Happy Monday, everyone. Open thread. Please be quiet while in the library.
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Open Thread for Monday, November 15, 2021
bradwarthen.com
All The News That Gives You Fits
Happy Monday, everyone. Open thread. Please be quiet while in the library.
Hope everyone had a good weekend. I took our Cub Scout Tiger Den for a hike at Congaree National Park, cleaned out and organized my garage, and then prepared for a trial I had set for today. All in all, not a bad weekend.
Sorry to see the Gamecock football team lost, but that goes with the territory of being a Gamecock fan. Might go see the Gamecock Women’s basketball team beat the brakes of Clemson on Thursday. Could be fun.
Watch the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure beat up on Clemson today. Bob Lanier. Dr. Burkes of Covid fame went to undergraduate school at Houghton College just down the road.
There are significant assets in Rural American. After all, without rural, there is no urban. Go Bonnies! BTW, my friend and classmate Gary Nease is the long time “Voice of the Bonnies.”
But thinking of Brad and the Captain. Walt Whitman, I believe still grieving the loss of President Lincoln:
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j64SctPKmqk&w=560&h=315%5D
Still working on embedding. The clip is from “Dead Poets Society.” RIP Robin WIlliams, too.
I am working on building a You Tube Channel BECAUSE – technology; Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3. “A full-sized smartphone that folds to fit small-sized pockets. Folded, Galaxy Z Flip3 5G measures 4.2 inches.” I can do this, but you may hear me snoring. The contrast caught be by surprise – I thought my computer was hosing out!
My bride and I took the ferry out to St. Phillips Island this weekend. If you have the opportunity, you should visit. Each trip has a maximum of 20 or so visitors. (There were only 6 of us on Saturday.) They only take you at low tide, so the beaches are wide with lots of things to find. We found several live starfish and sand dollars. We also saw fox squirrels, raccoons, a bald eagle, lots of marsh birds, dolphins, and alligators. The trails are wide and wild. An 8-foot alligator startled us, or we startled him.
This was our second trip to the island. Last time we went in August, and the mosquitoes were unbearable. Much better this time.
Joe Biden approval ratings are tanking. No surprise since he has been sleep walking through the first ten months.
But Kamala Harris (who got her clock cleaned by my gal Tulsi in the debates) has sunk to a new low in the latest USA Today poll that shows her less popular than Dick Cheney’s lowest number. Again, no surprise, based on her terrible performance in the primary and the fact that she was chosen based on her race and gender. Another mistake by Biden.. or I should say the people who picked her and informed Joe.
“Joe Biden approval ratings are tanking. No surprise since he has been sleep walking through the first ten months.”
Yeah, the Washington Post is reporting that even Democrats are realizing it.
Pretty much. The problem is Biden ran as the experienced guy who could (a) get things back to normal and (b) collaborate with everyone in DC. He threw the latter part out the window when he decided a 50/50 Senate and a slim House majority was a clarion call for him to be the next LBJ and FDR. That was a huge political miscalculation, and it’s hurt him.
The first part was pretty much tossed out in the screwed up retreat from Afghanistan and then made worse with the White House’s whitewash of it. It would have been one thing to bring all the troops home in an orderly way, and it would have been another thing if the White House had actually been level with the American people about it’s miscalculation in doing so, but screwing it up and then telling everyone how great it was in the face of obvious facts really hurt his marks in both competency and credibility.
However, there will be some true believers that stick with Biden no matter what, so I’m guessing his floor is in the high thirties.
Compared to What?
Yeah Bill; big win today. President Obama said cynics are cowards.
Biden’s approval rating is still higher that Trump’s at this stage in his presidency. Plus it’s likely to go up soon with the robust economy. The infrastructure bill is very popular. Inflation worries are greatly exaggerated. I paid $2.77/gallon for gasoline yesterday. About the same as 2018. Slowly but surely COVID is receding. The only thing preventing a complete victory are GOP governors like Ron Deathsantis who are fighting businesses from imposing vaccine mandates. Imagine that a Republican Governor interfering in the free market. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. Wages are rising faster than inflation the past couple of months. People are buying $1000+ IPhones so fast Apple can’t fill the demand. Airports are packed. Football crowds are enormous. Lines for $6 coffees at Starbucks are daunting. Electric car sales are setting records. Consider this, job growth is faster under Biden than it was in 2019. Plus Biden had the intestinal fortitude to finally do the right thing and get us out of Afghanistan. With 2 major pieces of legislation under his belt (the highly successful spring stimulus bill and now the $1.2 trillion BIPARTISAN infrastructure bill) Biden is getting things done. All in all Biden is doing a great job. But you’d never know it listening to the nattering nabobs of negativism on the right. But facts are funny things. They don’t natter.
Where do you get your rose colored glasses from? You must get a bulk discount.
70% of the country thinks we’re headed in the wrong direction. That’s reality. I bought meals at a fast food restaurant last night… 5 burger combos and three ice creams at Freddy’s. Bill was $76!!! I can afford it… Many people can’t. The recession is coming soon. Biden is a one term president either by choice or by vote.
“70% of the country thinks we’re headed in the wrong direction.”
So you believed we were headed in the right direction 4 months ago when some polls had the opposite result?
Bingo!
Most people in the country disagree with you.
Most people in the country change their mind like the wind, based on what they read in the news that day.
Were you singing the praises of the “people in the country” in the summer when Biden’s approval ratings were well over 50%? (hint- You weren’t.)
Biden ended the Afghanistan war. Trump talked about it. Conservatives talked about it. Joe Biden did it.
Now I know we all would love to hear about how you would have done it, or how some Senate Republicans would have done it, or how Paul Gosar would have flown down with his swords and accomplished it, but it’s all talk and no action.
So, sorry. I don’t take your critique that seriously. You aren’t going to support Joe Biden under any circumstances- and I think that’s actually best. I can understand as I would never support Donald Trump.
Anything- a Joe Biden who never leaves the residence is better than the choice of Donald Trump.
“Anything- a Joe Biden who never leaves the residence is better than the choice of Donald Trump.”
Pretty low bar you got there.
Maybe so
but the Conservatives placed the low bar there with the choice of their messiah- Donald Trump.
You can’t blow up the car and then complain about the car not cranking. Well, I guess you can. But some people won’t take the complaint seriously.
Talking about low bars because I know Conservatives won’t Shine that light on themselves…
Conservative candidate for Congress JR Majewski of Ohio, who is running for a district currently held by Marci Kaptur, and is benefitting greatly by Republican redistrciting making him the favorite, said this week that Kyle Rittenhouse is “our new Captain America.”
As my favorite broadcaster Michael Smerconish said this week, whether Rittenhouse is found guilty or not guilty, there are no winners here and certainly no heroes. This is a tragic situation all around.
Anyone making out heroes in this mess is mentally defective. So Speaking of that, meet your Conservative congressional candidate……
I care infinitely less about what some knucklehead candidate for congress says than what the actual, sitting President of the United States is doing.
Serious people with serious responsibilities don’t worry about bird-brained things that people running for (or in) Congress say.
“Serious people with serious responsibilities don’t worry about bird-brained things that people running for (or in) Congress say.”
Thank you for proving my point.
Yet another example of a Conservative downplaying (or ignoring) what Conservatives do and pointing their finger at everyone else. ahh,, par for the course.
A leading candidate for Congress calling someone that killed 2 people “our Captain America” –
no big deal. Nothing to see here from the future lawmaker.
The leading Senate Candidate in Ohio- a Conservative- saying this week that Evangelical Christians should be dictating laws and policy to everyone else-
Let’s ignore it. Nothing to see here.
and you wonder why people, like me, don’t take your your comments about Joe Biden seriously…..
Can’t win with you. I said it was bird-brained. What do you want?
Bryan, I agree with Barry. There are errors of commission and errors of omission, aka “putting your head in the sand.” I totally understand you are not consciously supporting he who shall not be named; but C(c)onservative Silence and even INSANITY is indeed at least part of the problem.
Barry – what is the dumbest statement from a Democrat so far this week?
On this blog or you mean just in general? 🙂
I’d just like to see an example of a balance view of politicians in general versus what normally is disseminated on this blog.
That I can’t recall any time someone like barry expended any effort to critique Democrats at even 1% of the time spent on random, esoteric, spoon fed liberal screeds against Republicans is the reason I don’t bother reading the ever lengthening (Unabomber manifesto like) posts of his.
I don’t keep up with statements from Democrats. Of course they can sling some nutty ones.
Thankfully, most of them aren’t suggesting we need one religion and everyone else can accept it or face the consequences like some of the Conservative candidates out there.
You and Bryan do a good job of focusing on Democrat crazy statements.
I have rarely posted on this blog in the past two years. Bryan occasionally references a Democrat. Meanwhile, the Trump Derangement Society expends many man hours every week trying to keep hate alive amongst the troll choir. Not a single person out of the dozen readers of this blog have ever gained an ounce of knowledge from those posts…
Sorry Doug but Trump runs your party.
I know you claim you aren’t a Trumper or a Republican. I don’t believe you.
I’m sorry you don’t realize that Trump is as much a player today as he ever was, pulling strings, running the show, and pointing that out doesn’t let you off the hook from your serious Joe Biden obsession syndrome.
Yeah, “barry”, I have the receipts (since I am not afraid to use my name).. .go search the FEC databases for my donations to Tulsi, Bernie, Mayor Pete, and Andrew Yang. James Harrison, too, but that was before I realized he was a terrible candidate. I donated in that case AGAINST Lindsey. I’ll wait.
Here’s the link:
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=douglas+ross&contributor_zip=29016&contributor_city=Blythewood
I voted libertarian in the past two Presidential elections. I’m sorry your Trump infested brain can’t grasp that someone can not like Trump or Biden (or Pelosi, McConnell, and Schumer) and can instead vote based on issues and ethics.
The only Republican I recall voting for President was Romney. And I’d do that again. I believe without any doubt that George Bush was worse for America than Trump. Would a Republican say that?
So go ahead and keep transcribing talk radio segments for the universe. I’ll stick to my personal beliefs that don’t require brain washing.
Tulsi sounds like Donald Trump jr since she quit Congress.
She’s turning up on every right wing propaganda network available (and I’m not talking about just Fox).
and I’ll keep talking about Trump and cable news talkers because that’s who controls the Republican party from Washington to the local level.
you and Bryan pretend that cable news on the right isn’t running the show because you ignore it.
Heck, Bryan can’t say anything negative about Conservatives. He just ignores virtually everything or if he does mention it he acts like everything is overblown.
the leading Senate candidate in Ohio has promised if he wins he’ll try to enact Christianity as the rule of law and that taking up arms might be necessary. Now we know he can’t do that- at least in theory- but what damage will he do behind the scenes with things we don’t see if that is what he’s trying to do?
These folks are extremists to the nth degree- and they are leading by wide margins.
This isn’t some nutty guy for town council. This is the guy leading the Senate race in Ohio.
The guy leading the republican senate race in Pennsylvania has been repeatedly accused of domestic violence and it’s looking like he’s going to lose custody of his kids.
sticking your head in the hole doesn’t change reality.
BTW_ I’m not a Democrat or and don’t consider myself a Liberal\
There are many liberal polices I don’t support – but as a former Conservative, I find their stances, and unhinged right wing extremism that exists in the main parts of the Party as an evil sickness.
Unlike Bryan, who calls himself a Conservative- I don’t call myself a Liberal.
I have gravitated toward Liberals for one reason – Donald Trump and Conservative worship of Donald Trump.
and pretending that the Party doesn’t still worship everything the man does is simply wrong.
Yup.
Hugh Leatherman died last week. Wondering who the next corrupt octogenarian good old boy will be to take his place to keep South Carolina stuck in 1960?
Without term limits or an age limit, this state will always lag behind the rest of the country.
I am replying here so this information is in context:
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota all have term limits for legislators. Only California, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and Oklahoma have lifetime term limits. In all the other states it is a consecutive limit: you can serve up to the limit in one part and then serve up to the limit in the other. Or you can sit out a cycle (usually two years) and then run again and serve up to the limit the second time around (Jim Rhodes did this as governor of Ohio; served from 1963-1971 and then again from 1975-1983).
I was unable to find any state that sets a maximum age limit for its legislator although almost all set a minimum age, with Montana and Vermont being the exceptions.
Child poverty levels are down sharply this year thanks to Biden’s child tax credit. Yet the media focuses on inflation, inflation, inflation. Thankfully the Huffington Post is on the case. Biden doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/inflation-child-poverty-tax-credit_n_61940234e4b005197af7ddaa
Giving people free money without raising taxes to pay for it increases the money supply leading to higher inflation. It’s simple math. Any artificial change in a metric likely hasn’t caught up with the latest inflation rate.
Escaping poverty can’t be done with free money. It requires changing ones value to the marketplace thru education and work.
I’ll mark you down as pro child poverty.
Doug provides a perfect illustration of why I ran away from libertarianism as fast as I could. Reducing child poverty by a very substantial amount is unambiguously a very good thing. Having children well fed and clothed can only be a positive. Yet Libertarians manage to turn it into a negative. Huh? It’s just a craven, cruel and utterly repulsive philosophy. And that is essentially where the Republican Party has landed. Besides, the libertarian approach was tried during the Trump years and it failed to reduce child poverty. I say even if the child tax credits add a bit to inflation the benefit to the welfare of the youngest among us is well worth it. We can fight inflation through other means. But let’s not revert back to pre-Biden levels of child poverty. Keep the child tax credit.
Please tell me when child poverty didn’t exist during the Obama administration. Also, if all it takes is giving the poor money, let’s give them all a million dollars. Poverty solved. Shut down all federal programs for food stamps, housing..
I’ll take expecting people to be responsible for their circumstances over making them dependent on the government teat any day. The cycle of generational poverty is aided by the handout mentality that keeps them there.
My mother grew up in poverty with a single mother. You know what allowed her to escape? Hard work and education.. the opportunity is there for every person in this country.
Hearing a Libertarian solution to any problem is like listening to the demolition crew talking about how much they like building things.
As compared to the Democrat solution of stealing someone else’s money and donating it to charity.
a democrat is stealing your money?
Instead of whining about it on a message board, I think I’d call the police.
No, Democrats and Republicans have been strealing money for decades. Republicans love to spend my money on phony wars and Democrats like to spend my money on giveaways to poor people to keep them voting for them.
They all like voting for phony wars- and even creating some ever so often
They all like giveaways (without paying for them)- Republicans love giving tax breaks to incredibly powerful and rich people thinking those rich people won’t do anything unless they have yet another tax break.
Yup.
I’ll give you a solution to poverty that while it would not eliminate it, would greatly reduce it in this country in 20 years.
There are two causes of generational poverty (not based on unfortunate events):
First, when poor people have children, they create a situation where they cannot provide for those kids. They cannot afford childcare, cannot take time to work additional hours or improve their skills to make them more valuable in the workplace. Whatever resources they have are split even further to try and take care of the kids. When that isn’t enough, they have to turn to government agencies to help with food, housing, and healthcare. They become dependent on that so-called safety net.
Second, a large percentage of those in poverty are either single parent households. Many times those single family units have multiple children fathered by different men who do not provide for their offspring. I don’t have the stats but it seems fairly obvious that poverty is less prevalent in two parent households.
My solution – which I have touted for years – is to offer direct payments to young women in poverty to delay having children until they are past age 25. But it also requires education from early ages to promote the inherent disadvantages of having children they can’t afford. I’d start as young as age 13 and provide a savings account that could not be touched until age 18. Pick a number — $5000 a year? That’s 25K in the bank at age 18. that they can then access. But don’t stop there — add incentives for finishing high school and graduating college — -while continuing to pay a yearly stipend to delay having children until they are in a better situation to support them.
So if you want to continue to spout nonsense about libertarians wanting to demolish things, go ahead. Let’s hear your plan.
“offer direct payments to young women in poverty to delay having children
There you go- advocating for stealing people’s money…….
We can use the lottery funds that are currently used to give Life scholarships to college students. Wouldn’t it be better to address poverty than give kids from upper class families free money?
That’s money given freely to the government. And make gambling and pot legal — which would generate hundreds of millions of discretionary tax dollars. Same for alcohol taxes. Taxes raised by choice are not stolen.
Colorado has about the same population as SC. They raise close to 400 million a year in taxes off pot and another $125 million from online gambling. That would be enough to pay 100,000 women in poverty 5000 a year to delay having children.
Or we could cut any spending for arts, zoos, museums, and anything else that would be better spent on helping people out of poverty. The money is already there to solve poverty. It’s just not a priority. We have 2 cents of the sales tax going to frivolous programs while people go hungry.
Doug, stop it, just stop! No sense wasting time trying to make sense out of the current situation(s) with logic or an alternate solution. You know your solutions will receive not one iota of consideration and the existing programs will remain in place and if anything, will be expanded.
You and I have been on this blog a lot longer than Barry, etc. and on some issues, we do agree on many or agree to disagree. There was a time when the liberals and conservatives with few exceptions could discuss issues without rancor, elitism, or being a know-it-all whose opinions are not to be opposed.
When a blog meeting was held, the conversations were civil, respectful, and while the attendees were diverse, they were diverse respectfully and each side was able to express their opinions, etc. without derision or overt hubris.
Based on the vast number of posts from some that are mildly relevant to one or two on the blog, some think they are earth shattering and everyone should be agitated to the same level of righteous anger. Which brings me to an apt quote from Aneurin Bevan.
“Pool fellow, he suffers from files.” Enough said without mentioning names.
Think it is time to pull back again and cleanse the palate for a while.
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Thank you Bart; so well said. President Obama said cynics are cowards. I will soften that a bit: Cynics are too often cowards. “If the shoe fits …”
Bart
I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to have lively discussions.
I am also not going to ignore what is going on in politics today to try to find some type of fake agreement.
when I see previously rational people in the public square bending themselves over a sofa to kiss up to an egomaniac who lives in Florida, I’m going to point it out since one of our major political parties worships the man.
Did you mean Halo Of Flies by Alice Cooper?
All this will do is give women money who would not have children anyway. Women who have babies do so because they want to have a family. Not everyone shares Dougs crass attitude toward money. And that’s a good thing.
Yeah most Democrats love spending other people’s money to make them feel good.. without actually having to do anything themselves. Talk about crass.
I love that Doug thinks just democrats like to spend other people’s money.
then he complains about the gas taxes in Republican led South carolina but never is able to admit Republicans love spending other people’s money too. Heck, just look at our 7% income tax in South Carolina.
it’s as if the Republicans didn’t blow the budget to heck spending money when Trump was in office, or Bush was in office, or Reagan was in office,
LOL
The only real Republican in South Carolina politics is Tom Davis. The rest are either corrupt politicians who funnel moneyb to their cronies or moral screeds who think their church should decide what people do in their private lives. Hugh Leatherman was the classic RINO who lined his and his family’s pockets with government money. And how because he’s dead, we get the local media acting like he was some kind of hero. He was responsible for more of the problems in this state in the past few decades than anyone else.
Democrats in SC are impotent and most of them just use their office to direct money into their own accounts. They do nothing but play the game.
No Doug. The other people are real Republicans too. LOL
They are who they are.
“Wouldn’t it be better to address poverty than give kids from upper class families free money”
many of the kids in SC using Life scholarships are middle or lower class kids.
the rich kids, like a family friend of mine, are simply sticking $100 grand in the Future Scholar 529 and getting the SC tax break for themselves. They aren’t worried about losing the life scholarship either way.
If you want to means test it – that’s fine with me and give some to poor families- that’s great- but liberals and Democrats aren’t standing in the way of that and I think you know that.
you’ll never in a zillion years get the Conservatives in the South Carolina legislature or Conservative voters in South Carolina to agree.
Your beef isn’t with progressives.
Making horse racing, dog racing, casinos, etc- legal in South Carolina – your issue is Conservative GOP legislators and Conservatives in South Carolina – not progressives.
Doug is just his upbringing. New Hampshire: “Live Free or Die.” Still a strong ethos in parts of these northern hills.
😉
Like everyone else Doug, you are biased (affected) by your childhood. Why are you so cynical?
I’m not cynical. And I’m not from new Hampshire. Try again.
I just abhor hypocrites, liars, and chicken adults who post on blog anonymously because they are scared to put their name behind their opinion. Gutless.
You are cynical Doug. Your words seethe cynicism. As others have plead, please stop!
Doug you are welcomed here. But I am tired of your cynicism. I apologize about NH – but hills are hills. If you and I were neighbors in some past universe, we would be feuding.
Have a happy, joyous Sunday Doug! We are not feuding. 😉
I’ll take my cynicism related to political hacks over your bizarre ramblings any day. Why would I care what a crazy person thinks of me? You’re too far gone for redemption.
Seek help.
Please, Bobby, explain my childhood as you know it. I’ll give you $100 if you’re close.
Great news today.
Biden officials will move to restore protections to more than 9 million acres of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest
Christopher Belter pleaded guilty to sexual attacks on four teenage girls. The attacks occurred at his family’s New York home when he was a student at an elite private school.
He faced up to eight years in prison. He received eight years’ probation.
The judge in the case went easy on him after saying he agonized over the decision. But probably not as much as the teen girls agonized.
https://nyti.ms/3nv2EQw
He raped 4 girls, at least one was 15. But he is white, and rich and that’s what really matters in the US justice system.
He had already been on probation but violated the terms. This was his second go round.
The judge said he prayed over the decision and decided that Incarceration wasn’t appropriate.
The attorney for one of the teen girls said after the sentencing that his client vomited after the decision in the court bathroom.
Disgusting. Gabby; our protection systems are failing to understand “nuance in nuanced situations.” Rittenhouse not guilty – a system failure. “Just grab them by the …” is STILL powerful Someone please disagree with me! 😉
Are you ok with this Bryan? The probability that a conservative is loyal to “HIM” is significant – statistically and ETHICALLY.
It’s a bit odd that the above court in this case of the rich white kid that raped 4 girls didn’t elicit any blowback on conservative talk radio or conservative cable news.
i wonder what it could be about him that was different……………………………………………..
yet again- it’s just ignored
Disgusting. Gabby; our protection systems are failing to understand “nuance in a nuanced situation.” Rittenhouse not guilty – a system failure. Someone please disagree with me! 😉
Breaking my promise to avoid posting for a while but had to respond to the challenge.
“Rittenhouse not guilty – a system failure.” If the not guilty verdict was a system failure, then explain how the rioting, burning, and destruction of property and attacks on others was not a system failure. When CNN, MSNBC, and most of the media outlets in unison condemned Rittenhouse with incorrect comments and conclusions, is this an example of system failure or not? Since when have the media outlets, including FOX, determine the outcome of a court case? Since when do talking heads on all sides believe they are equal to or better than the legal standards of Wisconsin for self defense and protection and therefore declare someone charged guilty because they refuse to see and understand the totality of the situational events that took place that night?
When the prosecutor did not share critical video information until final arguments were completed, was that a system failure? When the witnesses for the prosecution were the best witnesses for the defense, is that a system failure?
FWIW, I watched CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, and the 3 networks along with reading comments on Twitter and other social media outlets to gather the information I believed necessary to reach my own conclusion. After watching some of the worst of the worst on CNN and MSNBC, only on Twitter was information not reported by any of the liberal outlets. FOX did have some of the information not presented by the other networks but it was on Twitter where I found the videos the jury used to reach their conclusion.
Finally, when Biden first commented, he made the point that the jury had decided and the system worked. Then he come out again saying he was disappointed with the outcome. I didn’t care for Obama inserting his opinions into issues like Gates and how the police acted; I didn’t care for Trump opening his mouth about cases he should have just shut up about; and I really don’t care for Nadler intimating there could be a federal inquiry into the case and possible federal charges against Rittenhouse. Are these examples of system failure?
I could list many of the lies broadcast by talking heads whose only job is to appeal to their viewers but if one is not aware of them, that is their problem and it will only contribute to the further divide existing between us. Watching the fist pounding and yelling reminded me of the time when Khrushchev pounded his shoe on the podium at the UN. Listening to just one talking head tell the lie that Rittenhouse’s mother drove him and the AR15 to Kenosha was disgusting because it was already proven she was at work and the AR15 was at his friend’s house, not in her vehicle. This was just one instance of misinformation broadcast to viewers in order to inflame their passions over the tragedy.
Rittenhouse should have been home and not out in the crowd trying to do anything. At the age of 17, one is not mature enough to make rational decisions when faced with dangerous adversity. Conversely, the rioters and should have been home as well. It was a highly charged atmosphere and in the end, two people died and one was shot. The jury heard the evidence, watched the videos, and asked for clarification about the Wisconsin self-defense laws. They reached a verdict based on what was presented in court. They were not sequestered and were exposed to the protestors and one MSNBC producer following the jury van. The intent of the protestors was to get the attention of the jury to intimidate them, only conclusion one can draw. Is this part of the system failure as well?
What is disgusting and a system failure is the release of the kid who was released after raping 4 girls. That is a system failure. He should have been sent to prison for life IMHO.
Releasing thousands of illegal migrants into our cities without testing for COVID because as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security said, “they are treated differently from federal employees”. I ask why are they treated differently? Why aren’t they tested and if positive, quarantined for the required period of time, vaccinated, and held until their time comes to appear before a judge? Is this a system failure?
Bobby, judge for yourself and ask if what I listed meets your standard(s) for system failure.
I won’t respond to your reply because I am truly taking a break from the blog for a while. In the meantime, I hope you and your family have a great, Happy Thanksgiving and stop and count all of the blessings we have been granted as citizens living in this great country.
My family and I will be doing so and unlike someone who lamented on July 4th, 2020 after spending time at their lake retreat and then at the pool at their home about how terrible things were and they couldn’t enjoy the day when we should be celebrating our blessings. When we cannot enjoy the days of celebration, then we have lost what it means to be a citizen of this country.
“ I could list many of the lies broadcast by talking heads whose only job is to appeal to their viewers but if one is not aware of them, that is their problem and it will only contribute to the further divide existing between us. ”
You mean how some on Fox anointed Rittenhouse “Captain America”
And how Tucker Carlson proclaims “we should all be like this young man when we see a problem?”
I didn’t see Tucker out there with a rifle. I didn’t see Tucker’s kids out there with a rifle.
in fact, I didn’t see any of the talkers on Fox out there or their kids.
We are divided, hopelessly, and that isn’t going to change. The sides see the world completely and entirely different. They have have different values.
You don’t know when to just stop, do you? Your reply to what I posted to Bobby’s question is asinine and frankly, very tone deaf. You contradicted yourself merely by replying with a screed about Fox and failed to mention the fact that not one damn talker on CNN or MSNBC’s kids were out there either and neither were they.
When our society becomes divided and when someone tries to point out the fact of the divide by both sides, instead acknowledging both sides are responsible, you have to poke the pile of crap and stir it up even more. Instead of offering a helpful comment, instead you pulled another crap answer out of….never mind. I pointed out how the lies were told about Rittenhouse by what are supposed to be responsible talking heads but no, you chose to go the other way.
I am not the problem, you are and your constant, boring, trivial, tidbits about some obscure conservative making a comment you probably spent time searching out to satisfy whatever is hollow in your life. Apparently you are trying to fill it with never-ending commentary about Trump who by the way has found permanent residence in your head and being a blowhard against conservatives after your newfound liberalism or whatever it is you call yourself today.
Whatever.
A bit of good news (except for the pro cruel and unusual punishment crowd) the Governor of OK commuted the sentence of (falsely) convicted “killer” Julius Jones.
No comment from the Conservatives on the board other than “nothing to see here”
new today
Led by US Senator Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Republicans are trying to oust, eliminate and bypass the bipartisan WI elections commission and threatening jail for its commissioners so they can take total control for themselves.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/19/us/politics/wisconsin-republicans-decertify-election.html
Sorry to disappoint you on this, Barry. All the “Conservatives on the board” have been working today, so we’re a bit behind on the political developments in Wisconsin. After I get to a stopping point with my work before I get ready to head out of town for Thanksgiving travel, I’ll try to read up on this article and get you a report on my detailed thoughts so you can then tell my why I’m wrong.
Or then again, maybe I won’t bother.
I finished up work by 11am this morning. Started before 7am though. Working from home has a few advantages- sometimes.
No disappointment. There must be a lot of working going on every day, at all hours since there ais so much ignoring or “no commenting” going on.
To add a little more color to the situation- from the Milwaukee Journal today
“Republican Rep. Tim Ramthun, elected to the state Assembly in 2018, has dedicated much of his attention to the 2020 election, claiming without evidence it was poisoned with widespread fraud.
In August, he appeared at a conspiracy theory-fueled symposium in South Dakota on election fraud headed by MyPillow’s chief executive Mike Lindell. That summer he separately produced a video titled “The Calm Before the Storm” — a phrase frequently used by QAnon, a baseless conspiracy theory that contends the government is controlled by a cabal of Satanist pedophiles.
Ramthun falsely claimed at the South Dakota symposium that voting software recently approved by the Wisconsin Elections Commission would “scrub” votes from machines used in the presidential election. “
Joe Biden when asked in person about the Rittenhouse trial: “The jury system worked”. An hour later, his staff released a statement in his name (I doubt he saw it) saying he was angry about the verdict. Joe is now just a puppet.. which is why his approval rating is lower than any President at the same point except Trump. He’s an empty suit with likely dementia.
It was fine. This is the 193,987,539th time a White House has out out an additional statement after a President said something
They both say the same thing, the 2nd just acknowledges one can feel conflicted.
“I stand by what the jury has concluded,” Biden said outside of the White House. “The jury system works, and we have to abide by it,” the president said.
Shortly afterward, the White House issued a written statement by Biden.
“While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken,” Biden said.
He wasn’t angry until someone told him he had to be angry to keep the woke flames stoked. The uniter in chief missed another chance to actually do something non partisan.
There is nothing oppositional in the statements despite your best effort to suggest otherwise. .
The first statement is the basic acknowledgment that the jury spoke.
The 2nd adds that he personally found it concerning, but as he said earlier, the jury spoke.
The 193,987,539th additional statement by a White House is as routine as all the others.
So what he said versus what his staff said for him makes no difference. Let’s just let his staff run the country so Joe can get more naps
Imagine having a life outside this blog. Hall monitor Barry thinks everyone else has the time or obsession with daily political theatre.
Wow. I will listen to this carefully.
Sennheiser HD 800 S 😉
Yeah, amazing. I wish had your ear – for now something a bit less. But someday – someday …
Sony WH-XB910N Extra Bass = Enough this time to send me into a world where I can visualize the performance. I do miss live music; watching Phillip Bush play is magical. I had a great time with Alice Cooper at the Koger, too: I’m 18 (I wish) and I don’t know what I want (still true as I approach VERY CLOSELY Brad’s age).
I need to spend more time doing both (visualizing performances and actually attending performances). Namaste my friends. Tis Sunday after all! But more importantly, GO Bonnies! They squeaked by Clemson.
I (Misty Mountains Park) am one of two major sponsors of “The Bonnies” (used to be the Brown Indians in Bob Lanier’s Day). Support local, support families, support values. Writing does help soothe my pregame jitters!
🙂 Zanks!
Today I pulled up behind a pick-up at a red light. On the tailgate he’d posted his core beliefs in the form of three bumper stickers neatly arranged one above the other, as if it were a mathematical equation. They read, in order:
“2nd Amendment”
“Christian Soldier”
“Trump 2024”
Christian nationalism could hardly be put more succinctly.
Also:
Recently, certain folk have been raising a ruckus over what they call “dirty books” in public schools, books about non-straight forms of sexuality that they believe no one should be exposed to, not school-age kids at any rate.
And yet, this sort doesn’t seem to have a problem displaying sentiments like the following (in window-decal form) for the whole world to see:
“You’ve got your family, I’ve got mine” [above a row of AR-15s]
and
“When in doubt, open fire”
Do people believe it’s ok to expose children to this sort of thing?
Apparently so.
Do you understand the difference between personal speech and taxpayer funded books for children? Or the difference between words and pictures of sexual acts? I assume you’d be okay with school libraries having pornographic DVDs in their collection, right?
DVDs are so yesterday. Sadly, the porn is on all their phones.
There weren’t many adults in the room in 1972 when I graduated high school; deja vu all over again. I must trust our up and coming leaders; adults continue to mess up. “Old Fart Syndrome” – one element of that syndrome is cynicism. Please chose hope!
I am very hopeful exceptv when I consider the miserable people on this blog who spend a large percentage of their days looking for things to be mad about that have no impact on their lives.
Your cheery and lighthearted posts are just the example we all need
LOL
What do you think your obsession with Trump signifies besides a serious mental illness? I was able to step away from this blog for a year while you made it part of your 12 step program to post daily updates to try and relieve your Trump withdrawal.
Interesting Sunday Notes:
Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post (University of South Carolina alum) was one of three writers in the byline on a very interesting Post story.
The story is on the growing influence of the nutty Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar types in the Republican Party. Trump is highly supportive of both and Trump reiterated his full support of Gosar this week after Gosar released the cartoon video of him murdering one of his colleagues.
With Trump supporting the extremists, GOP leadership in the House has to kiss up to the extremists. This has caused some hard feelings with more mainstream Republicans in the House that feel like GOP leadership is bowing to them because the GOP leader worries he might not be Speaker if he goes against them.
Of course we all know about Greene- who has said that those she opposes in Congress are tyrants and there is absolutely nothing off limits when it comes to dealing with tyrants.
The story covers the GOP leader saying this week that if Republicans retake the House both Greene and Gosar will get their committee assignments back and likely will get much more important committee assignments than they had before. Gosar coule even be a committee chairman (if his health doesn’t get in the way, including his mental health according to his sister and brother).
2nd Sunday Note: – Regarding Trump
Today on the POTUS Channel on Sirius radio, CBS correspondent Major Garrett discussed the influence Trump has on the party- saying that Republican sources have told him- off the record- that Trump’s influence today is stronger than ever- and that’s not only on the GOP in Washington but it’s all the way down to the local town council level.
GOP operatives say that whether he runs or not, the 2024 GOP Primary will be 100% about Trump and everyone running will have to swear allegiance to Trump. The thinking is that this will be like 1988, 1992, and even 1996 where the GOP had to talk about Reagan but this will be that on steroids because the Reagan talk was more focused on policy, and the Trump talk will be personal allegiance to Trump himself.
That’s if Trump doesn’t run. If he does run, everyone will step out of the way because of fear.
3rd Sunday Note
Fox News had a film crew imbedded with the Rittenhouse legal team during the trial.
Rittenhouse has become a hero in Conservative circles, and especially on Fox News which has reportedly covered the trial more extensively than any other news organization. (While almost totally ignoring the Arbery trial in Georgia)
One of Rittenhouse’s lawyers broke the news Sunday and stated it was against his wishes and he had to toss the Fox crew out of their legal prep and meetings several times because of disruptions. He stated he didn’t approve of it but it was not his choice- implying the Rittenhouse family and others were in control.
Conservatives paid for Rittenhouse’s high price legal team, with a number of right wing talk show hosts and cable news hosts contributing to his legal defense.
Junior reporter Barry keeps America informed of the enemy at the gate
Alright. That’s enough comments on this thread.