The Political Junkie Thread

[CameronBornAndBred]

Back when I worked at the beach, during my travels on service calls I'd often listen to NPR, and one of my favorite shows was Ken Rudin's The Political Junkie. That dude has an insane amount of useless knowledge (otherwise known as trivia) stuck in his head! But he also has lots of great worthwhile facts, too, and even if there weren't any elections going on, he was great.

Here we are with the 2020 Presidential Election kinda, sorta, mostly behind us. There of course are two big Senate races still to be determined. However, time marches on, and by Jan 21st we'll have a new Congress, a new President, and with the seating of ACB last month, a new SCOTUS.

For the most part, we've survived the Election Thread being open and it's been lots of fun. Being that politics is part of our daily lives, and that some of us truly enjoy following what happens, I'm opening this thread for general discussion. As always, if you voice your opinion, back it up with facts, and do so without attacking any poster that you are debating. Use humor as much as you wish and can, because often what happens in Washington is so ridiculous that the comedy creates itself.

Also, don't restrict your thoughts to just the United States. What happens on a world scale is quite interesting, and important. Those Brits are always good for a few laughs!

The POTUS elections will always get their own thread, but we'll keep midterms and other Congressional activity here in this thread.
Last thought, while this is anything but an "Us Vs Them/Republican Vs Democrat" thread, IF you KNOW that you are triggered by politics in general, and that it keeps DevilDeac's # on your speed dial, think hard before commenting. It might be best for your own mental health to avoid it.

[Phredd3]

Can anyone speculate as to the reason Scott Atlas resigned right now? His letter didn't make much sense to me (not that much else he's done has, either), and I haven't read any good takes from the media on why he would do that right now. Does he just feel like his herd immunity theory is no longer relevant with vaccines coming online? Maybe he just wants a holiday break? I don't know. The timing seemed odd.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Can anyone speculate as to the reason Scott Atlas resigned right now? His letter didn't make much sense to me (not that much else he's done has, either), and I haven't read any good takes from the media on why he would do that right now. Does he just feel like his herd immunity theory is no longer relevant with vaccines coming online? Maybe he just wants a holiday break? I don't know. The timing seemed odd.

I read that his job only lasted for 130 days, which he was coming up on the end of. That, along with his boss being fired, it makes sense he might as well head out now.
Can't wait to have some sanity directing the coronavirus taskforce. Those poor people have a big hill to climb with all the misinformation their predecessors have left them to deal with.

[Phredd3]

Can anyone speculate as to the reason Scott Atlas resigned right now? His letter didn't make much sense to me (not that much else he's done has, either), and I haven't read any good takes from the media on why he would do that right now. Does he just feel like his herd immunity theory is no longer relevant with vaccines coming online? Maybe he just wants a holiday break? I don't know. The timing seemed odd.

I read that his job only lasted for 130 days, which he was coming up on the end of. That, along with his boss being fired, it makes sense he might as well head out now.
Can't wait to have some sanity directing the coronavirus taskforce. Those poor people have a big hill to climb with all the misinformation their predecessors have left them to deal with.

Yes, but he could have been reappointed, if they wanted. Trump probably can't be bothered to get distracted from his grifting, so Atlas got out even before expiration. Happy trails, man. Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

I wish it was the new team that was dealing with vaccine distribution, but there again, it seems the grifters can't lose focus, so the career people seem to have mostly taken over that process. Thanks to all those who have stuck it out. It's been a long four years.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Here's a sign of normalcy returning to the White House. Reports are out saying that Biden has no plans on replacing FBI director Christopher Wray. Historically, the President has been hands off the head of the FBI, and with good reason. I guess Wray may have been more susceptible than others due to being a Trump appointee, but it probably doesn't hurt his standing now that Trump hates him too.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Here's a sign of normalcy returning to the White House. Reports are out saying that Biden has no plans on replacing FBI director Christopher Wray. Historically, the President has been hands off the head of the FBI, and with good reason. I guess Wray may have been more susceptible than others due to being a Trump appointee, but it probably doesn't hurt his standing now that Trump hates him too.

I went to an event about a year ago where Wray was interviewed - I was sitting about 15 feet away from him. It was in NYC so largely a fairly Democrat audience (it was not a political event), though the only questions were from the interviewer, who I believe was from the Council on Foreign Relations. He seemed like a pretty stand-up guy who was trying to stay out of the political fray and do his job. I forget what piece of Trump drama was happening at the time but he largely managed to avoid the topic. All in all, it seems like he has managed to stay non-partisan enough that Biden is wise to keep him around.

[Phredd3]

Here's a sign of normalcy returning to the White House. Reports are out saying that Biden has no plans on replacing FBI director Christopher Wray. Historically, the President has been hands off the head of the FBI, and with good reason. I guess Wray may have been more susceptible than others due to being a Trump appointee, but it probably doesn't hurt his standing now that Trump hates him too.

I went to an event about a year ago where Wray was interviewed - I was sitting about 15 feet away from him. It was in NYC so largely a fairly Democrat audience (it was not a political event), though the only questions were from the interviewer, who I believe was from the Council on Foreign Relations. He seemed like a pretty stand-up guy who was trying to stay out of the political fray and do his job. I forget what piece of Trump drama was happening at the time but he largely managed to avoid the topic. All in all, it seems like he has managed to stay non-partisan enough that Biden is wise to keep him around.

It also lends legitimacy should Wray determine that a federal criminal investigation into Trump is warranted. It would be hard to successfully argue the witch hunt narrative if Trump's own appointee is overseeing the investigation. Not that Trump still won't try and millions of lemmings will fall in behind....

[OPK]

It also lends legitimacy should Wray determine that a federal criminal investigation into Trump is warranted. It would be hard to successfully argue the witch hunt narrative if Trump's own appointee is overseeing the investigation. Not that Trump still won't try and millions of lemmings will fall in behind....

Yadda yadda never Trumper yadda yadda Deep State yadda yadda corrupt and inept yadda yadda . . . .

[CameronBornAndBred]

Fauci is meeting with Biden's team today. That's a good sign that he'll be sticking around. It will be interesting to see if his tone changes once he's out from underneath Trump's umbrella. (That's a terrible analogy, Trump doesn't share his umbrella with anyone, not even Melania.)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house- ... 50373.html

[ArkieDukie]

Fauci is meeting with Biden's team today. That's a good sign that he'll be sticking around. It will be interesting to see if his tone changes once he's out from underneath Trump's umbrella. (That's a terrible analogy, Trump doesn't share his umbrella with anyone, not even Melania.)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house- ... 50373.html

According to a colleague who knows him well, Dr. Fauci is as apolitical as they come and really hates the politicization of the pandemic by He-who-will-soon-be-gone. Speculation is that his sense of duty and responsibility have kept him from resigning. He had to hire security for himself and his family due to death threats. Completely unacceptable. I cannot wait to have an actual functioning adult in the White House again.

[CameronBornAndBred]

A fun article to kick off your weekend with. I'll just quote the title.

‘One of the nuttier things I’ve seen’: MAGA civil war erupts in Georgia

https://www.yahoo.com/news/one-nuttier- ... 01353.html

[CameronBornAndBred]

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to federally decriminalize marijuana, marking the first time either chamber of Congress has voted to end federal prohibition of the drug.

The Democrat-controlled House, which voted 228-164 mostly along party lines in favor of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, celebrated the vote as a “historic” milestone for cannabis reform. It’s expected, however, to be a largely symbolic move, as the bill will almost certainly fail in the Senate.

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/house-ma ... 13506.html

[CameronBornAndBred]

Attorney General William Barr is considering leaving his post before January 20, the day President Donald Trump leaves office, a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to CNN.

The source confirmed that Barr is not happy with Trump, writing that Barr "is not someone who takes bullying and turns the other cheek!"

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/06/politics ... index.html

Run away! Run away!

[Phredd3]

Attorney General William Barr is considering leaving his post before January 20, the day President Donald Trump leaves office, a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to CNN.

The source confirmed that Barr is not happy with Trump, writing that Barr "is not someone who takes bullying and turns the other cheek!"

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/06/politics ... index.html

Run away! Run away!

Not sure what he thinks he gains from that. Does he suppose the "up yours" to Trump makes him more palatable to mainstreamers?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Attorney General William Barr is considering leaving his post before January 20, the day President Donald Trump leaves office, a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to CNN.

The source confirmed that Barr is not happy with Trump, writing that Barr "is not someone who takes bullying and turns the other cheek!"

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/06/politics ... index.html

Run away! Run away!

Not sure what he thinks he gains from that. Does he suppose the "up yours" to Trump makes him more palatable to mainstreamers?

Quitting trump will never remove the stain of being one of his biggest toadies.

[ArkieDukie]

This may sound crazy, but I think it would be bad if Barr quit now. Who will Trump put in the job in an acting capacity? Rudy Giuliani? If not him, someone his equal. We do NOT need that. Barr has been bad enough, but at least he actually admitted that there was no election fraud.

Now, If Trump fires him, that's a whole other matter. That should sound even more alarm bells than his earlier round of firings.

[Phredd3]

This may sound crazy, but I think it would be bad if Barr quit now. Who will Trump put in the job in an acting capacity? Rudy Giuliani? If not him, someone his equal. We do NOT need that. Barr has been bad enough, but at least he actually admitted that there was no election fraud.

The Vacancies Act limits the selection of an acting cabinet head to someone who has already been through the advice-and-consent procedure mandated by the Constitution. So it isn't like Trump could put someone as random as Rudy in the position. Of course, some of the folks who have gone through Mitch's version of the Senate have been, shall we say, questionable. But at least most of them aren't completely wacko. And it's only six weeks.

One nice thing about a bureaucracy: Everything takes time, so smashing things is harder than it seems it should be. The impenetrable slowness is one thing we typically hate about government, but the cumbersome procedures are designed to be, and act effectively as, a safety valve.

[CameronBornAndBred]

This may sound crazy, but I think it would be bad if Barr quit now. Who will Trump put in the job in an acting capacity? Rudy Giuliani? If not him, someone his equal. We do NOT need that. Barr has been bad enough, but at least he actually admitted that there was no election fraud.

The Vacancies Act limits the selection of an acting cabinet head to someone who has already been through the advice-and-consent procedure mandated by the Constitution. So it isn't like Trump could put someone as random as Rudy in the position. Of course, some of the folks who have gone through Mitch's version of the Senate have been, shall we say, questionable. But at least most of them aren't completely wacko. And it's only six weeks.

One nice thing about a bureaucracy: Everything takes time, so smashing things is harder than it seems it should be. The impenetrable slowness is one thing we typically hate about government, but the cumbersome procedures are designed to be, and act effectively as, a safety valve.

Who was the "acting" guy who preceded Barr? I guess he could get stuck back in that role and do some damage. He didn't seem to mind the first time around.

[OPK]

This may sound crazy, but I think it would be bad if Barr quit now. Who will Trump put in the job in an acting capacity? Rudy Giuliani? If not him, someone his equal. We do NOT need that. Barr has been bad enough, but at least he actually admitted that there was no election fraud.

The Vacancies Act limits the selection of an acting cabinet head to someone who has already been through the advice-and-consent procedure mandated by the Constitution. So it isn't like Trump could put someone as random as Rudy in the position. Of course, some of the folks who have gone through Mitch's version of the Senate have been, shall we say, questionable. But at least most of them aren't completely wacko. And it's only six weeks.

One nice thing about a bureaucracy: Everything takes time, so smashing things is harder than it seems it should be. The impenetrable slowness is one thing we typically hate about government, but the cumbersome procedures are designed to be, and act effectively as, a safety valve.

Who was the "acting" guy who preceded Barr? I guess he could get stuck back in that role and do some damage. He didn't seem to mind the first time around.

Didn’t a court later rule that his appointment was illegal? I may be confusing that with another blatant thing though.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Didn’t a court later rule that his appointment was illegal? I may be confusing that with another blatant thing though.

That roadblock doesn't seem to appear on Trump's highway.