DMC

Why narrow majorities and House gridlock are here to stay in 2024:

Gotta say, this is an incredibly misleading and rather perplexing statistic to use in the context of this discussion. Obviously, the concern here is only women’s sports. And - indeed - it’s great that the global revenues in 2024 are estimated to increase 300% compared to 2021! What does that increase result in? $1.3 billion. In other words, 0.2 percent of that $680 billion figure - albeit four years earlier.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed the foreign aid bill 79 to 18. That was quicker than I expected. It’s also a notable increase from the February bill, which passed 70 to 29. Both Vermont Senators - Sanders and Welch - voted against it, as will as Oregon’ Jeff Merkley. The rest of the nays were dumbass Republicans.

Don’t really think the presidential vote is instructive at all at this point, but should be noted Pitt’s rep and squad member Summer Lee cruised to victory. AIPAC considered funding a challenger, but ultimately realized it was a lost cause.

Your mother sounds like a cool lady. What’s annoying about traveling these days is I’ll have both my laptop and my iPad in my carry on, and going through security every airport has different procedures for whether and/or how to take them out. I swear they do this just to fuck with people like a perverse social psychologist. So I’ll just ask the TSA agent when I get to the bins what I’m supposed to do, and they always look at me like I’m an idiot. Fuck you TSA.

Well, ya know, stop smoking so much weed.

I mean, yes, I suppose I have a mental checklist for toiletries and chargers - and frankly that’s even more important to go through when leaving a hotel - but are y’all saying you actually write this shit down?

Nope. I guess I prefer some of my collared shirts more than others, but I honestly don’t worry about it when traveling. And all my underpants are lucky.

Nope. Just count how many shirts, pants, etc. I’ll need for the trip and put em in the suitcase. Packing for two weeks is tougher in terms of room. I don’t think I could fit enough clean clothes without knowing I could do laundry there.

I just take my clothes that are clean. If I need to do laundry beforehand I guess that would count as prepping.

I did have great interactions with them when I lived in DC. Pretty sure I’ve shared a couple of those anecdotes here previously. Them all being “jacked,” though, has not been my experience. I mean they’re all clearly in shape, but it’s not like hanging out with a bunch of bodybuilders.

Yeah I’m not even sure what that means. My prepping to pack is…packing.

So Biden chose my campus to hold an event today, literally the building adjacent to where I work and teach. I don’t have much to share - my main take is it was a bitch and a half getting out of there to get home (thanks Biden!) - but a few observations: First, there was a decent-sized pro-Palestinian contingent, probably 45 to 50 people by my reckoning. These were non-students and true believers - Biden coming specifically here was not public knowledge, even to our students, until this morning. Their signage and chants were of course incendiary, but in about ten minutes observing them…and then another five when the fuckers held up traffic as I was trying to leave, I did not see nor hear anything antisemitic. There also was a number of students on the rope line with pro-Palestinian signage, but nothing I could see that was even offensive - particularly compared to the much more hateful right wing rabble. At one point a contingent of about a dozen RFK supporters walked by me. 10 out of 12 were at least seventy. When I went to the back lot to smoke as I do every day I shot the shit with a couple secret service agents cuz that’s where Biden was arriving. They were good guys.

It should also be emphasized that a majority of Americans now disapprove of Israel’s conduct in the war. It should come as no surprise that this is manifesting on college campuses in such a manner. Especially when it’s the end of the semester and participation sounds a whole hell of a lot better than studying for finals.

The AP article you cited also details many involved in the protests explicitly denouncing what you’re concerned about. Sure. So? Why should that stop the elements that aren’t problematic? You started this off by saying you didn’t understand why they were protesting because the US wasn’t directly involved in the war. It’s telling that your argument has gone far afield of that since.

…And where are you seeing the organizers of these protests supporting Hamas? This is classic straw manning. To your broader point, do I suspect pro-Palestinian protests to directly affect policy change? Nope, absolutely not. But you can say that about most protest movements. Based on your logic, the people that participated in the Women’s March, or March For Our Lives, or the host of climate change protests, all should have just stayed home. The impact of most protest movements is an attempt to shift public opinion and - more importantly - politically engage those that otherwise wouldn’t be.

Again:

Dude, read the post you’re responding to: Ironically, it’s your perspective here that lacks nuance in erroneously assuming pro-Palestine = pro-Hamas.

This is ascribing motives to the protesters that the vast majority of which do not share. And frankly buying into a concerted effort to delegitimize any pro-Palestinian sentiment. Protesting against the indiscriminate violence perpetrated on Palestinians does not necessarily mean support for Hamas. This is like saying since there was looting and property damage during the George Floyd protests, that’s all the protesters were interested in.

Sure…due to the decades of support the US has already provided them. I’m not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with the protests. Indeed, my immediate concern is how similar efforts may impede my ability to do my job today and at least already has fucked up my parking. But the logic of the protesters is really not hard to understand unless you’re entirely new to protesting.

Perhaps because the US just passed a bill providing $17 billion to Israel to fund the war effort? Anyway, here’s an article on what Z was talking about last night.

Trump doubles down on Mike Johnson after foreign aid vote. Obviously, Trump could change his mind tomorrow. But as long as he’s backing Johnson I don’t see Greene even forcing a vote.

Well, pretty sure they can grant the acting Speaker more abilities if a majority wants to. Regardless, this seems to be over-extending the hypothetical. If Johnson is sacked, it’s going to be fairly soon. While I agree it will probably take awhile to settle on a replacement (or simply restore Johnson if he doesn’t bow out like McCarthy did), I sincerely doubt they’ll go without a Speaker for, like, five months.

Yeah, they’re going to pass a CR there like they always do that close to an election. If the House GOP shuts down the government a month away from the election, Speaker or not? I suppose it’s possible nut that’s all electoral upside for Biden and the Dems, which is why I didn’t mention it.

Fair point. It’s certainly concerning on a basic governing level not to have a Speaker at all. But that’s on the Republicans. Also, even in October they did designate Pat McHenry acting Speaker.