The Political Junkie Thread

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Breyer really needs to retire. Now.

I have really mixed feelings on this. It's a lifetime appointment for a reason, but I really think it is going to be tough for the country if he were to have any kind of severe health issues anywhere from late next year through the end of Biden's term, and possibly all the way through 2028. That's a long time. I also wonder about Sotomayor. She is much younger, but has long been in relatively poor health for her age. Republican's have shown that the gloves are off when it comes to absolutely everything, most especially the judiciary. "Comity" is a dead word. Such a thing no longer exists.

I have no doubt that when the GOP controls the Senate again in '22 that it won't matter if every SCOTUS judge retires. They will not hold a confirmation hearing, even if they have to sit on it through the remainder of Biden's term.

And if Breyer does retire soon then the next one will be from West Virginia or Arizona, depending on which senator wins the arm wrestling match.

It is amazing that Thomas is only 73 - he has now been on the court for 30 years.

[CameronBornAndBred]

How bad are things in the GOP? Pretty bad.

Republican Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan received a profanity-laced voicemail threatening his life and that of his family and staff, criticizing his support for the bipartisan infrastructure bill last week.

In the voicemail, obtained by NBC News from his office, a caller told Upton, "I hope you die. I hope everybody in your f------ family dies," while labeling him a "traitor."

Upton told the newspaper the calls started after his Republican colleague, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, publicly posted the names and phone numbers of Upton and a dozen other GOP House members who voted in support of the bill, calling them "traitors."

"It’s just a polarized, toxic environment. Worse than I’ve ever seen before

."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-rep-upto ... 00874.html

The fact that MTG was an instigator is the least shocking fact of the story.

[Phredd3]

The fact that MTG was an instigator is the least shocking fact of the story.

Agreed, but sooner or later, somebody is going to get physically hurt or killed from something like this. This kind of thing just has to stop. To be clear, it needs to stop on both sides. Progressives have been known to dox people, too, it just seldom has resulted in that level of vitriol.

[CameronBornAndBred]

The fact that MTG was an instigator is the least shocking fact of the story.

Agreed, but sooner or later, somebody is going to get physically hurt or killed from something like this. This kind of thing just has to stop. To be clear, it needs to stop on both sides. Progressives have been known to dox people, too, it just seldom has resulted in that level of vitriol.

Well people did get hurt and killed on January 6th, and the Republicans turned a total blind eye.

[dudog]

The fact that MTG was an instigator is the least shocking fact of the story.

Agreed, but sooner or later, somebody is going to get physically hurt or killed from something like this. This kind of thing just has to stop. To be clear, it needs to stop on both sides. Progressives have been known to dox people, too, it just seldom has resulted in that level of vitriol.

Sorry, but this whataboutism has got to stop. It's a totally false equivalency.

[Phredd3]

The fact that MTG was an instigator is the least shocking fact of the story.

Agreed, but sooner or later, somebody is going to get physically hurt or killed from something like this. This kind of thing just has to stop. To be clear, it needs to stop on both sides. Progressives have been known to dox people, too, it just seldom has resulted in that level of vitriol.

Sorry, but this whataboutism has got to stop. It's a totally false equivalency.

I'm not sure if that was directed at me, but what I wrote isn't whataboutism. It is a simple recognition that doxing is dangerous, and it doesn't really matter who the bad actors are. The only reason for doxing someone is public shaming at best and the intent is often much worse (i.e. to make people fear for the physical safety). There is no excuse for doxing. Ever. It should be condemned in all its forms.

I concur with your view that this example is particularly reprehensible, and I'm perfectly fine to condemn it as such.

[dudog]

So when Margaret Hoover mentioned John Lithgow's book "Dumpty" on Firing Line, I decided to pick it up. He's quite clever and a decent artist. Our own Stephen Miller gets his own poem, "The Little Man Who's Not All There".

To whet your appetite, here's the first few lines:

Today, upon a White House stair,
I met a man who's not all there.
A Dumpty aide from opening day,
I wish, I wish he'd go away.

With ghostly face and sleepy eyes,
A hairless dome and furtive guise,
One thinks of him less a policy maker
And more as an unctuous undertaker.

I think most of you would enjoy the book. Lithgow even pens an invitation to those who wouldn't in his introduction.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Beto O'Rourke is running. Again.

This time for Texas Governor. Maybe he'll actually win his race this time, he's been a perpetual candidate.
By the way, he annoys the hell out of me.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Beto O'Rourke is running. Again.

This time for Texas Governor. Maybe he'll actually win his race this time, he's been a perpetual candidate.
By the way, he annoys the hell out of me.

I have a feeling the clip of him in the debate saying that he will be coming after people's guns will be getting a lot of airplay down there. I am not president of his fan club but he is far ahead of any Republican candidate. I thought Matthew McConaughey was thinking of running? That could be interesting. If Jesse Ventura can be governor of Minnesota, then why can't he be governor of Texas? The current governor has set a very low bar.

[Phredd3]

Beto O'Rourke is running. Again.

This time for Texas Governor. Maybe he'll actually win his race this time, he's been a perpetual candidate.
By the way, he annoys the hell out of me.

I have a feeling the clip of him in the debate saying that he will be coming after people's guns will be getting a lot of airplay down there. I am not president of his fan club but he is far ahead of any Republican candidate. I thought Matthew McConaughey was thinking of running? That could be interesting. If Jesse Ventura can be governor of Minnesota, then why can't he be governor of Texas? The current governor has set a very low bar.

Yeah, if you need a shovel to get under the bar, that should strike everyone as a problem.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Arizona rep Paul Gosar became the first House member to be censured in a decade today for his video depicting him killing AOC. (And for his defense of it.)

The vote was unsurprisingly along party lines. 25 years ago, that vote count would have been very surprising.

After being stripped of committee appointments, he merely said the Democrats were trying to cancel him.

[dudog]

Arizona rep Paul Gosar became the first House member to be censured in a decade today for his video depicting him killing AOC. (And for his defense of it.)

The vote was unsurprisingly along party lines. 25 years ago, that vote count would have been very surprising.

After being stripped of committee appointments, he merely said the Democrats were trying to cancel him.

Like he wanted to cancel AOC. Well, not quite like he wants to cancel her.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Arizona rep Paul Gosar became the first House member to be censured in a decade today for his video depicting him killing AOC. (And for his defense of it.)

The vote was unsurprisingly along party lines. 25 years ago, that vote count would have been very surprising.

After being stripped of committee appointments, he merely said the Democrats were trying to cancel him.

What is wrong with these people? They are all completely brainwashed and have forgotten all norms of behavior.

I am truly scared about what will happen if the Republicans take control of the house. Rather than trying to pass legislation to help Americans, they are going to spend 100% of their time with frivolous cases against Democrats. Things are still nuts now but we should enjoy the relative calm as it could get really ugly, really fast.

As I have said before, I really don't see what the end game is here.

[dudog]

Arizona rep Paul Gosar became the first House member to be censured in a decade today for his video depicting him killing AOC. (And for his defense of it.)

The vote was unsurprisingly along party lines. 25 years ago, that vote count would have been very surprising.

After being stripped of committee appointments, he merely said the Democrats were trying to cancel him.

What is wrong with these people? They are all completely brainwashed and have forgotten all norms of behavior.

I am truly scared about what will happen if the Republicans take control of the house. Rather than trying to pass legislation to help Americans, they are going to spend 100% of their time with frivolous cases against Democrats. Things are still nuts now but we should enjoy the relative calm as it could get really ugly, really fast.

As I have said before, I really don't see what the end game is here.

It's been a long time since I've been a part of corporate America, but I can't imagine anybody posting a video like this about a co-worker and not being fired within 24 hours.

[CameronBornAndBred]

[dudog]

Interesting post CB&B. Curious as to why you needed to edit it. Twice. We're allowed to vent here, it's why I keep coming back.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Interesting post CB&B. Curious as to why you needed to edit it. Twice. We're allowed to vent here, it's why I keep coming back.

I forget, lol. Something I was trying to post wasn't going through. Sometimes if you type an odd character it gacks up.

[dudog]

Interesting post CB&B. Curious as to why you needed to edit it. Twice. We're allowed to vent here, it's why I keep coming back.

I forget, lol. Something I was trying to post wasn't going through. Sometimes if you type an odd character it gacks up.

Darn. I was hoping for a grade A rant.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Interesting post CB&B. Curious as to why you needed to edit it. Twice. We're allowed to vent here, it's why I keep coming back.

I forget, lol. Something I was trying to post wasn't going through. Sometimes if you type an odd character it gacks up.

Darn. I was hoping for a grade A rant.

After tonight's football game, I have one or two to share.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I forget, lol. Something I was trying to post wasn't going through. Sometimes if you type an odd character it gacks up.

Darn. I was hoping for a grade A rant.

After tonight's football game, I have one or two to share.

Duke's constant shooting itself in the foot last night reminded me a lot of the Democratic party at times. Hopefully both can figure out a way to do better.

Surprising Op-Ed in today's NY Times from David Brooks, who is a lifelong Republican (though I believe was fairly anti-Trump) speaking very positively about Biden's work thus far. Unlike the other Republican NYT columnist Bret Stephens (who was very anti-Trump) who uses his space now to take constant cheap shots at Biden and the Democrats - during the Trump administration I really enjoyed reading him because he was one of the few rational Republicans who would actively criticize Trump but now I can't read him anymore - I like hearing what the other side has to say if it can be said in a reasonable way - Stephens was doing that before but now he sounds like Fox News. Several of the other NYT columnists are at the other extreme in super woke land, which is only slightly better.