The Political Junkie Thread

[acdevil]

Linda McMahon for Department of Education. From the world of pro wrestling.

Ladapo from Florida possibly surgeon general. Anti-trans campaigner and ardent anti-vaxxer.

Those are just from today. We knew it would be bad with a horde of crazies and loyalists appointed by Trump’s staff but this is at minimum as horrific as predicted

If you told someone 3 weeks ago that Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr were going to be appointed to AG and Health Secretary respectively, you would have been accused of being an alarmist. I don’t know if Gaetz will ultimately make it but there is obvious retribution intent to the appointment. And thr Hegseth appointment (a damn Fox News weekend anchor) is clearly to politicize the military.

The disdain and rage I feel towards people that knowingly voted for this incoming administration…not sure I can describe it. So many American lives are about to be tormented and put in harms way. And the disgusting aftermath of this second Trump term will last more than a lifetime.

These people are all either "stick it to the libs" and/or "blow the whole thing up." Well, they are going to blow it all up, and people are going to realize how good they had it before Trump ruined it. Yet somehow they will not hold him accountable and blame it on Biden, migrants, transgender people, or anyone else.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I want nothing to do with these people. I don't see how someone can be on the fence about this. I live in NY. I wish we could just secede. But of course they wouldn't let us because that would be yet another way for them to own us and make us miserable.

As you noted, this was all so obvious. Yet so many people denied it. And we will all suffer. Hugely.

But what am I but an alarmist snowflake.

For many of them, that’s a feature, not a bug.

I’m with CNC (big surprise) in that I’m done with these people. Luckily I don’t have many in my inner circle.

[CameronBornAndBred]

For those that think your vote doesn't count, check out a race in the NC Supreme Court. The incumbent (D) Allison Riggs leads her R challenger Jefferson Griffin by just 623 votes out 5.5 million cast.

Of course a recount and likely court challenges are underway.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

For those that think your vote doesn't count, check out a race in the NC Supreme Court. The incumbent (D) Allison Riggs leads her R challenger Jefferson Griffin by just 623 votes out 5.5 million cast.

Of course a recount and likely court challenges are underway.

Great point. I think the Republican has some kind of a Duke tie - he is getting a masters from the law school or something similar - I get a daily blast from The Chronicle and I saw a headline about it but didn't get a chance to read. One would assume he already has a regular law degree if he is running for the State Supreme Court, though these days, who knows.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Great point. I think the Republican has some kind of a Duke tie - he is getting a masters from the law school or something similar - I get a daily blast from The Chronicle and I saw a headline about it but didn't get a chance to read. One would assume he already has a regular law degree if he is running for the State Supreme Court, though these days, who knows.

Well if Gaetz gets confirmed, our AG won't have practiced a day of law.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Great point. I think the Republican has some kind of a Duke tie - he is getting a masters from the law school or something similar - I get a daily blast from The Chronicle and I saw a headline about it but didn't get a chance to read. One would assume he already has a regular law degree if he is running for the State Supreme Court, though these days, who knows.

Well if Gaetz gets confirmed, our AG won't have practiced a day of law.

I hate the guy as much as the rest of you (possibly more), but I will be fair. According to Wiki, he did practice law briefly. He graduated law school in 2007, admitted to the bar in early 2008 and ran for the house in 2010, so I'm assuming he practiced from roughly 2007-2010. Your point is still very well taken as three years at a small firm in Fort Walton Beach does not qualify one to be Attorney General, but it theoretically is greater than zero.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Gaetz

[CameronBornAndBred]

Great point. I think the Republican has some kind of a Duke tie - he is getting a masters from the law school or something similar - I get a daily blast from The Chronicle and I saw a headline about it but didn't get a chance to read. One would assume he already has a regular law degree if he is running for the State Supreme Court, though these days, who knows.

Well if Gaetz gets confirmed, our AG won't have practiced a day of law.

I hate the guy as much as the rest of you (possibly more), but I will be fair. According to Wiki, he did practice law briefly. He graduated law school in 2007, admitted to the bar in early 2008 and ran for the house in 2010, so I'm assuming he practiced from roughly 2007-2010. Your point is still very well taken as three years at a small firm in Fort Walton Beach does not qualify one to be Attorney General, but it theoretically is greater than zero.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Gaetz

Ahh, you're correct. Here's PolitiFact's look.

https://www.politifact.com/article/2024 ... y-digging/

[jipops]

[CameronBornAndBred]

IMG_5218.jpeg

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Well if Gaetz gets confirmed, our AG won't have practiced a day of law.

I hate the guy as much as the rest of you (possibly more), but I will be fair. According to Wiki, he did practice law briefly. He graduated law school in 2007, admitted to the bar in early 2008 and ran for the house in 2010, so I'm assuming he practiced from roughly 2007-2010. Your point is still very well taken as three years at a small firm in Fort Walton Beach does not qualify one to be Attorney General, but it theoretically is greater than zero.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Gaetz

Ahh, you're correct. Here's PolitiFact's look.

https://www.politifact.com/article/2024 ... y-digging/

Thanks for finding that - great read. I actually read much of it and my favorite is that he represented a restaurant called the Crab Trap. The jokes write themselves...

His legal career sounds like it is roughly the same as Cousin Vinny's. Which is fine - we need lawyers to handle all sorts of cases and not everyone can be a partner at BigLaw and there is some virtue to representing the little guy. But AG is a huge step up.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I actually read much of it and my favorite is that he represented a restaurant called the Crab Trap. The jokes write themselves...

[jipops]

For those that think your vote doesn't count, check out a race in the NC Supreme Court. The incumbent (D) Allison Riggs leads her R challenger Jefferson Griffin by just 623 votes out 5.5 million cast.

Of course a recount and likely court challenges are underway.

Great point. Getting Allison Riggs on the NC Supreme Court is pretty big deal for the Dems.

[jipops]

Russ Vought appointed to lead the Budget office again. That's now at least 3 Project 2025 authors in the 2nd Trump admin. And Vought wrote a chapter covering the blueprint for the Executive office.

Trump during the campaign: I don't know anything about Project 2025.

Every sane person that followed the election campaign: BULLLLLLLSHIIIIIIIIIIT!

[ArkieDukie]

Russ Vought appointed to lead the Budget office again. That's now at least 3 Project 2025 authors in the 2nd Trump admin. And Vought wrote a chapter covering the blueprint for the Executive office.

Trump during the campaign: I don't know anything about Project 2025.

Every sane person that followed the election campaign: BULLLLLLLSHIIIIIIIIIIT!

Raise your hand if you’re surprised. (Noting no raised hands.)

Nancy Mace’s campaign to force her new transgender colleague, Sarah McBride, to use the restroom of her assigned gender at birth just seems petty to me. Of course, Mike Johnson stepped in and declared that all single sex facilities must be used by persons of that biological sex. McBride was far more gracious than either of them in responding to the new decree.

They claim to be concerned with protecting women. Anyone else note the irony? How many of Trump’s cabinet picks (and Trump) have sexual assault and related crimes in their background? This is not about protecting women, and it never was. If it was, they’d be up in arms about Trump, Gaetz, Hegseth, McMahon, RFk Jr, etc. Personally, I feel far safer being around Sarah McBride than with Trump and half his cabinet. I’d also feel far safer having my nieces around McBride. Maybe the democrats should pass some sort of sex offenders in government act in retaliation to Mike Johnson and Nancy Mace’s pettiness.

Something else occurred to me yesterday. Good thing there’s not an elementary school anywhere near the White House. It’s more likely that there’s a day care near/in the White House, which also seems like a bad idea for the next 4 years. Of course, with Matt Gaetz, any nearby high schools and colleges should be on high alert.

Remind me again, which party is it that’s concerned with protecting women and children?

[Furniture]

[/quote]

Raise your hand if you’re surprised. (Noting no raised hands.)

Nancy Mace’s campaign to force her new transgender colleague, Sarah McBride, to use the restroom of her assigned gender at birth just seems petty to me. Of course, Mike Johnson stepped in and declared that all single sex facilities must be used by persons of that biological sex. McBride was far more gracious than either of them in responding to the new decree.

They claim to be concerned with protecting women. Anyone else note the irony? How many of Trump’s cabinet picks (and Trump) have sexual assault and related crimes in their background? This is not about protecting women, and it never was. If it was, they’d be up in arms about Trump, Gaetz, Hegseth, McMahon, RFk Jr, etc. Personally, I feel far safer being around Sarah McBride than with Trump and half his cabinet. I’d also feel far safer having my nieces around McBride. Maybe the democrats should pass some sort of sex offenders in government act in retaliation to Mike Johnson and Nancy Mace’s pettiness.

Something else occurred to me yesterday. Good thing there’s not an elementary school anywhere near the White House. It’s more likely that there’s a day care near/in the White House, which also seems like a bad idea for the next 4 years. Of course, with Matt Gaetz, any nearby high schools and colleges should be on high alert.

Remind me again, which party is it that’s concerned with protecting women and children?
[/quote]

I heard someone on CNN say yesterday that every civil rights fight over the last few years has clashed around bathrooms.
Amazing isn’t it.

[Phredd3]

If you don't follow Ezra Klein's podcast, I recommend listening to the one he posted two days ago, entitled "Trump Kicks Down the Guardrails". The link goes to a transcript, but there's a play button there, as well, if you want to listen through a browser, but it's also available through all the usual podcast outlets. I'm having trouble finding fault with what he and his guest say there, and although some parts are fairly obvious, it's nice to know that there are others who definitely see what I see.

The only problem with the pod is that it's an hour long, but it's a topic worth a thorough treatment, IMO.

[Furniture]

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been tapped to lead a new House subcommittee that will work with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Greene and House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., have met with Ramaswamy and his team and are "already working together," a source familiar with the matter told CNBC on Thursday.


What could go wrong?

[Tendev]

I have not posted here yet but thought I would share this quote from Tom Nichols, a staff writer at The Atlantic and professor at the Naval War College. This was taken from an interview in The Atlantic about the recent Trump nominees and how Trump wants lackeys in the most important positions that give him control: Defense, Intelligence and Justice. A link to the article:

https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/ar ... tlantic+AM

The quote is:

"And this was my argument about why we shouldn’t have elected Donald Trump back in 2016. He wears down our standards to the point where vulgarity and crudeness and criminality and incompetence all just become part of our daily life. When I look back ten years, just in a decade of my life, I think, The amount of change that has happened in the political environment in America is astonishing, and purely because we have signed on to this kind of, as you say, sort of comical and trashy but chilling change, you know, step by step by step, every day. We didn’t do this all in one year. We did this, like, you know, the frog-boiling exercise."

[Phredd3]

I have not posted here yet but thought I would share this quote from Tom Nichols, a staff writer at The Atlantic and professor at the Naval War College. This was taken from an interview in The Atlantic about the recent Trump nominees and how Trump wants lackeys in the most important positions that give him control: Defense, Intelligence and Justice. A link to the article:

https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/ar ... tlantic+AM

The quote is:

"And this was my argument about why we shouldn’t have elected Donald Trump back in 2016. He wears down our standards to the point where vulgarity and crudeness and criminality and incompetence all just become part of our daily life. When I look back ten years, just in a decade of my life, I think, The amount of change that has happened in the political environment in America is astonishing, and purely because we have signed on to this kind of, as you say, sort of comical and trashy but chilling change, you know, step by step by step, every day. We didn’t do this all in one year. We did this, like, you know, the frog-boiling exercise."

Here's a quote from the Ezra Klein podcast I posted above:

"What we’re seeing here is that in the areas of government where Trump cares most about full control — the military, the intelligence services, the Department of Justice — he is trying to do what he could not do last time: He is trying to put true lackeys and loyalists in charge. People who have no loyalty aside from their loyalty to him. No patron aside from him. No viable path in politics or public service aside from him."

[Furniture]

Gaetz withdraws. I wonder if he goes back to the House? It was a unclear situation since he resigned from his current term but has been re-elected for a new term too. Since he probably doesn't want the investigation to come out he will probably disappear? I bet Kevin MacCarthy feels good.


“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz wrote. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

[Furniture]

Gaetz in January