Friday Talking Points -- Biden Hits The Ground Running
Three momentous things happened last week which so overshadowed everything else in the political world that we're just going to ignore everything else up front, here.
First, Donald Trump slouched off to his golf resort in Florida a few hours early, for purely petty reasons -- he wanted the flight to still officially be "Air Force One" (a designation that only exists when the current president of the United States is on the plane), and he also didn't want to have to ask President Joe Biden for the routine favor of one last flight home on the big plane. So he flew while he was still president, after staging a pathetic goodbye rally at Joint Base Andrews (home base of the two planes that serve as Air Force One and Two). He forced the military into giving him one last 21-howitzer salute, and then flew south for the winter. And, hopefully, forever.
Trump's presidency ended with a bang, and then a whimper. The bang happened on the sixth of January, for which Trump got impeached forthwith. The whimper, however, might be the more important of the two looking forward, since Washington has now been enveloped by a vast silence -- the complete absence of Donald Trump on Twitter, on any other social media, and on the airwaves. He's gone totally dark.
And by doing so, he fixed the internet. No, really:
Online misinformation about election fraud plunged 73 percent after several social media sites suspended President Trump and key allies last week, research firm Zignal Labs has found, underscoring the power of tech companies to limit the falsehoods poisoning public debate when they act aggressively.
The new research by the San Francisco-based analytics firm reported that conversations about election fraud dropped from 2.5 million mentions to 688,000 mentions across several social media sites in the week after Trump was banned from Twitter.
That's astounding. Three-fourths of all the election fraud lies across the entire internet were ended just by silencing Trump. We're still waiting for the official count of how many times Trump lied while in office, which should be north of 30,000.
Taking away Trump's megaphone will have consequences for both the country and the Republican Party going forward, too. Republicans in Congress might be a little less afraid to deny Trump's conspiracy theories now that he can't immediately retaliate to 89 million people with the click of a button.
For now, though, Trump's silence is golden -- so let's all bask in it, shall we?
Of course, Trump hasn't entirely faded from view. That'll take a few more weeks to achieve. Speaker Nancy Pelosi will send over the single article of impeachment Monday to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and the Senate trial will likely begin Tuesday afternoon. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell somehow seems to think he's still in charge, and is blocking a power-sharing agreement with Schumer, but this now puts an end date to such shenanigans, because it'll have to be in place by the time the trial starts. And then for the rest of next week, we'll again be consumed by an impeachment trial.
[Ed. Note: This was all written before Chuck Schumer announced the trial will be delayed for two weeks.]
Eventually, no matter what the outcome, it'll be over. And then we can stop talking about Donald Trump altogether (except for random potshots when he faces his many legal problems).
What we'll be talking about instead are the second two momentous events of the week: Joseph Robinette Biden Junior was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, and Kamala Devi Harris was sworn in as vice president.
The inauguration went off without a hitch, which was good news indeed for the entire country. The fireworks display at the end was one of the most massive Washington has ever seen, and it capped off a day of joy for tens of millions. That's really all that needs be said about it.
Which brings us to the awards. The choices here were obvious. Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are deserving of Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week awards, for wresting power away from the deranged lunatic who has been befouling the White House for four tragically-long years.
Both are historic in their own right. Joe Biden began his national political career as one of the youngest senators ever to be sworn in, and he bookends that now by being the oldest person ever sworn in as president -- he's older than Ronald Reagan was when Reagan left office, in fact. And Joe Biden is now the second Catholic ever to serve as president as well (J.F.K., of course, was the first) -- a fact that is now so mainstream and unremarkable that it was barely ever even mentioned during the entire campaign season. That is progress.
Kamala Harris achieved even more "firsts" -- first woman vice president (also highest-ranking woman ever to serve in American history), first Black (and first Jamaican) veep, first Indian (or, if you prefer, "South Asian" or "Asian-American") veep, first Democrat on a national ticket to hail from west of Texas, and she's married to the first Jewish spouse for ether president or vice president (who has now become the Second Gentleman, also a first). Her taking office was, in a word, historic. For multiple reasons.
Now that they're both sworn in, they've got a big job ahead of them. President Biden is so far following through on his promise to at least attempt bipartisanship and reach across the aisle to Republicans. This may not last long (as we wrote about yesterday), so we'll have to see how it goes.
So far, Biden has been doing a bang-up job of fulfilling most of his "On my first day as president..." campaign promises. His first afternoon, he signed 17 very important executive orders, which both overturned the ugliest parts of the Trump legacy (like the "Muslim ban") as well as corrected many of the gaping holes in Trump's pandemic response (mandating mask-wearing on all federal property -- which includes interstate travel like airplanes and buses). Read the whole list of Biden's first actions to see how sweeping in nature they were.
Biden devoted his second day to rolling out a national pandemic response plan. Such a plan -- shockingly -- has never existed since the initial breakout of COVID-19. It took Biden a single day to institute one. Biden also unchained a visibly-relieved Dr. Anthony Fauci and announced America would be rejoining the World Health Organization, both of which will go a long way towards defeating the virus. Biden is getting FEMA involved in the push to vaccinate everyone -- a very obvious step that should really have been taken a long time ago (and would have, under any other president but Trump).
The press, according to the right-wing echo chamber, has been sucking up to Biden throughout the week. Let's just fact-check that one, shall we?
"We're in a national emergency. It's time we treat it like one," [President Joe] Biden said. "This is a wartime undertaking."
"The brutal truth," Biden said, is that it will take "months" for a majority of Americans to be vaccinated. He has pledged 100 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days. Biden was testy when a reporter asked Biden if 100 million was high enough.
"When I announced it, you all said it's not possible," Biden said. "C'mon, give me a break, man."
Biden's been busy elsewhere, as well, using the biggest broom imaginable to sweep out all the Trump trash. This includes cleaning out obscure agencies which had become nests of pro-Trump vipers, such as the Voice Of America and the National Labor Relations Board. This clean sweep will not be completed for months, most likely, but the most egregious offenders are already gone, which is a good sign.
The Senate has been dragging its feet on confirming Biden's cabinet picks, but that dam seems to have at least cracked, now that Schumer's in charge. All around, Biden's first few days in office have been productive, progressive, and proactive in many ways.
This won't last forever (it never does), but so far Joe Biden and Kamala Harris seem to be enjoying a very traditional "honeymoon" period. Together with their ascension to leadership, this is reason enough to give them both a Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award. We sincerely hope that many of the following weeks go as well as this one has, and offer our sincere congratulations to our new president and vice president.
[(Note: these links are brand new, so maybe we'll get better ones soon.) Congratulate President Joe Biden via his White House contact page, and Vice President Kamala Harris via her official contact page, to let them know you appreciate their efforts.]
While virtually all Democrats are united in their condemnation of the Republicans who voted against confirming the Electoral College results (based on nothing short of moonbeams and pixie dust), there was one who had some kind words for people like Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Josh Hawley:
I think the Senate is a place of freedom, and people come here to speak their piece, and they do, and they provide a kind of leadership.... But it's an important place to have this kind of dialogue. It's probably the highest-level dialog that you get in an electoral body.
Those words were uttered in defense of Cruz and Hawley by California's more-embarrassing senator, Dianne Feinstein.
Throughout the campaign season, Republicans tried to paint Joe Biden as senile and just not mentally up to the job any more. It wasn't true, for Biden. Sadly, it now is true, for Feinstein. She should really think about resigning some time soon, before she embarrasses both herself and her constituents even further than she already has.
For defending the rights of seditionists, Dianne Feinstein is easily the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week this week.
[Contact Senator Dianne Feinstein on her Senate contact page, to let her know what you think of her actions.]
Volume 603 (1/22/21)
Our talking points this week need somewhat of an introduction, since our own introductory segment this week was so short. These talking points for Democrats are important, because this will be the big ideological fight all next week, so let's quickly review where we stand right before Trump's second impeachment trial in the Senate.
Republicans kind of painted themselves into a rhetorical corner, because after the failed insurrection, they all started pleading for "unity." Of course, how they define that word has always been different than how Democrats define it. "Unity" for Republicans right now appears to mean: "let's just let Donald Trump escape scot-free after fomenting rebellion against the Capitol, in the spirit of 'moving on,' and then Joe Biden and the Democrats will have to show us some unity by refusing to act on any of the agenda they ran on and instead start voting for Republican issues -- all to show the country some well-needed 'unity'."
This, of course, is ridiculous. It is hogwash of the first order. Utter tripe. It always has been (the second part, at least; the part about excusing a president for sedition and insurrection is new...). Republicans have always somehow believed that being in the minority in Congress gives them some sort of ideological veto power over the agenda, and so far they're following this playbook once again.
For instance, here was one Republican senator's puzzling reaction to Biden's inaugural speech (which was almost universally hailed as one for the ages):
"If you read his speech and listen to it carefully, much of it is thinly veiled innuendo calling us white supremacists, calling us racists, calling us every name in the book, calling us people who don't tell the truth," Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) whined to Fox News.
Strange that he would read so much into it and take it so personally, isn't it? I mean, if the shoe fits, Rand....
Other Republicans in Congress showed that they had learned precisely nothing from the incitement to insurrection they had already lived through. One even hinted (in a rather extortionate way) that, you know, "nice constitutional government you got here -- be a shame if anything happened to it":
"I really do believe that you pushing [impeachment] is going to further divide our country, further the unrest and possibly incite more violence," Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), who voted against certifying the election results, said on Tuesday. "Please, let's just move on and heal the country."
"Heal the country," to them, apparently now means: "excuse one of the highest crimes ever committed in all of American history."
Thankfully, this insanity was strongly denounced by top Democrats:
[Speaker of the House Nancy] Pelosi pushed back against that contention earlier Thursday, saying bluntly: "The president of the United States committed an act of incitement of insurrection. I don't think it's very unifying to say, 'Oh, let's just forget it and move on.' That's not how you unify."
That's a good start. But as the Senate trial gets underway, Democrats better have their own defenses ready, because the flood of hogwash from the right is about to turn into a tsunami of slop. So here are our suggested talking points for the week.
That's not what the word means, sorry
The first thing Democrats need to counter is the Republicans' misuse of the key term.
"Why is it that the Republican Party seems to define 'unity' as 'Do whatever we want, and we can all unite behind the Republican agenda'? I have a news flash for these Republicans: you lost. Donald Trump lost. He also lost control of the House and the Senate. The people have spoken, and they threw you out of the leadership of our government. So you'll have to excuse us if we get busy doing what they sent us here to do."
Publicly say it
Make them all go on the record, because it is so important.
"You know what would be really unifying? Having each and every Republican member of Congress state publicly and unequivocally that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were duly elected as our president and vice president in a free and fair election. Because until that happens, there can be no unity with such reality-deniers. In fact, if they truly believe that the election was somehow stolen, then they should not be allowed to participate in what they can only call a sham government -- they should be expelled from Congress if they cannot admit this fundamental democratic truth.
Is no one above the law, or not?
This is the core question Democrats should hammer on, all week long.
"Do Republicans really believe that sitting president should be above the law -- that he or she should not have to follow the laws the rest of us do? That's not a president, that's a monarch. And we fought a war with Britain so we don't have to put up with such dangerous nonsense."
Call it what it is
Don't let mealy-mouthed Republicans (or members of the media, for that matter) use any less than the strongest terms to identify precisely what happened.
"The president didn't get caught speeding or littering or committing any other minor offense. In fact, it's hard to even come up with a worse crime than inciting a mob to riot and attack the U.S. Capitol in an attempted insurrection. Donald Trump led a rebellion against Congress, against American democracy, against the concept of a free and fair election, against the peaceful transfer of power, and against the United States Constitution he had sworn to uphold and protect. He must be held accountable for such a vile and reprehensible and seditious crime against us all."
We cannot let this happen again
You'd think the Republicans eyeing a 2024 presidential bid would be more open to this line of argument....
"Donald Trump proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is simply not fit to hold the highest office in the land. But if impeachment fails, he will be free to run for that same office again in four years. We must not allow that to happen, which is why all senators with a shred of morality and decency -- to say nothing about supporting the concept of law and order -- must vote to convict Trump and forever bar him from federal office. So he cannot run again in 2024, or ever."
Send the right message to the future
It's not just about Trump. Point this out, explicitly.
"If what Trump did is allowed to stand, this will send a big message to all future presidents -- that it is somehow acceptable to encourage rebellion against the government of the United States of America. That the use of violence to achieve political aims -- violence directed not just at one branch of our government but also directed at Trump's own vice president -- is completely permissible. Every Republican who votes against convicting Donald Trump in the Senate will be sending this very dangerous and historic signal into the future."
Not so fast
Yeah, because Republicans have always been the party of "let's move on and heal the country," right? Don't make me laugh...
"Move on? Are you kidding me? More Americans died in the U.S. Capitol than died in the attack on Benghazi, Libya -- and we certainly spent a whale of a lot of time and energy investigating that one over and over and over again. Where was this spirit of 'let's move on' back then, eh? Well, please excuse me if I consider fomenting rebellion just a little more serious than giving out conflicting information from a war zone. The country cannot simply 'move on' without the perpetrators of this heinous crime being held fully accountable. So, yes, we've got the time to do that, first. We will never have true unity without first achieving accountability, sorry."
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground
One point I was struck by from some commentator in the past week or two:
Republicans are setting themselves up so that they can never again admit defeat in a national election. They have encouraged a very large segment of their party to believe that Trump won, won big, and was robbed of his victory by nefarious forces on the other side. That myth is now being propagated in the vacuum of the party's leadership saying nothing, even now, to contradict or deny it (your point #2). The party is also preparing to expel any so-called Republicans, the new-style RINOs, who might object to this flight into Never-never Land. That is, "never, never" will we admit that Trump lost or that Biden won.
So, in the 2024 election, what happens to the GOP electoral base when candidate Paul, or Haley, or whoever, says in response to press questions that yes, of course, if he or she loses they will accept the loss? "WHAT??!!" scream 40 or 50 million Republican voters, "You'll allow them to steal the election a SECOND time???" Off with your head!
It's just not going to be possible to enter the election on any other platform than that only the Republican candidate can actually win the presidency. I doubt the party's leaders have figured this out - at least, they're not acting like this is the case - but as I see it, without your point #2 becoming their action plan #1, they're committing to sabotage democracy and the constitution as the reason for the Republican Party's existence.
Courtesy of Donald Trump.
So, let me see if I understand the situation correctly because, I've been way off base more than once today. Ahem.
Because there is a 50-50 split in the senate (and, I know, the vice president breaks the tie when it comes to votes), there must now be an agreed upon power-sharing arrangement.
And, if the Democratic and Republican leaders in the senate cannot agree to a deal to share power for the next two years, then the previous senate rules and agreement go into effect.
In which case, Republicans maintain chairmanships of the committees.
Have I got that right?
how about talking point 8:
hello, republicans. do any of you have any ambition of running for president in 2024? unless donald trump is convicted and disqualified, you'll be running in a primary against him again. good luck with that.
JL
Chris,
Joe Biden began his national political career as one of the youngest senators ever to be sworn in, and he bookends that now by being the oldest person ever sworn in as president.
And, following on that, may I offer a prediction ...
You know the old saying that the presidency ages the occupant of the oval office. This has clearly been the case as we always compare the pictures pre-presidency and marvel at the changes we see post-presidency.
I predict that Biden will buck this trend and actually look younger in four years and be criss-crossing the country on his way to a second term.
Why? Because, Joe Biden currently resides in seventh heaven. He has the job of his dreams - a job he is so uniquely qualified for. He is passionate beyond compare about working to improve the lives of all Americans. Being POTUS is not only in his wheelhouse - it's in his blood and bone marrow. He lives for being in a position to make positive change and being president is the ultimate position in that regard.
Is there any other comparable example of how well-meshed the man is with the job? I think not.
Joshua, that is precisely why I can understand why they wouldn't vote to convict, almost en masse.
why I can't understand
My Congressman here in CA-8, one of a handful of Repugs in California, voted against certifying Joe and Kamala and against the article of impeachment. He's new and in over his head, but most of the Repugs are afraid of Trump and are frozen in place.
"You want unity? Who won the election?"
CW: He forced the military into giving him one last 21-howitzer salute, and then flew south for the winter.
Three guns fired seven times each... the fourth is there as a backup.
Another QAnon deadline passed where Trump was set to announce his masterful takeover and "saving" of America. Yet off he flew; the announcement never came. But there were 17 flags behind him, and what is the 17th letter in the alphabet?
Cue the moving of the Q goalposts... for a few more hours until noon.
The inauguration went off without a hitch, which was good news indeed for the entire country.
Except the Q. Another failed coup.
Nobody's going to pardon you. :)
Florida Man Who Incited Terrorist Attack Faces Trial For Sedition
@caddy,
let's all have some unity by supporting pie.
JL
Elizabeth, on [2], power-sharing in the Senate:
Your question threw me, as I hadn't realized things were in such a state. Here's a Time magazine article on the issue at hand. If I understand it, McConnell is using his current filibuster power to delay a power-sharing arrangement, in an effort to force Schumer to promise to leave the filibuster in place going forward. As we've been discussing here, many Dems are ready to ditch the filibuster in order to achieve the Democratic platform initiatives over the coming two-year term. McConnell is making his final move to stop that, by obstructing the Senate's business in his time-tested way. And since Senate committees continue across election transitions, because only a third of the Senators are elected in any given season, yes the current committee chairs continue in their positions until a resolution is achieved.
But I suspect Schumer is not too dumb to be able to parry McConnell here - not that I have any idea how he will do it!
https://time.com/5932616/why-mitch-mcconnell-is-filibustering-to-protect-the-filibuster/
[2] Elizabeth Miller wrote:
"Because there is a 50-50 split in the senate (and, I know, the vice president breaks the tie when it comes to votes), there must now be an agreed upon power-sharing arrangement.
And, if the Democratic and Republican leaders in the senate cannot agree to a deal to share power for the next two years, then the previous senate rules and agreement go into effect.
In which case, Republicans maintain chairmanships of the committees.
Have I got that right?"
Yes and no. It is not a question of IF Democrats become chairman of the various Senate committees but simply more of a question of when they will do so and how quickly and in what order etc. that the transition will take place. That requires the Senate to pass an organizing resolution which they have not agreed upon a formula for doing so yet. This also includes rearranging and assigning office and supporting staff for members, etc. As long as a Republican chairs a committee, they get to set the agenda for that committee.
It is NOT about an agreement for Democrats and Republicans to share power, they don't get an equal say, (Democrats have total control of the Senate, if they exercise the power, Republicans can only delay. Republicans can't block anything at all if Democrats do away with the filibuster with a rule change, as long as all 50 of their side voted for it, they could do it with 51 votes, including Kamala Harris's tie breaking vote) it is about setting the rules for how the power and control shifts from Republicans to Democrats. For instance, will there be an equal number of Democrats and Republicans on a committee, an even split, and who will those members be, who gets assigned to sit on which committee? Regardless of whether there is an agreement or not, the power WILL shift. Republicans can only delay the process, not stop it. They can agree to make it orderly or chaotic.
If there is no agreement, then previous Senate rules would apply, from the LAST time there was a 50/50 split in the Senate, which would mean that the rules from 2001 would go into effect. Republicans stay as chairman of the committees only TEMPORARILY, until a Democrat is named and settled upon. But they cannot refuse to eventually vacate their seat to a Democratic chairman.
At least, that's the way I understand it.
I have an idea as to how he could do it!
That was meant for the other John, from Conneticut!
John M,
But they cannot refuse to eventually vacate their seat to a Democratic chairman.
Well, I think we need a proactive plan, just in case. And, the sooner the better!
Connecticut, sorry.
As another example:
Without an agreement, a Democratic Chairman might take over a committee from the Republican Chairman, and therefore gets to set the agenda, but still have a majority of Republican members on that committee, rather than an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, who could vote to turn something down. BUT, any SINGLE member of that committee could then bring the item to the floor for a vote by the full Senate, since Schumer and not McConnell would be in control, and since Democrats have control of the floor of the Senate (if not the committee) they could still have a vote and either pass the item (overcoming the filibuster) or put the entire Senate on record on the the issue.
I still think Democrats need to do something to put themselves in a better driving seat. I mean, Geez Louise! All the pain and heartache of the 2020 elections and Georgia and everything must have been for something!!!
[19] Elizabeth Miller wrote:
"I still think Democrats need to do something to put themselves in a better driving seat. I mean, Geez Louise! All the pain and heartache of the 2020 elections and Georgia and everything must have been for something!!!"
Which is EXACTLY why they should just do away with the filibuster entirely! :-D
A majority elected Democrats to pass a Democratic agenda, not to pass a Republican agenda for the sake of unity. Why give Democrats control of the Presidency, the House and the Senate if not for their agenda and real change?
Republicans are just trying to pull a fast one. "Democrats should support our Republican agenda if they really want to make nice." Uh, that's a big FAT NO. That's not what people voted for.
Republicans need to understand that they LOST and their agenda was rejected by a MAJORITY. If the shoe were on the other foot, Republicans would be using maximum power at Democrats expense.
Otherwise in 2 years voters will complain that nothing ever gets done and nothing ever changes, so either why vote or why not just vote for Republicans again.
It seems to me that Biden and Chuck could put together a deal that Mitch would find very hard, if not impossible, to resist.
Kind of like what I proposed here when I made my big mea culpa on the subject of pardons but this time take the pardon issue right out of it, for now.
http://www.chrisweigant.com/2021/01/14/dont-let-the-terrorists-win/#comment-173872
I'm sure we could come up with something that would make everyone happy, right?
John M,
I am coming around to your thinking on the filibuster. Only because I've been evaluating a new proposal centered around the notion of 'post-partisanship' ...
More about that later!
Dems should eliminate the filibuster. They don't have the votes to do it.
Sorry Kick, still more "off topic" ranting. (For some reason Chris' current topics don't really resonate with me.)
Just read on Huffpost where famous radio/TV talk show host Larry King lied at age 87. He had in recent times suffered from "multiple heart attacks, lung cancer (lifelong heavy smoker) and a stroke", but of course, he died of COVID19, the dread pandemic, or more aptly the Dempanic.
Orange Death [10],
Lies. Check.
Baseless accusations. Check.
Character assassination. Check.
Conspiracy theories. Check.
Authoritarian plans. Check.
Attack media. Check.
Alzheimerish repetition. Check.
Lots of projection. Check.
Stucki,
he died of COVID19
See that? You're learning. He did, in fact, die from the virus. For some reason, he was able to survive all those other diseases, but he contracted the virus, and was dead in short order.
Dempanic.
Shame on those Dems for locking down the UK & Japan.
Heh.
Who do I talk to about the lockdown in my neck of the woods?
JFC
Have you seen a recent picture of him? It's a bit of a stretch to even define an 87 yr old with "multiple heart attacks, lung cancer and a stroke" as being "alive", just because his heart was pumping.
Weak.
Your argument, I mean. :)
More like cold-blooded or reptilian.
Stucki,
Have you seen a recent picture of him? It's a bit of a stretch to even define an 87 yr old with "multiple heart attacks, lung cancer and a stroke" as being "alive", just because his heart was pumping.
Do you have any info indicating that he was institutionalized or even bed-ridden before he got the virus? I'm fairly certain that a person with brain function and a beating heart qualifies as "alive" and sick, ugly, feeble, & disabled are not synonyms for "dead".
Ditto. And, that goes for 33 and 34.
JFC
You really know how to break a guys' heart. At age 85, I have all those latter physical 'attributes' you describe, and was seriously hoping they were an indication that I didn't have to endure the lefty insanity prevailing around here for much longer.
Now my hopes are dashed!!!
Stucki,
Good news (for you). COVID is really easy to catch.
Don't fret CRS, we actually love ya around here.
Just checked out Jimmy Dore. Holy crap, that guy is the Alex Jones of the left. Take a crumb of fact, then focus on a narrow slice of that. Distort the problem, offer an absolutist solution to which the slightest variation is evil. Then use the whole thing to project hate and rile up his followers. Though it does explain Don...
JFC [37]
Not convinced of that. Supposedly, I'm among the most vulnerable, and I never wear a mask except to go in places that requires it, and I haven't managed to catch it in all this time.
Bashi [39],
I watched him ranting and lying about the $2K checks. It's hard to take very much.
At no point did I expect a check for $2K because I understand English and pay attention. The congress passed a bill with $600 payments, Florida Man said it should be $2K and the Dems moved to add $1,400. They were not proposing an additional $2K.
I hate to think what his "comedy" is like although there was somebody laughing at him while he lied. Maybe that's what I was watching.
JFC-
I watched a Jimmy Dore video about a convoy of 40 military trucks entering Syria from Iraq on January 21st. According to Jimmy Dore this is proof that Biden and America with it is back in the war game! Then checked out some articles about the move. All had some variation of this little snippet:
Other local media report that such maneuvers are not unusual as the US often moves transfers equipment between Iraq and Syria.
So Jimmy is pushing a big warmonger conspiracy out of a nothing burger...
CRS,
You haven't caught it because you are wearing a mask when you can't guarantee that you'll be able to keep proper physical distance and you're following the other simple health measures that we can all follow to save lives.
And, I'm very glad to hear it! I mean that sincerely, I'm not trying to be facecious here.
LizM,
He described himself as sick, ugly, feeble, & disabled AND he lives in Idaho. How much non-distant socializing could he be doing? He says that at least some of what he does do is done with a mask. It's a shock that he hasn't caught covid, isn't it?
Let's invite him into the reality based community.
John From Censornati
103 (moved forward)
For the sake of unity, we should all move on.
I know, right, JFC!? We should also be uniting the forum by adopting the troll's agenda.
You can already see that the GOP has decided they're not going to hold Trump responsible for his crimes. They've made the decision that they're going to double down on the election lies by pushing more right-wing lies, falsehoods, and bullshit:
* The only way to have unity is to move on and ignore the crimes of Benedict Donald.
* The only way to have unity is to leave the Trump agenda in place and adopt the GOP agenda. *laughs*
__________
New Big Lie: It's unconstitutional to have a trial if the accused has left office.
*
After he violated multiple laws, he could just resign/leave office and couldn't be held accountable because we should all just move on and adopt his agenda for unity's sake.
*I can't stop laughing*
Don Harris
10
*
How's that cashing in personally on the back end with a book deal working out for you? Rhetorical question.
A writer who'd take more than $200 for a book deal cannot be trusted and has no integrity... because I said so.
Seems to me like the only thing you got against Big Money is the fact you ain't making it.
So to recap: While Big Money Harris might have failed spectacularly at "cashing in" on the "back end," it wasn't for lack of trolling and flailing and spamming and failing. :)
nypoet22
11
let's all have some unity by supporting pie.
I pledge to support every single pie that takes less than 200 ingredients. :)
C. R. Stucki
24
Sorry Kick, still more "off topic" ranting. (For some reason Chris' current topics don't really resonate with me.)
Ranting is your thing.
Just read on Huffpost where famous radio/TV talk show host Larry King lied at age 87.
Chris' current topics don't resonate with you so you went to Huffpost? Heh. Where you learned that Larry King lied at age 87. You simply cannot trust old men. Old men are liars. Take Donald Trump for instance, and take the majority of GOP who are old men and lied. They lied about the election; they lied about an impeachment trial being unconstitutional. Grand Old Prevaricators lied!
He had in recent times suffered from "multiple heart attacks, lung cancer (lifelong heavy smoker) and a stroke", but of course, he died of COVID19, the dread pandemic, or more aptly the Dempanic.
Oh, he died? Well, that's very different. Nevermind!
Elizabeth Miller
29
Who do I talk to about the lockdown in my neck of the woods?
Talk to the hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Fyf4R-nzI
C. R. Stucki
30
Have you seen a recent picture of him? It's a bit of a stretch to even define an 87 yr old with "multiple heart attacks, lung cancer and a stroke" as being "alive", just because his heart was pumping.
Did you are did you not recently turn 85 yourself?
Rhetorical question.
C. R. Stucki
36
At age 85, I have all those latter physical 'attributes' you describe, and was seriously hoping they were an indication that I didn't have to endure the lefty insanity prevailing around here for much longer.
Said the guy who free from duress notified the forum of the fact that he was voluntarily reading "Huffpost."
You should be forewarned that the majority on this forum do not suffer from the Righty affliction of being unable to "connect the dots." :)
The peace and America loving left is Twittering for a secret ballet for Florida Man's senate trial so that chicken-livered Republicans can vote against him w/o running the risk of death threats from the base.
The flaw in this plan is that they all hate him and even the boot-lickers want him out of the way for 2024. The vote could conceivably end up 100 to 0. Even the death cult zombies could figure it out.
@jfc [52],
i believe i said the same thing back in [3]
JL
Heh
JFC,
The vote could conceivably end up 100 to 0. Even the death cult zombies could figure it out.
There you go, getting my hopes up again and letting my imagination run away with me. I think I'll play that one sunday night.
Stucki, the main reason for wearing a mask is to protect other people, not yourself. Other people wearing masks protects you. Wearing a mask seems to give only a small amount of protection to the wearer. I don't normally wear a mask when walking out of doors, because there is enough room in my neighborhood to spread out on a sidewalk, and traffic is light enough that you can even step into the road to keep a distance from someone else. But when I go into a corner shop or a supermarket, I first put on a mask as protection for the proprietors and for their other customers, who are my neighbors. On a busy city street or in a crowded shopping area, I wear a mask even outdoors (and avoid those places as much as I can.)
Congress has the power to distinguish electoral votes from phonies. Members of Congress have the authority to object to electoral votes before they're counted. They should not be expelled for a reprehensible but lawful exercise of their authority.
If it turns out that members of Congress materially assisted the rioters, that's different. For example, if they gave tours for reconnaissance, they should be expelled for that.
I don't think the filibuster should be eliminated entirely. I think it should be restored to something like what it was before the changes in the 1970s.
[57]
Yes, Jimmy Dore does do that
By "that", you must mean "lies a lot".
Of course, you would use those videos to say Jimmy Dore should be ignored.
Actually, I would say that he should be avoided like the plague. We each randomly chose a video and we each got a pack of lies. There's no good reason to expect anything but more lying if another is watched. I'll take that back. A headache can also be expected.
@don,
CW is a cat person. calling him "bad doggy" probably doesn't compute. also, it sounds from your description like jimmy dore is not particularly credible. are your posts to him equally harsh?
pie is always credible.
JL
dan,
i said the same about the filibuster.
http://www.chrisweigant.com/2021/01/21/unity-may-be-short-lived/#comment-174177
Mezzomamma[56],
That is very good mask literacy and advice.
I look at mask wearing, at least with regard to the kind of cloth face coverings that I wear, as a show of respect for others.
Also, masking up is just one piece - and not the most important one at that - of an overall and comprehensive package of public health measures that will reduce transmission and ultimately end this pandemic.
In the US, it has seemed that only one measure is focused on at a time. First it was masking and now it's vaccines. No one measure is the answer. They have to start doing it all!
I wish Biden and team, particularly the CDC, would release an easy to understand and follow set of health guidelines that clearly set out ALL of the behaviors individuals should be following and ALL of what all levels of government are doing to support those behaviors, everywhere. Without that, it's hard to get everyone on the same page and get the virus under control.
Solidarity, solutions, science.
JFC [52]
Re " . .the left is Twittering for a secret balet . ."
Not meaning to nit-pick your spelling, but the word is actually 'ballet' (two ells). You reference some trial thing going on in FL that I don't know about, but can't wait for you guys to get AOC and her fellow "squad" members in tutus and on stage, demonstrating the fact that the impeachment talk is all just a theatrical production.
Stucki,
Please at least get your nit-picking snark right. I did use two ells. You've misquoted my misspelled word.
I don't want to nit pick or anything but ...
CRS 24- following your logic leads to the conclusion that Larry King's death was ultimately caused by one unique sperm fertilizing one unique egg some 87 years ago. All other events in his life were simply contributing factors. The CDC has it all backwards. Thanks for pointing this out.
I think medicare for all via executive order would be a huge mistake. We just watched Biden undo a ton of Trump Executive orders which would mean the next president could get rid of it with the stoke of a pen. The ACA on the other hand is battered but still standing after a decade of republican attack. I also suspect it would be shot down by the supreme court for overreach and prevented by congress by refusing to fund it.
Even worse, the republicans are busy infighting. Lets let them have fun with that for a while. An executive order for medicare for all would stop the infighting and laser focus them to that issue to rally behind.
Stig [70]
Not sure where you're going with that. More like that "one unique sperm" and that "one unique egg" (along with all the other non-unique sperms and eggs) were all subject to mortality.
It's not always easy to isolate any unique or particular thing that causes a seriously deteriorated heart to quit pumping at age 87, and I maintain the the panic pounders among the news media, who thrive on proclaiming disasters, are abusing that fact to sell advertising $, gain listeners, gain notoriety, (all the same thing) etc.
So, I'm thinking of going back in time to 1964 for tonight's CW Sunday Night Music Festival and Dance Party.
How does that sound?
BB
The never-mentioned problem with Medicare for All (which I strongly support)is that our health delivery system was never ever planned, but rather grew and evolved in a total vacuum, as a by-product of WWII labor shortages in the war-time economy. As a result, we have a plethora of entrenched and established 'middle-men' earning their (outrageous) incomes from the existing system who are willing to spread a huge portion of those (outrageous) incomes in the form of bribes to politicians in an effort to maintain those (outrageous) incomes!
The sorry truth is that our current system is such a financial juggernaut that IT IS far BEYOND THE CAPACITY of a mere "executive order to restructure.
Don,
Good luck to the legislators and/or president that choose that path or legislators that choose not to fund it.
Indeed!
Do you think it would be a good idea to keep improving the ACA, incrementally so that more and more people are benefiting to the point where universal healthcare is no longer some pie in the sky notion but something tangible that is here to stay, no matter what and will only get better?
Problem is the senate is a 50/50 split with only a tie breaker but also a few blue dog democrats. Not a strong position for more progressive policies. An executive order medicare for all I think in the long term would end up killing and/or greatly delaying it. The republicans would rally, tie everything up in court and do well in the midterms enough to get rid of it. I think the best chance for a medical care reform of some sort is to ignore it for a couple of years. Work on the clean up on aisle Trump, return lives to somewhat normal and work hard on the midterms. There are a lot more republicans in the senate up for reelection than democrats in 2022. If peoples lives are noticeably better than in 2020, there is a good chance of increasing enough seats to override the blue dogs. Then a strong legislative medical care bill could be pushed through. Stucki is right, restructuring healthcare is a herculean task that needs large amounts of well thought out legislation. An executive order would be a disaster and a really nice gift to republicans...
well there ya go.
https://youtu.be/rQqwG_rQx7A
Okay, Joshua, THAT is the best start ever to a CW Sunday Night Music Festival and Dance Party, bar none! :)
Welcome, everybody - let's have some fun tonight!
I've been reading Rocket Norton's book, Rocket Norton Lost In Space ... a book that "some said couldn't be written, some said shouldn't be written"!
Rocket is, among many other things, a drummer in Vancouver's PRiSM and was a member of the definitive five, the classic lineup of Lindsay Mitchel, John Hall, Al Harlow, Ron Tabak and, Rocket Norton (1977-1980), and beyond.
His book is a definitive account of life in a rock and roll, the whole nine yards, the whole shebang ... sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, definitively!
Anyway, it all got started for a thirteen year old Rocket one certain evening in February, 1964 in Vancouver while waiting with great anticipation in front of a TV set for Ed Sullivan to introduce the Beatles.
The next day he bought a small drum set and was organizing a band at his friends' house before the day was out ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jenWdylTtzs&list=RDjenWdylTtzs&index=1
While Rocket's drumming style was fashioned after Ringo, the Rolling Stones had an undeniable influence on everything else. And, that goes especially for songs like the "raw and sexual" King Bee ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i50OprCuu4
Another of his early Stones favourites was the "crude and powerful" Not Fade Away which, along with I'm A King Bee, is off of that first Stones' studio album in 1964, The Rolling Stones (England's Newest Hit Makers) ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6RWnGQ3XqQ
I would wager that there are countless musicians today who are now in their late sixties and early seventies and can trace the spark that piqued their interest in following a dream in rock and roll to the Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. I believe Gowan is one of them.
1964, in fact, was a great year for music, right?
Of course, who says we can't take a little detour from the music of 1964 for a moment to bask in the awesome musicianship of RUSH with a special focus on Neil Peart ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3T-9wCVQPw
Is there anyone alive out there!?
Okay, party lovers, time to put your dancin' shoes on ... or your workout wear ... or something, 'cause it's time to do the Freddy!
Yeah, this was quite popular in the early sixties. Thankfully, it was a bit before my time but, I'm gonna give it a go-go, anyways. Heh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALR13MJLAs4
Don Harris
59
You make Jimmy Dore look like an amateur at twisting things.
So apparently you do agree wholeheartedly with several of the multiple posters on this board that Jimmy Dore is an inveterate liar; however, my post actually said nothing at all about your obsession with Jimmy Dore, but maybe we could all agree that he's a dick and you could stop obsessing about him in the comments section herein.
It was horribly misleading of me to quote you verbatim (including the link to your quote) and twist your words to suggest you were looking to "cash in personally on the back end with a book deal" when your actual words were you were expecting to:
And prove yourself as a troll and an amateur at rational discussion.
I quoted your website and its founder (you) who stated unequivocally that he did "expect" he "may have the opportunity to cash in personally," and I realize that it definitely does make you appear to be a troll when you grift here repetitively with the goal of forcing another man to shill your own spew. However, I disagree vehemently that it sounded like an "amateur" because there was nowhere in that particular post that contained your bio... which obviously would have made it sound amateurish.
Do I have a song for that?
Duh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl96cYyMGbs
If that wasn't enough, then you've got one more chance to rock it out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mZrHFUlb1M
Don Harris
59
You make Jimmy Dore look like an amateur at twisting things.
So apparently you do agree wholeheartedly with several of the multiple posters on this board that Jimmy Dore is an inveterate liar; however, my post actually said nothing at all about your obsession with Jimmy Dore, but maybe we could all agree that he's a dick and you could stop obsessing about him in the comments section herein.
It was horribly misleading of me to quote you verbatim (including the link to your quote) and twist your words to suggest you were looking to "cash in personally on the back end with a book deal" when your actual words were you were expecting to:
*
And prove yourself as a troll and an amateur at rational discussion.
I quoted your website and its founder (you) who stated unequivocally that he did "expect" he "may have the opportunity to cash in personally," and I realize that it definitely does make you appear to be a troll when you grift here repetitively with the goal of forcing another man to shill your own spew. However, I disagree vehemently that it sounded like an "amateur" because there was nowhere in that particular post that contained your bio... which obviously would have made it sound amateurish.
Do I have a song for that?
Duh.
Liar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl96cYyMGbs
Here is one from the Stones' 1964 album, 12 X 5, that was an early influencer of Rocket's musical tastes and is entitled, 1220 South Michigan Avenue - which is the address of the legendary Chicago blues recording studio at Chess Records and where the Stones recorded 12 X 5.
Enjoy the long version of this instrumental track - there is a story to go along with this recording studio but you'll have to get Rocket's book to read all about it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXQYDfLxVtk
Well, for the newcomers here tonight, we normally dispense with all of the political comments during our little Sunday night shindig but, you know, there's one in every crowd.
At least, she has a tune to go along with it. :)
By the way, if you're new here, please join in on all of the fun we have here every Sunday night and post your favourite tunes - don't be shy!
Kick[90],
That was fun!
The tune, I mean. :)
Got a favourite from '64?
So, you just knew there was going to be PRiSM tune thrown in here somewhere.
Here is a beautifully restored video of the classic PRiSM lineup doing Armageddon, off their third studio album of the same name from 1979 ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fvAywpTCe8&list=RDMM&start_radio=1
Back to 1964 and the Beatles ... they had six songs in the top 40 of the Billboard Top 100 for 1964 with this one coming in at 13...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjyj8qnqkYI
Continuing with our theme of the evening, I'll bet that you can't sit still for this one ... go ahead, Twist and Shout!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQWgwBaRik0
Let's pick up the beat just a little ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4gGFk2P854
Whew!
Okay, all you left-coasters and night owls in the east, time to take over for the next few hours but, before I go, one more from the Beatles ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S302kF8MJ-I
Elizabeth Miller
84
Another of his early Stones favourites was the "crude and powerful" Not Fade Away...
Hey! Good choice. That's a song written by Charles Hardin Holley a.k.a. Buddy Holly, the pride of Lubbock, Texas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2L84dvoag
I'm playing catch-up tonight, EM. I had to watch my boy Patrick Mahomes (another Texan and also a pride of Lubbock) kick some Buffalo Bills butt. :)
Elizabeth Miller
87
Is there anyone alive out there!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vATndqkDTGs
I can't resist one more from Rush - Spirit of the Radio performance at their 2013 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... better late than never, as they say. Ahem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o9pWOGn9Yg&list=RDb-VAxGJdJeQ&index=10
Help!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTsB-llTzyc&list=RDb-VAxGJdJeQ&index=11
Elizabeth Miller
95
Got a favourite from '64?
How about '65?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqpysaAo4BQ
The piano solo was sped up to make it sound like a harpsichord. :)
Very nice!
And, I'll have to follow up your Titanic clip with ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2RnxZnubCM
Can't end with THAT!
Here are the Kinks ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2GmzyeeXnQ
And, because I was guilty of letting my imagination run away with me on more than one occasion this week, here are the Tempations ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ4Ym9Xiw3w
The harmonies and chord changes on this one.
The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_80s6S_7Vw
Yes, that sounds very nice.
One more from '64 ... last dance for me. Heh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuCBXTfoVq8
I lied.
I meant to post this a little earlier - it's the Beatles audition on New Year's Day, 1962 for Decca Records ... pretty phenomenal ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTMlZxHk938
Good night and keep rockin'!
I'm back!
Just came across this gem from the Beatles' important stint in Hamburg ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJbAMYcNxbE
Elizabeth Miller
112
One more from '64 ... last dance for me. Heh.
I played that before when you played the two old men doing it, remember?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HasaQvHCv4w
More Beatles in Hamburg.
The company I work for is headquartered in Hamburg and I was fortunate enough to visit this lovely city on a business trip. Went on a private walking tour with a guy who knew them and the important sites, including the incredible Beatlemania museum.
At the museum there was a room set up with several rows of chairs and on all four walls, floor to ceiling, was footage of a Beatles concert with all of the girls screaming like crazy - you really got a sense of what it must have been like for them on stage. What a blast!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WoIQG9qZ_s
Yeah, Kick, I remember! That is a ton of fun!
Elizabeth Miller
113
I meant to post this a little earlier - it's the Beatles audition on New Year's Day, 1962 for Decca Records ... pretty phenomenal ...
Decca thought it was so "phenomenal" that they rejected them. Failed audition. Thankfully. :)
Yeah, imagine that!
That video from 117... still watching. :)
Kick[100],
I'm playing catch-up tonight, EM. I had to watch my boy Patrick Mahomes (another Texan and also a pride of Lubbock) kick some Buffalo Bills butt. :)
I'll be watching him do the same to Brady ... just 'cause.
Nice Buddy Holly song, btw.
Kick[120],
Enjoy!
Unfortunately, that museum closed in 2012 due to ... lack of interest?? That's a shame - it really was something!
Going way back...
The Quarrymen, a skiffle group from Liverpool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4_LMMKq8Hw
That'll Be The Day, another song by Charles Hardin Holley a.k.a. Buddy Holly... the pride of Lubbock, Texas.
The evolution of the Quarrymen (or Quarry Men) into the Beatles is a great story.
You know, it's kind of like the story of how PRiSM formed!
Elizabeth Miller
122
I'll be watching him do the same to Brady ... just 'cause.
Tampa Bay has home field advantage, though. Last time they played (Week 12, I believe) Patrick threw for 450+ yards and beat Brady at Tampa Bay.
Nice Buddy Holly song, btw.
Seems like Buddy inspired them all.
Peace, out. :)
G'nite. :)
Well, that was fun!
As for the rest of you party poopers, see ya next week!
CRS-72
The CDC defines cause of death as: the disease or injury that initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death. The CDC definition and WHO definition are functionally the same.
King survived multiple heart attacks, lung cancer and stroke. They affected his life and his risk profile, but he kept on living. COVID was the event that initiated the chain of biological system failures that killed him. Not the heart, not the cancer and not the strokes.
So, Rob Portman says he's not going to run for reelection in 2022. He says it's gotten harder and harder to break through the partisan gridlock and make progress on substantive policy, as if he's had nothing to do with that.
They call him "moderate", "pragmatic", "sensible", & "institutionalist", but will he vote to convict Florida Man? I wouldn't bet on it. He might get a death threat.
Wow! Dominion is going after Giuliani for $1.3 billion dollars. It's pretty clear that he defamed them with baseless Qnut lies.
How much are they going to sue Florida Man for? $10 billion?
It's good to be king. Not-king is less good.
The Dems need to go ahead and nuke the filibuster right now. If McConnell is going to use the filibuster to prevent them from assuming their role as the majority, they should just get on with it.
Stig [129]
Got it. But you say that as if making that decision is always simple, straight forward, not subject to mis-diagnosis, human error, or even in this case, political correctness.
What you describe is clearly applicable to a car crash, but much less so to COVID19.
CRS,
What you describe is clearly applicable to a car crash, but much less so to COVID19.
How so?
I mean, being tested positively for the virus and actually seeing its effect on x-rays is every bit as clear and obvious as being critically injured in a car crash, no?
Elizabeth Miller
136
I mean, being tested positively for the virus and actually seeing its effect on x-rays is every bit as clear and obvious as being critically injured in a car crash, no?
Yes, ma'am... 100%. The x-ray images of those where COVID has entered the lungs are unmistakable and present like small feathers. CT images of the disease as it progresses appear like ground glass.
Stucki
Anyone telling you that the numbers of COVID deaths in the United States are being overblown is either misinformed or full of bullshit up to their eyeballs or both. COVID deaths are being undercounted.
The Trump administration lied to the American people from the jump regarding the severity of the disease and the number of deaths. I have no reason to lie to you.
Why are you commenting on an old thread?
Elizabeth Miller
139
Why are you commenting on an old thread?
Because I routinely refuse to conform to rigid constraints. :)
Why were you up so early today? Don't answer that; you'll upset the board patrol. ;)
Nope, didn't get up early ... and that's all I have to say about that.