Sadly, These Are Not Serious People

[jfish26]

I’m sorry - I missed the part where he was convicted in a court of law or even charged with a crime.

…at which time there are other excuses you’d pull out of the bag? Just trying to get my bearings, with reference to other indictments you do not seem to give much weight to.

Innocent until proven guilty?!? Anyone?!?

The Trevor Bauer and Johnny Depp cases both seem relevant here, but the bottom line is that, just because someone says you did something doesn’t mean you did, much less that you deserve to be treated as if you did.

But you already knew that.

You’re the one who brought up “even charged with a crime.”

[Shirley]

Rumor has it that former speaker "My Kevin" McCarthy is willing to serve as speaker again, if that's what republicans want.

Compared to the other two frontrunners, Jordan and Scalise, hard to not to find him an attractive, though fatally flawed, alternative.

[jfish26]

This Story Exists in a Bloody Universe Beyond Blogging

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/p ... -politics/

Sometimes, it's best just to admit that you don't know what you don't know. Frankly, I have no opinion worthy of sharing as regards the sudden outbreak of barbarism in Israel and Gaza. I can't say anything more eloquent than what your own emotions are telling you. I have no more insight into things deeper than the images coming to us on television. The failure of Israeli intelligence was obviously profound; there were 3000 rockets in the initial assault, and you don't get 3,000 rockets into Gaza without a considerable organizational effort. The counterproductive effect of the Hamas offensive is equally obvious; they had to know that the Israeli retaliation would be swift, relentless, and brutal. So far, the facts have run true to form. I feel safe in those bits of analysis.

My only advice is for people to get very smart very fast concerning credible reporting on what is promising to be a long and catastrophic news story with ramifications that will stretch out over decades. Social media is already a running disaster in this regard. Josh Marshall has an invaluable list of outlets that he considers reliable. I can't do much better than that. This story exists in a bloody universe beyond simple blogging. Its merciless, implacable logic will go where it will no matter how many opinions are lobbed at it from afar.

But the effects on politics in this country are easily, and sadly, understood. Right now, in the middle of a massive foreign policy crisis, involving Israel, we have no ambassador to Israel. Right now, with the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest warship in the world, leading a carrier strike force into the waters off Israel, we have no Chief of Naval Operations. Right now, with the president calling for emergency aid to an ally, the House of Representatives, with the constitutional power of the purse, has no Speaker, is trying to elect a new one through an extended tantrum, and is currently being run by the Angry Children's Caucus. Israeli intelligence was unprepared for this attack and the United States was unprepared to be either an ally or an honest broker, and the reason for the latter is the current Republican Party.

There is no ambassador to Israel — or to Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Kuwait, for that matter — because Senate Republicans have blocked their confirmations, as well as those of over 60 other proposed State Department officials. The architect of this malpractice is Senator Rand Paul. Senator Aqua Buddha has taken this stand because of his conspiratorial view of the origins of the COVID pandemic. Wonderful. There's no CNO because Senator Tommy Tuberville is still holding up military promotions because of his anti-choice extremism. Double wonderful. And, surely, at this point, I don't need to review the current events in the House. If the GOP weren't so completely fcked in the haid when it comes to governing, the United States wouldn't be so hamstrung in the face of a deteriorating situation.

Instead, with remarkable speed and coordination, the Republicans have concocted an avalanche of misinformation — to say nothing of complete bullshit — centered on the $6 billion of frozen Iranian assets that the government released from captivity in South Korea in exchange for freeing several Americans held by Iran. That money — all of that money —is now in Qatar, and it cannot be released without clearance from the Department of Treasury, and then only for humanitarian purposes. Nevertheless, within hours, Republican politicians were all singing in perfect harmony. Republicans Senators Rick Scott, J.D, Vance, Josh Hawley, and Tim Scott all chimed in on the theme of how that money had "financed" Hamas's attack through Iran. Various inmates from the Speakerless asylum at the other end of the Capitol joined the chorus, as did Vivek Ramaswamy and Fulton County (Ga.) Inmate No. P01135809. The $6 billion is now an article of faith on the Right, which means that it will be treated as something that's Out There by the purportedly straight media. And the logical next step is already underway; anonymous sources are pointing toward direct Iranian involvement. (I keep waiting for the stories about aluminum tubes and yellowcake from Niger.) This is such a perilous time for us all, and I don't even want to think about how these events will affect the 2024 elections. That's all I have at the moment.

[DCHawk1]

This Story Exists in a Bloody Universe Beyond Blogging

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/p ... -politics/

Sometimes, it's best just to admit that you don't know what you don't know. Frankly, I have no opinion worthy of sharing as regards the sudden outbreak of barbarism in Israel and Gaza. I can't say anything more eloquent than what your own emotions are telling you. I have no more insight into things deeper than the images coming to us on television. The failure of Israeli intelligence was obviously profound; there were 3000 rockets in the initial assault, and you don't get 3,000 rockets into Gaza without a considerable organizational effort. The counterproductive effect of the Hamas offensive is equally obvious; they had to know that the Israeli retaliation would be swift, relentless, and brutal. So far, the facts have run true to form. I feel safe in those bits of analysis.

My only advice is for people to get very smart very fast concerning credible reporting on what is promising to be a long and catastrophic news story with ramifications that will stretch out over decades. Social media is already a running disaster in this regard. Josh Marshall has an invaluable list of outlets that he considers reliable. I can't do much better than that. This story exists in a bloody universe beyond simple blogging. Its merciless, implacable logic will go where it will no matter how many opinions are lobbed at it from afar.

But the effects on politics in this country are easily, and sadly, understood. Right now, in the middle of a massive foreign policy crisis, involving Israel, we have no ambassador to Israel. Right now, with the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest warship in the world, leading a carrier strike force into the waters off Israel, we have no Chief of Naval Operations. Right now, with the president calling for emergency aid to an ally, the House of Representatives, with the constitutional power of the purse, has no Speaker, is trying to elect a new one through an extended tantrum, and is currently being run by the Angry Children's Caucus. Israeli intelligence was unprepared for this attack and the United States was unprepared to be either an ally or an honest broker, and the reason for the latter is the current Republican Party.

There is no ambassador to Israel — or to Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Kuwait, for that matter — because Senate Republicans have blocked their confirmations, as well as those of over 60 other proposed State Department officials. The architect of this malpractice is Senator Rand Paul. Senator Aqua Buddha has taken this stand because of his conspiratorial view of the origins of the COVID pandemic. Wonderful. There's no CNO because Senator Tommy Tuberville is still holding up military promotions because of his anti-choice extremism. Double wonderful. And, surely, at this point, I don't need to review the current events in the House. If the GOP weren't so completely fcked in the haid when it comes to governing, the United States wouldn't be so hamstrung in the face of a deteriorating situation.

Instead, with remarkable speed and coordination, the Republicans have concocted an avalanche of misinformation — to say nothing of complete bullshit — centered on the $6 billion of frozen Iranian assets that the government released from captivity in South Korea in exchange for freeing several Americans held by Iran. That money — all of that money —is now in Qatar, and it cannot be released without clearance from the Department of Treasury, and then only for humanitarian purposes. Nevertheless, within hours, Republican politicians were all singing in perfect harmony. Republicans Senators Rick Scott, J.D, Vance, Josh Hawley, and Tim Scott all chimed in on the theme of how that money had "financed" Hamas's attack through Iran. Various inmates from the Speakerless asylum at the other end of the Capitol joined the chorus, as did Vivek Ramaswamy and Fulton County (Ga.) Inmate No. P01135809. The $6 billion is now an article of faith on the Right, which means that it will be treated as something that's Out There by the purportedly straight media. And the logical next step is already underway; anonymous sources are pointing toward direct Iranian involvement. (I keep waiting for the stories about aluminum tubes and yellowcake from Niger.) This is such a perilous time for us all, and I don't even want to think about how these events will affect the 2024 elections. That's all I have at the moment.

I'm sorry. I didn't read all that.

But if it doesn't mention the White House BBQ last night, or the fact that the President called a media lid before noon today and the White House is tweeting about junk fees, then it's just partisan ranting.

[jfish26]

You do you, I guess, but discrediting something you didn't read as "just partisan ranting" if it "doesn't mention" hyper-specific (and yet somehow vague?) things that happened in the last 24 hours is...well that seems like a partisan mini-rant in and of itself?

[DCHawk1]

Nah.

I'm more than willing to acknowledge that the Congressional GOP is moronic.

As it turns out, though, I'm also bothered by the fact that we currently have neither a President nor a Vice President who is fit to address issues as serious as this in real-time.

[Shirley]

Oil is up almost 5% today. Earlier, all the airline stocks were down ~ 5%.

That's no surprise when you think about the uncertainty the Hamas attack on Israel has created.

Considering what a widening war in the Middle East could do to oil prices if Iran becomes directly involved, one can only wonder how our patriotic republican friends, the party with an inability to elect a speaker, the party with one senator blocking State Dept. confirmations leaving us without ambassadors throughout the region, and the party with another senator who has been blocking military promotions for over 6 months impacting over 300 promotions, while their fellow republicans do nothing, nothing, to remedy the situation, will manage to blame the increase in the price of oil on Biden.

Not that republicans would cynically take advantage of a crisis involving the massacre of hundreds of our close ally Israel's citizens to do anything other than what's in the best interest of our country. Right?:

[japhy]

I grilled steaks and watched the Chiefs game while the war was going on.

Republican strategists were meeting with Nazi Fuentes in Texas while Israel attacked.

Taylor Swift did not go the Chiefs game while the war was going on.

trumplethinskin is talking about foreigners poisoning our blood while the war was going on.

It was a beautiful day and there was a meteor shower in KC while the war was going on.

Nimrata spreading conspiracies and normalizes executing US Generals while a war is going on.

There was a meeting about bidding on part of the new KU stadium upgrades while the war went on.

R's have discussed elevating two insurrectionist/Putin sympathizers to Speaker while the war goes on.

But old Biden, damned Biden, fucking Biden went ahead with a planned picnic for his staff.

We should all be fasting while covered in sackcloth and ashes until the Isreali/Palestinian war ends. Just like we have been during the Ukraine/Russia war.

[DCHawk1]

GJGP

[japhy]

GJGP

That does not sound good, try this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEr9jjZ6fi8

[Overlander]

I run out to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a few days, and when I come back down the hill..WW3 has started?

Fucking Biden

[japhy]

It probably wasn't even real BBQ. They were prolly just grilling burgers and hot dogs or some such shit.

Fucking MSM, always trying to make Biden sound cooler than he really is.

[jfish26]

It probably wasn't even real BBQ. They were prolly just grilling burgers and hot dogs or some such shit.

Fucking MSM, always trying to make Biden sound cooler than he really is.

Whoa now. Did you hear that Biden called a lid at noon today? And did real work instead of finding a camera? For shame.

[DCHawk1]

I don't think you actually believe that.

Or at least I hope you don't.

[Shirley]

Some people say Biden was busy:

[DCHawk1]

I don't think you actually believe that.

Or at least I hope you don't.

[DCHawk1]

Not one to beat dead horses, I'll admit that I made a mistake in the way I chose to respond to Fish's post. I should just have said that it was a partisan rant, rather than suggest that it could have/should have been critical of President Biden too. I don't think this should be a partisan issue, and by noting that Biden was behaving less than ideally, I apparently triggered those of you who agree -- or at least agree that POTUS has behaved flawlessly. My apologies for giving you the impression that I give a fuck what he does or does not do.

The truth of the matter is that he is irrelevant, as are Congressional Republicans. They can all behave as stupidly or as nobly as they want. It doesn't matter. This just isn't about them -- any of them.

So feel free to delude yourselves in any way you see fit -- whether it's in defense of an irrelevancy or in trying to lay blame at the feet of a bunch of useless assholes.

For my part, I think the blame here lies almost entirely with Hamas, rather than Matt Gaetz or Joe Biden. Again, my apologies for giving you the opposite impression.

[mjl2]

Not one to beat dead horses, I'll admit that I made a mistake in the way I chose to respond to Fish's post. I should just have said that it was a partisan rant, rather than suggest that it could have/should have been critical of President Biden too. I don't think this should be a partisan issue, and by noting that Biden was behaving less than ideally, I apparently triggered those of you who agree -- or at least agree that POTUS has behaved flawlessly. My apologies for giving you the impression that I give a fuck what he does or does not do.

The truth of the matter is that he is irrelevant, as are Congressional Republicans. They can all behave as stupidly or as nobly as they want. It doesn't matter. This just isn't about them -- any of them.

So feel free to delude yourselves in any way you see fit -- whether it's in defense of an irrelevancy or in trying to lay blame at the feet of a bunch of useless assholes.

For my part, I think the blame here lies almost entirely with Hamas, rather than Matt Gaetz or Joe Biden. Again, my apologies for giving you the opposite impression.

Absofuckinglutely. Perfectly said.

[TDub]

I run out to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a few days, and when I come back down the hill..WW3 has started?

Fucking Biden

beautiful area.

I used to camp up there 3 or 4 times a year. Usually the northern part of the park up by La Wis Wis or Ohanapecosh.

Packwood has a pretty cool swap meet once or twice a year, also a pretty decent little tavern in town there called the Blue Spruce.

[Overlander]

I had a couple of beers at The Blue Spruce this evening!

We spent most of our time at Cougar Lake and Naches Peak. Amazing.