blue district. Standing in line for literally 3 hours. Looks like another 2 ahead of him. An elderly lady literally fainted on the sidewalk and was carted away. Good work, guys.

Fuck

It’s good that people are voting despite all that.

Indeed they are, current numbers now up to 11.8 million. FWIW, total early voting in 2016 was 47 million and with three weeks to go that number will be surpassed easily enough; the question will be by how much.

Which makes Barrett's non-answer chilling if predictable:

WATCH: Senator @amyklobuchar just asked Judge Barrett whether it's illegal under federal law to intimidate voters at the polls.

Barrett refused to answer. Then Klobuchar read her the law. Astonishing. pic.twitter.com/cxoIaXTP9e

— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) October 13, 2020

This entire thing is such a charade.

Ugh

Bad news:

BREAKING: Supreme Court grants Trump administration requet to halt census count while litigation continues in the 9th circuit court of appeals

— Steven Mazie (@stevenmazie) October 13, 2020

Good news:

BREAKING: Nearly all eligible voters in Travis County are registered to vote this year.

A record 97% of the county’s estimated 850,000 eligible voters are registered https://t.co/L5ZE1mbZ5w

— Austin Statesman (@statesman) October 13, 2020

good job getting a Whataburger in the shot

Amy Coney Barrett literally will not say if the President should commit to the peaceful transfer of power.

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) October 13, 2020

Surely this bodes well for our near future.

What could go wrong?

this is a sickening exchange. It's very fortunate that Trump's own ineptitude has probably finished him already, because it's no wonder at all that so many people came to hate the Democrats https://t.co/ox5uMIksON

— tom (@malaiseforever) October 13, 2020

Another Austin, TX voting update: went to a polling place with an estimated <10 minute waiting time, and proceeded to wait in a massive line for nearly 2 hours, but it's done now. A whole lot of people want to vote.

I have read leftists on ILX probably fifty times asserting that the Democrats are lame because they don't know how to negotiate. Instead they automatically cave in to the Republicans without gaining any concessions. These leftists assert that this is Democratic stupidity verging on the criminal, that people hate and despise the Democrats for this reason and further that it makes them indistinguishable from the Republicans, as aiders and abetters, inept, incompetent and, yes, sickening.

What happened this time?

The Republicans offered an aid bill aimed at giving massive breaks to businesses and a freaking pittance for the poor. When the Democrats didn't cave in, the Republicans sat on their hands, too. When the Democrats then reduced their offered aid package by a trillion dollars, the Republicans reduced their aid package, too, and have not budged an inch.

This is obviously all the fault of Nancy Pelosi. Don't blame poor Mitch McConnell. He's doing his best.

xp here is the whole 13 minute conversation

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/10/13/nancy-pelosi-intv-stimulus-bill-trump-offer-coronavirus-tsr-vpx.cnn

Let it be noted that Wolf Blitzer is an ass and a fool.

and nobody would disagree with that. But if you aren't impressed with platitudes and bullshit - the rest is bad as well.

she's negotiating hard, I guess we'll see

can't beat that good old paternalism, be grateful for crumbs you little people - we've got your back!

I guess that is a joke, she isn't settling for crumbs

alright Fred

whatever

leftists on ilx

To reiterate for the millionth time, technically he's referring to overturning an already stalled, obscure planning rule that called for cities to allow more low-income housing in their communities. But practically he's appealing to racial bias https://t.co/5p68gx8EQk https://t.co/M7Y0fl5JkF

— Liam Dillon (@dillonliam) October 14, 2020

I have read leftists on ILX probably fifty times asserting that the Democrats are lame because they don't know how to negotiate.

They are. Moreover, Pelosi and her cohort have bad instincts and beliefs. Remember when her first move for stimulus was targeted tax credits and rolling back the SALT cap for her donors?

I don't know what the (absolutely correct) statements by "leftists on ILX" have to do with anything, I don't see where anyone has mentioned her today?

What I have seen are not-leftists not-on-ILX encouraging her to take a $1.8 trillion compromise if it's actually available because it funds unemployment and stimulus checks. Or it forces Republicans in the Senate to vote it down if Trump and Pelosi have agreed on it.

Do you think it's preferable to pray Democrats take the Senate and wait for a January 22nd stimulus?

prayers alone aren't gonna do it, you gotta have thoughts too

If this is all he's got left...

Trump in full: "So I ask you to do me a favor. Suburban women: will you please like me? Please. Please. I saved your damn neighborhood, OK? The other thing: I don't have that much time to be that nice. You know, I can do it, but I gotta go quickly."

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 14, 2020

As I saw on Twitter, it began with 'please clap' and that's how it's ending.

The Jeb!enning

I get that Jeb is the go-to meme but that is significantly more pathetic imo

Jeb! was like a kid giving a speech to a class full of his bullies.

Trump’s is more like a kid begging their father to love them.

the median household income in Pelosi's district is $127,000. just putting that out there.