Phylum of Alexandria Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Continue. Supreme Court might rule on the Colorado case soon. I didn't mention it at the time, but I found it rather revolting that no justice chose to speak on the issue of whether Trump did in fact engage in or support insurrection. I know they're being "strategic" on this one, but to see even the liberal justices dancing around the issue despite the plain facts, not to mention the whole purpose of the clause coming from the Civil War, makes me retch a bit. Gaston de Foix, drawkcabi, DireWolfSpirit and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Downballot elections, baby! (This is why I vote in every election, every year, for every office.) House Balstroko, Phylum of Alexandria, hauberk and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 21 minutes ago, TrackerNeil said: Downballot elections, baby! (This is why I vote in every election, every year, for every office.) That’s damn good news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse Named Stranger Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Brown Jackson actually raised the issue of J6 being insurrection. But she really was the only one of the nine wanting to go there. Phylum of Alexandria 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martell Spy Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Trump allies prepare to infuse ‘Christian nationalism’ in second administration Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, president of The Center for Renewing America, part of a conservative consortium preparing for Trump’s return to power. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/20/donald-trump-allies-christian-nationalism-00142086 Quote An influential think tank close to Donald Trump is developing plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas in his administration should the former president return to power, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, who served as Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget during his first term and has remained close to him. Vought, who is frequently cited as a potential chief of staff in a second Trump White House, is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term. Christian nationalists in America believe that the country was founded as a Christian nation and that Christian values should be prioritized throughout government and public life. As the country has become less religious and more diverse, Vought has embraced the idea that Christians are under assault and has spoken of policies he might pursue in response. The Grey Wolf Strikes Back 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maithanet Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Quote Netanyahu could ignore the US, Israel doesn’t need US support to continue military action in Gaza, but I think it’s fair to wonder exactly how hard Biden is trying if the response to being told to fuck off is ‘well we’re not happy but we’re still going to give you $14 billion in military aid’. @ljkeane - I basically agree. I think that a reevaluation of US aid to Israel is long overdue. Israel clearly doesn't need this military aid, or it would be at least be paying lip service to US statements/priorities, which Netanyahu is not doing. Contrast this with how desperate Ukraine is for military support that they are willing to agree to severely hamstring their military operations (no using US weapons on Russian soil) to avoid the ire of US decisionmakers. However, imagine that Biden were to make an extremely forceful statement denouncing the Gaza war, calling Netanyahu a war criminal, and vowing to veto any military aid package that included funding for Israel. That would be a titanic shift in US policy towards Israel, and potentially lose him a lot of votes domestically. Would that really help the people in Gaza or cause the Israeli government to change course? I don't really see how. So we're looking at real costs to Biden, with very uncertain benefits. If the US wanted to FORCE Israel to reevaluate their decisions, we could start moving into the area of cutting off military sales (not just aid) to Israel and floating this idea of sanctions. This would certainly get Netanyahu's attention, but I'm not at all certain it would cause a genuine course change on the Israeli war. But even the threat of such an action would cause problems for both the US military (the US imports some needed gear from Israel, and going without that would be tough) and the US economy (plenty of jobs in the military-industrial complex). Again, very real costs, very uncertain benefits. Trying to keep this focused on Biden, rather than an Israel-Gaza redux, I honestly don't see any good answers here for the administration. The US has very little leverage on Netanyahu. The current path the Biden administration has chosen feels gutless and immoral. Taking a more forceful stance against Israel has very real costs and very questionable benefits (beyond the morality part, I suppose). Prince of the North, Durckad, drawkcabi and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are 'children' under state law The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos created during fertility treatments should be considered children under state law https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/alabama-supreme-court-rules-frozen-embryos-children-state-107370815 Which Tyler, drawkcabi and The Grey Wolf Strikes Back 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 2 hours ago, TrackerNeil said: Downballot elections, baby! (This is why I vote in every election, every year, for every office.) Not going to mince words. Republicans in Wisconsin are a pretty loathsome lot. This map is good news. Ser Scot A Ellison and TrackerNeil 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) 11 hours ago, Jaxom 1974 said: Not going to mince words. Republicans in Wisconsin are a pretty loathsome lot. This map is good news. From the linked article: Quote Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Republicans chose to pass Evers' maps because they were "the most Republican-leaning maps out of all the Democrat-gerrymandered maps" being considered by the court. Republicans are completely open about their desire for a Republican gerrymander, which reflects the modern GOP. Gone are the days of pretended piety and maximum moralizing; these days, Republicans show they are giant assholes and they want to rub in your face how they get away with it. Edited February 21 by TrackerNeil drawkcabi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) Sorry, double post. Edited February 20 by TrackerNeil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) HuffPost with the ultimate "No Shit" article here- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-trump-putin_n_65d43a7ae4b0f7fbe7b3d4c7 They describe the story as Pelosi's "damning take on Trump being, that Putin must have something on Trump, something financial or personal (as reason for Trump being afraid of Putin and unwilling to criticize him). Yeah no shit, the non-maga World long ago figured that out, it gets mentioned right here regularly. What is really a "damning" aspect is that this is not regularly and consistently mentioned from a chorus of people in DC. It should be a point pounded into the public consciousness repeatedely between yesterday, now and November. Trump- Putins Traitor, its been painfully obvious for a long time and needs more repeating (and investigating). Edited February 21 by DireWolfSpirit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) 50 minutes ago, DireWolfSpirit said: HuffPost with the ultimate "No Shit" article here- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-trump-putin_n_65d43a7ae4b0f7fbe7b3d4c7 They describe the story as Pelosi's "damning take on Trump being that Putin must have something on Trump, something financial or personal (as reason for Trump being afraid of Putin and unwilling to criticize him). Yeah no shit, the non maga World long ago figured that out, it gets mentioned right here regularly. What is really a "damning" aspect is that this is not regularly and consistently mentioned from a chorus of people in DC. It should be a point pounded into the public consciousness repeatedely between yesterday, now and November. Trump Putins Traitor, its been painfully obvious for a long time and needs more repeating (and investigating). That the steaming stinking pile's once-upon-a-time gangster bagman has said this, has been hither-ad-yon since the latest court's financial ruling, even on those of the 'conservative' water carriers. Michael Cohen suggests Trump’s mounting legal fees make him ‘thoroughly compromised’: ‘He is for sale’ https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4475770-michael-cohen-suggests-trumps-mounting-legal-fees-make-him-thoroughly-compromised-he-is-for-sale/ Concerns grow that legal losses could make Trump desperate, even more open to corruption https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/concerns-grow-that-legal-losses-could-make-trump-desperate-even-more-open-to-corruption-204523589929 In the meantime, there's this 'race' between 'parties' for POTUS, in which one of the two candidates, at least at this time is expected to be the stinkin' pile o' etc. . . . . Quote Democratic Candidates Can’t Escape the War in Gaza https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/20/opinion/thepoint#democrats-gaza-schiff-california It’s not just President Biden who is feeling the political heat over the war in Gaza. I spent the long weekend in Los Angeles checking in on the top Democratic candidates in the California Senate race. The highlight was trailing after Representative Adam Schiff and his wife in a Lunar New Year parade around Chinatown on Saturday afternoon. Smallish local parades, chock-full of area officials tooling slowly along in borrowed convertibles — Schiff scored the white Porsche! — can serve as a fascinating barometer of how the public is feeling about particular issues and candidates. For the most part, the crowds along Saturday’s short route were a festive bunch: cheering, chowing down and setting off giant confetti poppers. But at various points, small clusters of people, usually younger folks, would see the Schiff car coming and start up a chant of “cease-fire now!” There was a bit of booing, some light name-calling — and one young guy in a hot pink sweatshirt who went all in: running into the street to scream into the faces of Schiff volunteers about what a monster their boss was, while recording their reactions on his phone, of course. As one of the House’s chief antagonists of Donald Trump, Schiff is accustomed to political hostility. And he and his staff insisted to me that the issue hasn’t been all that prominent on the campaign trail thus far. But during a breakfast chat on Sunday, he also acknowledged that he is a little worried that the controversy might prompt some younger Democrats to skip voting this cycle. Schiff was voicing concern mostly about the presidential battle. But the intraparty schism over Gaza could prove problematic up and down the ballot in his home state. Though exceedingly blue, California has a handful of highly competitive House races this year, which could wind up deciding control of the chamber. If enough frustrated or disgusted Dems stay home, it could tilt this or that seat toward the red team. .... Edited February 20 by Zorral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 No. Ezra Klein is Completely Wrong. Here’s Why. https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/no-ezra-klein-is-completely-wrong-heres-why Quote .... First, will convention-chosen candidate X do better than Biden? As I noted on Friday, polling evidence makes that assumption at least highly questionable. That’s not the only question. Is early 21st century America really ready for a party nominee literally chosen by a few thousand party insiders and activists? I have real doubts about that. Will the convention not become a forum for litigating highly divisive issues like Gaza, Medicare for All and the broader contest between progressives and establishment-oriented liberals? The last half century of American politics has been based on the idea that the convention is a highly scripted unity launch event. This alternative would mean a free for all, in which the choice between a number of quite promising candidates will be made by a group whose legitimacy will likely be highly suspect. Not good! Then there’s another issue. Okay, say you’ve convinced us. The thunderdome convention scenario is the better bet. How do we get there? Klein is refreshingly candid about this while somehow not being remotely realistic about how wildly improbable it is. You do it by mounting a public campaign to convince the people in Biden’s inner circle — Mike Donilon, Anita Dunn, Steve Ricchetti, maybe Barack Obama and whoever else — to convince Biden to step aside. That’s almost word for word the plan. Let’s drill down on what that means. Your plan is to convince the people who are pretty much by definition the most loyal to and invested in Biden — more than anyone in the entire political world — to abandon the plan they’re already two-thirds of their way through and convince Biden to step aside. We can add the more cynical point that this also means ending their own political careers at the top of the political game. As of today, the right-leaning RCP Average shows Biden 1.1 points behind Donald Trump. Are you really going to point to that and convince them that it’s hopeless? That to me is not remotely a serious plan. It’s not a serious anything. And what exactly is the plan while you’re executing that plan? Unless I’m missing something, this plan means spending the spring perhaps not campaigning but in the midst of a public intervention trying to make the case that the party’s nominee is too old and frail to be President. On the off chance this plan doesn’t work, that seems pretty damaging to the nominee. Many people I have this conversation with end the conversation here with a simple “the best thing is for Biden to step aside.” This, I confess, is where my brain generally freezes up. There is clearly a big sense of psychic release from arguing this. I share all the anxieties expressed by those anonymous Democratic insiders and campaign strategists who apparently can’t stop calling reporters and telling them how worried they are. I just don’t see the point of going down this path or, more accurately, waving vaguely toward that path, if there is no plan or likely scenario in which anything like it happens. Maybe I lack imagination. Which brings me to my final point. Klein’s essay has been the top conversation of the political set since it was published three days ago. It’s garnered many responses like the one from Harvard Law Professor Larry Tribe who wrote on Twitter that while he didn’t agree with Klein, “we ignore this problem at our peril. Pretending that enough voters will be motivated by the catastrophic results of a second Trump presidency just won’t suffice. This is a crisis.” This is like others who’ve said that even though Biden is the nominee, “we have to address” the issue, or “can’t ignore” the issue, or have to “discuss” the issue. .... .... I think the Democratic Party has thought — or is in the process of thinking — about this, is addressing it, not ignoring it, pick your vague verb. In addition to many strengths, including incumbency, Biden has a big campaign liability: his age. Democrats have decided that even with this liability he’s probably the best shot to defeat Donald Trump. And even if he’s not, there’s no viable path to switching to anyone else. Accentuate the positive, back burner the negatives, and run the campaign. Phylum of Alexandria, Ran and drawkcabi 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 How about a compromise candidate and Biden steps aside for .... Jimmy Carter? Bironic, drawkcabi, Rippounet and 4 others 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRider Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Sounds like Letitia James don't play. "Four days after a judge ordered former President Donald Trump to pay $354 million in his civil fraud case, New York Attorney General Letitia James told ABC News that she is prepared to seize the former president's assets if he is unable to find the cash to cover the fine. "If he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets," James said in an interview with ABC News' Aaron Katersky." Letitia James says she's prepared to seize Trump's buildings if he can't pay his $354M civil fraud fine - ABC News (go.com) Martell Spy, drawkcabi, DireWolfSpirit and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRider Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Sandy Hook families sick of Alex Jones's shit; "The families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims voted overwhelmingly in favor of a plan to wrap up Alex Jones’ bankruptcy proceedings by liquidating the right wing talk show host’s assets. Jones’ general unsecured creditors—comprised mostly of Sandy Hook families holding about $1.5 billion in defamation judgments against the famed conspiracy theorist—voted 100% in favor of a Chapter 11 plan that would methodically liquidate and redistribute his property and cash, while preserving potential legal actions against parties affiliated with Jones and his Infowars program." Alex Jones Estate Liquidation Gets Sandy Hook Families’ Vote (bloomberglaw.com) Bironic, Prince of the North, Ser Scot A Ellison and 6 others 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 After Alabama declared embryos are children -- https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/02/20/alabama-supreme-court-ivf-embryos/ Quote .... “Women who actually know what happened, they feel under attack and almost powerless,” said AshLeigh Meyer Dunham, a Birmingham mother who conceived a child through in vitro fertilization and is a partner in a law firm that specializes in assisted reproductive technology cases. “First you had the Dobbs decision and now this. What does this even mean?” .... We know what it means. They've been telling us for a very long time what all this means. Getting rid of birth control is a key GOP agenda item for the second Trump term -- Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 (on the xitter so no linking) -- Quote "It seems to me that a good place to start would be a feminist movement against the pill, & for... returning the consequentiality to sex." Conservatives have to lead the way in restoring sex to its true purpose, & ending recreational sex & senseless use of birth control pills -- Quote Project 2025 is an action plan for how to use the most extreme versions of the unitary executive theory to weaponize the federal government into an instrument of authoritarian theocratic ethno-nationalism. It’s difficult to overstate the extent to which a key element in this all-out culture war is the re-subjugation of women to a regime in which they’re stripped of their sexual freedom, in the name of insane ideas such as that birth control is bad because it robs sex of “consequentiality” (for women). https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2024/02/getting-rid-of-birth-control-is-a-key-gop-agenda-item-for-the-second-trump-term drawkcabi and Martell Spy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 8 hours ago, TrackerNeil said: From the linked article: Republicans are completely open about their desire for a Republican gerrymander, which reflects the modern GOP. Gone are the days of pretended piety and maximum moralizing; these days, Republicans show they are giant assholed and they want to rub in your face how they get away with it. All true. I've found, over these part few years, Wisconsin Republicans to be especially repellent. Worse than Southern ones? They're in the running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 2 hours ago, Jaxom 1974 said: All true. I've found, over these part few years, Wisconsin Republicans to be especially repellent. Worse than Southern ones? They're in the running. You’d know better than I, but can you get more repellent than say, Roy Moore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bironic Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Donald Trump is a northern republican… as is Rudy Giuliani https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68353303.amp Alexander Smirnov FBI source accused of Biden lies linked to Russian intelligence… A U.S. citizen was just arrested in Russia for treason… https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/02/20/europe/russia-arrest-us-dual-citizen-intl/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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