Contemplating Divided Government [Part 2]
[Program Note: This is the conclusion to the first part of this article, which ran yesterday.]
If Republicans do take control of both chambers of Congress, the margin of control in each will be the most important variable. In the Senate, the margin will likely be fairly close, but nobody really knows what it might be like in the House. If Republicans have a blowout House election season and pick up dozens and dozens of seats, this will almost certainly make Kevin McCarthy's job a lot easier; but if the margin is tight (maybe not quite as tight as the one Nancy Pelosi has been dealing with, but perhaps within 10 or 15 votes) then any faction bigger than the margin will be able to dictate its own terms -- as the Tea Partiers proved, the last time this happened.
Of course, there is no guarantee that Kevin McCarthy will actually become speaker. If the margin is tight enough, then the whackadoodle fringe of the Republican caucus might decide to oust him for some perceived unfaithfulness to Trumpism. It's doubtful that they could force one of their own (Jim Jordan, perhaps?) on the rest of their caucus as speaker, but there is a curveball plan that some of them are already openly flirting with -- nominating Donald Trump for speaker of the House.
There is no requirement that whomever is elected speaker has to be a member of the House, or even a member of government anywhere. It is theoretically a wide-open choice. And forcing the rest of the caucus to vote against Trump himself is a lot different dynamic than trying to foist Jim Jordan upon them, obviously. The only real question is whether Trump would even want the job, though. There are definite bonuses: being able to tweak Joe Biden on a daily basis and being back in the public limelight again, but there are also drawbacks: having to deal with a lot of day-to-day governing and accepting an office that is a big step down from the last office he held. The real motivating factor for the conspiracy theorists among Republicans is that the speaker is constitutionally second in line to the presidency. So you can spin a MAGA fantasy where both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not only impeached but also convicted in the Senate, which (if he were sitting in the speaker's chair) would give the country, by default, "President Trump" once again. And because it'd be past the middle of the term, he'd even be eligible to run for the job again in 2024 as an incumbent.
This is obviously never going to happen, since it would require a whole bunch of Democrats in the Senate voting to oust not only their own president but also their own vice president, but having a realistic chance of happening doesn't seem to be any kind of overriding criterion among Republicans for what they support these days. But let's assume McCarthy does beat back any leadership challenges and emerges in control of the chamber. What would his House agenda look like?
As mentioned, this may depend on his margin. McCarthy is the most spineless of jellyfish (as he has proven time and time again), so he will almost certainly continue trying to ingratiate himself with not only Donald Trump but also with the craziest of the crazies within his own caucus. He'll let the loudest and most deranged members chair committees, while removing any Democrats from these committees that have raised Republican ire in the past few years. That's pretty much a given. These committees will then undertake investigations of all of the fever-swamp lunacies floating around in the conservative zeitgeist. Hunter Biden will only be the tip of this iceberg. I'd expect investigations into perceived wrongdoing to be opened on: Dr. Anthony Fauci, Joe Biden for the Afghanistan withdrawal (among many other things, most likely), social media companies and Big Tech, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and who knows -- maybe even Hillary Clinton, just for old times' sake. Republicans will investigate every loony theory they've been convincing themselves is real -- with plenty of gusto and lots of angry exchanges designed to get their faces on television.
But if McCarthy's margin is small enough, then the Freedom Caucus (or whatever other gaggle of clowns erupts) could decide that it is not going to compromise on anything -- which will put McCarthy in the same bind that frustrated John Boehner. This could very easily lead not only to government shutdowns (whenever the budget bills come around) but even the first-ever default on the nation's debt (when the fiscal cliffs approach). Republicans these days have proven over and over again that their sole imperative is to make Democrats look bad, and they have no compunctions towards destroying the economy along the way (because "it would make Biden look bad" is more important, to them). So these crises might be a lot more acute than they have been previously. Beyond budget bills, the MAGA faction may decide to shut down just about anything establishment Republicans try to pass, especially if Trump decides he's not in favor of any of it.
In the Senate, Mitch McConnell will have fewer loonies to deal with, but he might face the same problem -- if there are more of them than McConnell's margin, then he'll have to accept pretty much anything they demand or just not get anything done at all. The one thing that seems all but certain in the Senate is that McConnell will ditch the legislative filibuster the first chance he gets. Or he could just cram anything and everything into "reconciliation" bills, even if the parliamentarian says it's not kosher. After all, the parliamentarian can always be overruled (which Democrats haven't yet dared to do, but which Republicans almost certainly would).
Beyond the mechanics of each chamber, what would the Republican agenda look like? As mentioned, it'll almost certainly contain an enormous amount of grandstanding for the cameras in hearings and investigations, but that's really just the show biz aspect of how Republicans would run things. What actual bills would they propose and pass?
The answer likely lies in the list of things Republicans now actively hate or have demonized over the past few years. This might start with stripping all emergency powers from the federal public health apparatus. Whatever they do to Dr. Fauci, they would want to enact rules that would prevent any of the measures they vehemently disagreed with during the COVID pandemic from ever being taken again. After all, the "freedom" to be an infectious vector in society is obviously more important to them than preventing needless suffering and death. So look for them to strip all medical experts of any powers to institute any public health restrictions at all.
Likewise, there will almost certainly be a direct assault on the Department of Education. This could take many forms -- restricting regulations on trans and other L.G.B.T.Q students, restricting what must and must not be included in curricula (especially when it comes to history and race), and perhaps elevating charter schools and home schooling in some way. Or it could be a frontal assault -- many Republicans have long advocated for just abolishing the entire department.
L.G.B.T.Q laws and regulations will be under attack in other ways (outside of just schools, in other words). Republicans are already making political hay over trans athletes being allowed to compete, for instance. This is one of the two big areas (race being the other) that Republicans are itching to legally constrict both within schools and without, so look for all sorts of imaginative bills to be considered.
Perhaps they'll pass some sort of federal death penalty for pedophilia as well. This is a big hot-button issue right now with Republicans (see: the Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation hearings), so they'll doubtlessly find some way of tossing a legislative bone to the QAnon ranks.
One truly scary thing to contemplate is that no matter what happens to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court in the next few months, there has never been any real and viable effort to enact any sort of federal laws about abortion. This is a mark of shame for Democrats, since they've had decades to do this, but have chosen not to. But while Democrats would have been interested in passing pro-choice laws that enshrined the right of choice into federal law, Republicans might just decide the time is ripe for them to do the opposite. There would be nothing stopping them from banning abortion altogether on a nationwide basis, no matter what each state had to say about it. Think this is far-fetched? I don't. If you look at the raft of legislation that has been passing Republican statehouses -- and how extreme such measures have gotten (not even taking into consideration things like rape or incest, just to give one example) -- it is not out of the question that Republicans in Congress try to sweep away all state abortion laws and just ban the practice altogether. And it has become painfully evident that we cannot rely on the courts (especially the current Supreme Court) to uphold any rights in this respect at all.
A few other areas Republicans might act upon: loosening gun laws nationwide, tightening immigration laws (perhaps doing away with all claims of asylum, for instance), building Trump's beloved wall, opening everywhere under the sun to oil and gas drilling, repealing or just gutting Obamacare, and (of course) lowering taxes for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations. That last one is almost a certainty.
The one thing that is truly frightening is what Republicans might do to election and voting laws. They could change the presidential election process to make it much easier for bad actors to overturn or ignore the results of elections. They could ban all mail-in ballots or drop boxes or whatever other bugaboos they come up with that they think favor Democratic voters. Who knows? They might even try to reinstate literacy tests or poll taxes -- at this point, I wouldn't put it past them. One thing that seems inevitable is that they'd pass a national voter ID law -- that one seems like almost a "gimme."
They probably wouldn't go as far as attempting to somehow relitigate the 2020 election to reinstate Donald Trump as president (if only for the reason that they know full well such an effort would be likely to fail).
Those are just the first things I came up with off the top of my head. That list is chock-full of pretty extreme notions, but these days the Republican Party is open to any and all lunatic schemes, so what would really constrain them if they did get into power in Congress?
The Tea Partiers, as I noted, blocked an enormous amount of the Republican agenda, back in their day. But also as I noted, they never had a national leader of prominence egging them on. That has changed in a big way. The loonies in the Republican caucus are no longer leaderless. They take their marching orders from Donald Trump, so whatever whim or notion entered into his head on any given day would immediately move to the top of their agenda list. That is perhaps the most frightening thing of all, given Trump's peripatetic attitude towards policy.
Of course, I saved the good news for last. Because no matter what a Republican House and (filibuster-free) Senate passed, Joe Biden will still be president for the next two years. And it's a pretty safe bet that he'll veto the vast majority of any looniness the Republicans pass. And no matter what margins they manage to gain in the midterms, it's not going to be anywhere near two-thirds of the Senate (although it might get close in the House if they do have a blowout election). So none of these vetoes will be overturned. That is a big relief -- but only for the next two years, of course.
The big political question in all of this is how the public would view the Republican-led Congress, their agenda, and their priorities. While all of these things would undoubtedly delight the red-meat base of the party (and Donald Trump, for good measure), it could generate a massive backlash from independent and suburban voters. Voters might decide this November to send Republicans to Washington because they are feeling down about the economy right now, but that is not the same thing as completely buying in to the whole MAGA universe of ideas. If Republicans spend all their time relitigating the past in an effort to dig up dirt on Democrats, and passing wildly extreme bills in Congress that get vetoed by Biden -- which would, importantly, show the public exactly what Republicans now stand for -- that could set up yet another backlash election cycle in 2024.
Again, look at that chart from Wikipedia. We have been in a "flip-flop" era of control of Congress since at least the 1990s. So the pendulum could easily swing back, as it has so many times over the past few decades. If Republicans are mainly interested in demonizing trans kids and advocating censorship of books, the public might not share the same priorities. Especially the moderates and independents who live out in the suburbs. If they truly do overreach (on things like abortion or voting laws), the public might recoil in horror. And if Republicans prove they are unable to pass budgets and keep the Social Security checks flowing, the public might just revolt against them in a big way.
This is all speculation, of course -- speculation not just about the next election, but the one after that as well. But, at least to me, none of it at this point seems beyond the realm of possibility. Republicans have sown the wind, and they are now reaping the whirlwind of MAGA craziness. If they get back in power in Congress, they are either going to have to deliver on their crazy stances or else they are going to disappoint their own base in a massive way. Knowing the spinelessness these days not just of Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell but of virtually every Republican politician not named "Liz Cheney," none of what I have itemized seems all that far-fetched. Which means that one way or another, we could all be in for a very wild ride indeed.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
I want to see this commercial:
Scene: Family crowded around their TV, anxiously watching their state legislature’s vote on banning trans-female athlete’s from participating in varsity athletic sporting events. The bill passes and we see the family erupt in cheers, hugging each other in celebration.
Cut to father being interviewed:
Interviewer - “So tell us how this bill passing makes you feel.”
Father - “Oh my goodness… They told us it was not gonna bean easy bill to pass, but we did it! Republicans in this state made this their main focus and we got it passed! YES!
Interviewer - “Tell us how this bill passing is going to benefit you, personally?”
Father - “Well it will….ummm. I think it should…ummm. (Struggling to think of anything to say. Suddenly, we see a look of recognition on his face). Awww, Damn it! It won’t benefit me at all! They pulled this shit on us once again and I fell for it!!!”
Commercial ends with screen saying, “Keeping Girls High School Track Teams Fair — Because we know this matters more to you than cutting medical expenses, cutting cost on prescription drugs, and stopping violence. Your Republican Party working for you!”
Russ [1] - Very nice!
Republicans have sown the wind, and they are now reaping the whirlwind of MAGA craziness. If they get back in power in Congress, they are either going to have to deliver on their crazy stances or else they are going to disappoint their own base in a massive way. Knowing the spinelessness these days not just of Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell but of virtually every Republican politician not named "Liz Cheney," none of what I have itemized seems all that far-fetched. Which means that one way or another, we could all be in for a very wild ride indeed.
So in other words, unless Senate Democrats Impeach both Joe and Kamala and the Repugs win both Houses of Congress and a Republican Speaker ascends to the Presidency how many column inches did you just waste on GQP Legislative priorities that don't have a prayer of happening before January, 2025?
In fact, how does even impeaching Kamala first not result in a Democratic President when all is said and done?
Now, I hope Mitch kills the fucking Filibuster and that Repugs succeed in passing as much of this cray cray (helpfully listed in this evening's column) as possible.
If Corporatist DINOs like Manchinema prove too strong I MOST DEFINITELY WANT all of your Repug loonies to win and win bigly, Michale!
Giving America undiluted Republicanism will motivate her to then try undiluted Progressivism!
Bwahahahaha!
Only through pie will we be united
What seems most likely to me is that voters will vote Republicans into the majority of both houses because they are dissatisfied with the economy and will then see that the Republicans, even if they could override Biden's veto, have no interest in doing anything that would improve the economy or improve voters' lives in any way. Between now and the midterms, we can hope that the Democrats will bring up bills showing that they would like to improve the economy and voters' lives if they could get them past the Republicans.
Elizabeth you better not make me repost all that MtnCaddy'splainin' Ukraine stuff! It took me four hours on this damned cracked smartphone.
But along comes Beau who takes 12:46 to cover quite a bit of what I covered on Ukraine.
There will be a pop quiz.
[1]
Hey, Listen that's approaching Lincoln Project-level snarkiness. (2:19)
You really ought to copyright it and bring it to their attention. That'd be doing your part! :D
Re Russo-Ukrainian peace talks, unless Zelensky tries to snatch defeat from the jaws of near certain victory -- politically impossible in Ukraine, there's nothing the West can do to motivate Russia because Putin needs "victory" to survive this spectacular blunder and won't consider peace one tiny moment before he concludes (if he's smart enough) that victory isn't achievable.
It's why I didn't pay the least attention to the month's long Manchinema back-and-forth, as witnessed by my relative lack of commentary along the way.
I knew that nothing would come of it until all parties wanted something to come of it.
CW
The real motivating factor for the conspiracy theorists among Republicans is that the speaker is constitutionally second in line to the presidency.
So the conspiracy theorists and QAnon nuts have decided that Trump is actually not still the president?
Those constantly moving goalposts are sometimes progress!?
CW
So you can spin a MAGA fantasy where both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not only impeached but also convicted in the Senate, which (if he were sitting in the speaker's chair) would give the country, by default, "President Trump" once again.
I must have missed that section of the Constitution wherein impeachment trials are required to be held concurrently... notwithstanding the utter phantasmagorical notion that impeachment of the President and Vice President would produce a supermajority of the Senate in favor of a simultaneous conviction.
Who's going to break it to the MAGA cult?
Kick,
We could definitely agree on that. :)
Awesome.. I am glad we can find agreement on that issue.. :D
Common ground.. :D A wonderful thing..
Thanx for your input.. It is well and truly appreciated.. :D
Only through pie will we be united
"Cake! Cake's the thing!! Wherein we'll catch the conscience of the king.”
Joe Biden has, once again, been forced to kill the Democrat Wet Dream AKA Build Back Batter.. :D
Build Back Better Dies … Again
In a final admission of defeat, the administration is rebranding its ‘Build Back Better World’ foreign-policy initiative, removing references to its failed domestic agenda.
https://prospect.org/politics/build-back-better-dies-again/
Just love it when reality just rubs itself in the face of Democrats.. :D
President Biden: "Not Concerned" About Recession, Unemployment Is Lowest Since 1970
President Biden said he is not concerned about the U.S. entering a recession despite negative inflation-adjusted GDP growth last quarter, during a Q&A after a brief statement about Ukraine on Thursday morning.
A recession is defined as two consecutive negative quarters of GDP growth. The first quarter of this year makes one.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/04/28/president_biden_not_concerned_about_recession_unemployment_is_lowest_since_1970.html
Yea.. And Biden wasn't "concerned" about inflation either..
We know how well THAT worked out for Democrats, eh?? :^/
More confirmation of Biden's dementia...
As if there was ever any doubt... This current commentary puts that doubt to rest..
It's not a question of IF Democrats will lose badly in November...
The only question is HOW BADLY Democrats will lose in November.. :D
If only there had been SOMEONE to warn Democrats how badly they were fraking things up....
Oh... Wait... :D
ListenWhenYouHear
1
Bravo, Russ! Spot on, of course.
Now please do a commercial with a group of Republicans standing around a raging fire and tossing in books while they whine endlessly about their voices being censored. :)
Of course, I am not one to rub it in.... :D
If it weren't for bad luck, Democrats would have no luck at all... :D
193 Days Until The Mid Term Elections
Democrats are TOAST!! :D
Russ,
, “Keeping Girls High School Track Teams Fair — Because we know this matters more to you than cutting medical expenses, cutting cost on prescription drugs, and stopping violence. Your Republican Party working for you!”
So, we should just IGNORE the women and their families who have put their entire hearts and souls into their sport only to see those dreams go up in flames because Democrats care more for their disastrous Anti America Anti Women agenda more than they care for women??
WOW... There's the vaunted Democrat compassion at work.. :^/
Democrats simply have no heart....
#sad
Republicans ban books..
Democrats ban ideas and dissent..
Which is more harmful??
Obviously the Democrats' actions are more harmful to America...
Republicans Jump To 10-Point Lead In Generic Ballot Test, New FDRLST/Susquehanna Poll Shows
https://thefederalist.com/2022/04/28/republicans-jump-to-10-point-lead-in-generic-ballot-test-new-fdrlst-susquehanna-poll-shows/
How many ways can it be said?? :D
Democrats are facing a HUGE Uber Nuclear Biblical Shellacking in just 193 days....
"Come on.. Do it , Harold. Six months. It's nothing. It's a hockey season.."
-Tom Cruise, A FEW GOOD MEN
So, we should just IGNORE the women and their families who have put their entire hearts and souls into their sport only to see those dreams go up in flames because Democrats care more for their disastrous Anti America Anti Women agenda more than they care for women??
WOW... There's the vaunted Democrat compassion at work.. :^/
Democrats simply have no heart....
And all for what?? Because Democrats want to push the ludicrous fantasy "science" that a man could magically transform into a woman??
I mean, seriously.. Imagine how utterly FRAK'ed in the head you have to be to change your entire GENDER just because you suck in men's sports and therefore have to compete in women's sports just to feed your ego...
And Democrats whole-heartedly ENCOURAGE such actions!! Which makes Democrats as frak'ed in the head as the people who do such a thing.. :^/
And WOW #2...
Senate Dems considering calling Elon Musk to testify on Twitter buy
Musk’s deal to buy Twitter is expected to close later this year
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/senate-dems-considering-calling-musk-testify-twitter-buy
Democrats are so hysterically petrified of losing control of their Number One Propaganda outlet, they are creating an Inquisition...
Here's a clue for the masses.. If one Party is deathly afraid of Free Speech, that Party doesn't have the best interests of the country going for it..
Michale
28
We could definitely agree on that. :)
We could probably even agree that any owner of Twitter (regardless of who it may be) also isn't required to give anyone else equal time either. It's their platform, after all, and this is still America.
The guy who owns the platform makes the rules.
I doubt if you'll give a hang if Twitter becomes an echo chamber of Fox Newsian propaganda and misinformation, and I doubt you'll be posting a comment complaining that Twitter isn't giving equal time to the "Left Wingery."
Thanx
Merry Xmas :)
So.... Democrats are FINE with Twitter when Democrats can control the message that gets out to the people..
But when it looks like someone who is actually FOR Free Speech is going to take control of Twitter??
NOW Democrats want "new rules" in place...
It's soo gratifying to see Democrats so hysterically afraid of Free Speech...
It shows up Democrats for what they are.. Anti-America scumbags who hate this country..
Kick,
One again.. Thanx soo much for your comments.. :D
We could probably even agree that any owner of Twitter (regardless of who it may be) also isn't required to give anyone else equal time either. It's their platform, after all, and this is still America.
Except it's been established by Left Wing organizations that Twitter has become the de-facto American Public Square that goes out to the world..
As such, with great power comes great responsibility..
The guy who owns the platform makes the rules.
And yet, Democrats are soooo afraid of that very concept NOW... Why is that?? :D Could it be because the guy who is going to be in charge will allow FACTS to be disseminated that will spell
doom for Democrat electoral chances, as it would have in 2020??
I am betting so... :D
Let's face reality, you and I.. Democrats are running scared about Elon taking over Twitter and making it Titter.. :D
I am soo happy we can find common ground on this issue.. :D
Once again.. Thanx soo much for your input.. It's very much appreciated.. :D
Democrats are so hysterically scared about Free Speech on Titter, that they had to create a Ministry Of Truth to combat the FACTS...
Democrats want to replace the FACTS with their own TRUTH...
How utterly sad....
But their level of hysterical desperation is directly inversely proportional to how GOOD Elon's control of Titter is going to be for America.. :D
Michale
40
Here's a clue for the masses.. If one Party is deathly afraid of Free Speech, that Party doesn't have the best interests of the country going for it..
That certainly explains the book banning and DeSantis retaliating against Disney for simply exercising their free speech. :)
Awesome response, Kick.. Thanx so much.. I really appreciate your comments..
That certainly explains the book banning and DeSantis retaliating against Disney for simply exercising their free speech. :)
Except, as I have shown, there really isn't much in the way of book banning in the here and now.. Any banning of books in the here and now are because of A> factual errors or B> disallowed ideological aspects.
The 1619 Project and CRT are perfect examples of factual errors and disallowed ideological aspects..
I am SURE you agree that banning books that are factually inaccurate is not really a problem.. Right??
As far as Disney? I thought you Democrats were all about boycotts and such.. Shall I point to you all the Democrat boycotts that you seem to whole-heartedly support..
Seems a bit contradictory, eh?? Democrats can boycott things up the ying yangs, but GOP'ers cannot?? A bit contradictory..
Further, DeSantis has taken away a huge Corporation's special privileges and making that huge Corporation pay their fair share.. Another thing I thought your Democrats were all about... Shirley, you don't have a PROBLEM with DeSantis' actions, do you??? Governor DeSantis is simply doing what Democrats have advocated for years..
Why is it a problem now with WOKE corporations?? Do you think because those corporations are WOKE, they should get special privileges?? :D
As always, thank you SOOO much for your comments.. They are always most appreciated.. :D Thanx :D
Not to mention the fact that opposing a POPULAR law that the majority of Democrats in Florida support just to appease a vocal yet very small MINORITY of whiners and cry babies is politically moronically stupid.. :D
It makes absolutely NO BUSINESS SENSE..
As we see with Disney who is losing left and right.. And Left AND Right.. :D
As far as student debt goes??
Expert warns of severe economic impact if Biden cancels student debt
Biden canceling student debt would make inflation worse, experts warn
Student debt cancelation 'is not good policy,' expert warns
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-canceling-student-debt-make-inflation-worse
Democrats are giving a free ride to rich doctors and lawyers so that the American middle class taxpayers can foot the bill...
Yea... THAT sounds real fair.. :^/
Typical Democrat move.. Cater to the rich while scroo'ing over middle class Americans.. :^/
White House defends DHS 'disinformation' board: 'Not sure who opposes that effort'
Mayorkas announced the creation of the 'Disinformation Governance Board' on Wednesday
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-defends-dhs-disinformation-board-not-sure-who-opposes-that-effort
Who opposes a MINISTRY OF TRUTH???
Uh... Just EVERYONE with more than 2 brain cells to rub together.. :^/
It's funny in a sad and pathetic way..
Democrats want to police Americans' FREE SPEECH thru Democrats' MINISTRY OF TRUTH....
But Democrats refuse to police our Southern Border....
The humor comes in where BOTH are determined to skew elections in Democrats' favor..
Democrat priorities are so far out of whack with Americans' priorities...
Michale
43
Except it's been established by Left Wing organizations that Twitter has become the de-facto American Public Square that goes out to the world..
Left wingers (and increasingly Right wingers) have been fighting against these type monopolies for years. This is not a new development. To push the asinine narrative that Lefties are suddenly against the Twitter monopoly is an outright lie of Fox Newsian proportions. Is it possible they're trying to convince the masses the Left is suddenly outraged over Twitter. Looks like it.
The Left has been fighting these monopolies for years, and the Right has begun to join them. This is progress, even if their complaints are for different reasons.
As such, with great power comes great responsibility..
You're near to channeling Don Harris... might want to get ahold of that before it gets out of hand. Heh.
And yet, Democrats are soooo afraid of that very concept NOW... Why is that?? :D
It's the rhetoric that Right-wing media are pushing as of late; however, the lefties fighting against "big tech" monopolies isn't a new development.
Could it be because the guy who is going to be in charge will allow FACTS to be disseminated that will spell doom for Democrat electoral chances, as it would have in 2020??
You're practically admitting that foreign interference on social media had an influence on United States elections. Now that is definitely progress.
Let's face reality, you and I.. Democrats are running scared about Elon taking over Twitter and making it Titter.. :D
Heh. What I think is going on is you wanting to feel like you've won something, and Right-wing media is providing that for you. Democrats (and some Republicans) are more concerned with keeping foreign interference out of America's elections, and Rudy Giuliani is under investigation for his part in doing exactly the opposite in regards to Ukraine.
I am soo happy we can find common ground on this issue.. :D
I'm not so sure we have, but I have nothing against free speech unless and until it the violates the law. :)
Kick,
GREAT response!! :D
The Left has been fighting these monopolies for years, and the Right has begun to join them. This is progress, even if their complaints are for different reasons.
We agree again!!! This is sooo awesome!!!
You're near to channeling Don Harris... might want to get ahold of that before it gets out of hand. Heh.
Actually I was channeling Spiderman.. :D
You're practically admitting that foreign interference on social media had an influence on United States elections. Now that is definitely progress.
Exactly where did I admit that???
The interference I was referring to was Jack Dorsey's (American) censoring of the Hunter Biden Laptop facts.
I don't know where you get "foreign" out of that?? Still suffering from the hangover of Democrats Russia Collusion Delusion?? :D
What I think is going on is you wanting to feel like you've won something,
Oh, I have definitely "won" something..
With Elon's takeover of Twitter ALL *REAL* Americans have won something!! :D
Democrats (and some Republicans) are more concerned with keeping foreign interference out of America's elections,
And there is that Russia Collusion Delusion popping up it's head again.. This is not an issue of foreign interference in elections..
This is about Democrats pushing elections by hook or by crook to the Democrat desired goal..
Democrats won't be able to do that anymore.. :D
I'm not so sure we have, but I have nothing against free speech unless and until it the violates the law. :)
Then we have found common ground!! :D
I just wonder why Democrats are soo hysterically afraid of Free Speech... So much so that they have to investigate Elon and create a MINISTRY OF TRUTH..
As always, it's GREAT to hear from you, Kick.. Thank you sooo much for engaging me on this issue... Helps me to keep my comment count up! :D
Thank you..
Oklahoma lawmakers pass 6-week abortion ban modeled after Texas law that allows civil enforcement
https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2022/04/28/oklahoma-lawmakers-pass-6-week-abortion-ban-modeled-after-texas-law-that-allows-civil-enforcement/
And just think...
If Democrats had just been happy with keeping Abortion "SAFE, LEGAL and RARE", they wouldn't be losing the right to kill babies now..
But NOOOOOOOOO Democrats had to GLORIFY and #CELEBRATE their baby killing and #SHOUTOUT the infanticide...
Democrats get what they deserve here..
Ya'all remember Paula???
In once mainstream Ohio, moderates struggle against pro-Trump rivals
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-once-mainstream-ohio-moderates-struggle-against-pro-trump-rivals/ar-AAWHQ6E
She would be fit to be tied if she could see what's happening in Ohio.. heh..
President Trump wins again! :D
Michale
46
Except, as I have shown, there really isn't much in the way of book banning in the here and now.. Any banning of books in the here and now are because of A> factual errors or B> disallowed ideological aspects.
Disallowed ideological aspects!? Methinks your definition of "free speech" and mine are two wholly different things.
The 1619 Project and CRT are perfect examples of factual errors and disallowed ideological aspects..
Yet still free speech regardless your political ideology. Now imagine a Twitter where free speech is allowed to flow freely from all directions.
I am SURE you agree that banning books that are factually inaccurate is not really a problem.. Right??
Of course I don't agree. The banning of books is the very antithesis of free speech. Some of the best books on the planet are pure fantasy and factually inaccurate. You mean textbooks? I'm not a big fan of revisionist history; you know that.
As far as Disney? I thought you Democrats were all about boycotts and such..
I'm still not a Democrat and never will be no matter how many times you float that fabrication.
Shall I point to you all the Democrat boycotts that you seem to whole-heartedly support..
It'd be a waste of time since we're talking about free speech, and you've just revealed you're not exactly in favor of free speech but rather:
Seems a bit contradictory, eh??
You talking about me or you? You definitely seem to be contradicting yourself.
Democrats can boycott things up the ying yangs, but GOP'ers cannot??
I'm not a Democrat, and you're assigning claims to me that don't apply. You might remember the time you accused me of being a Nazi because I said I didn't agree with what the guys carrying the tiki torches were saying, but I did agree with their right to say it.
A bit contradictory..
It is definitely contradictory to grieve about your right to free speech being violated while alternatively assigning limits to the right of free speech. Russ should do a commercial about this; he's good at it. :)
I'm not even going to argue with you on the DeSantis campaign for president; we have the same show playing here in Texas wherein our idiot governor is determined to make political headlines without regard to the effects on his constituents.
As far as DeSantis, I agree with Bashi. The parties have a year to work it out on paper where not a whole lot is likely to change. It's otherwise political theater and running for president disguised as concern for the citizenry.
Kick,
Yer responses are just getting better and better!! :D
Disallowed ideological aspects!? Methinks your definition of "free speech" and mine are two wholly different things.
Most likely..
Yet still free speech regardless your political ideology. Now imagine a Twitter where free speech is allowed to flow freely from all directions.
As opposed to now where "Free Speech" is only allowed from the Left.. Yes I am imagining it flowing both ways.. It's a pleasant thought. :D
Of course I don't agree. The banning of books is the very antithesis of free speech.
So, you disagree with your Democrats about banning misinformation and disinformation..
That's really fascinating.. I hope to explore this deeper with you.. :D
I'm still not a Democrat and never will be no matter how many times you float that fabrication.
Apologies if I offended you.. That's understandable.. I would be very offended if someone accused me of being a Democrat..
So, again, my apologies.. :D
Obviously, I have upset you and you are now lashing out with personal attacks..
I'll ignore the rest and give you a chance to calm down..
Then we can continue the conversation..
As always, thank you so much for your thoughts and comments.. They are very much appreciated.. Once you can relax a little, we can continue this wonderful exchange of ideas and opinions..
Take care, my friend.. :D
Michale
52
Actually I was channeling Spiderman.. :D
Spiderman!?
Who said it best: The Apostle Luke in the Parable of the Faithful Servant or Spiderman? Heh.
Exactly where did I admit that???
You're awfully close, even if you don't realize it. Rudy's trove of emails was blocked on Twitter et alia for a reason... even if you're unaware of that reason.
The interference I was referring to was Jack Dorsey's (American) censoring of the Hunter Biden Laptop facts.
Which were unvetted accusations that even Fox passed on. The source of the emails was suspect by more than Twitter because Rudy Giuliani is being investigated for violations of FARA and using a foreign nation (Ukraine) to interfere in U.S. elections. I'm done explaining this to you.
Oh, I have definitely "won" something..
I am correct.
With Elon's takeover of Twitter ALL *REAL* Americans have won something!! :D
That remains to be seen.
This is about Democrats pushing elections by hook or by crook to the Democrat desired goal..
So you've bought "all in" to the Rightie rhetoric?
Then we have found common ground!! :D
Now that I've heard your definition of "free speech," I'm not sure we have. It isn't legal to pressure the Vice President of the United States to unilaterally ignore the certified electors of a state in favor of a fake slate of electors you've assembled... even if you're the President of the United States.
Later. :)
Of course WaPo doesn't REALLY mind if a multibillionaire tycoon controls the reins of the media..
As long as said tycoon pushes the RIGHT ideological agenda... :^/
Hypocrisy at it's finest..
Funny how yer "Right Wing" if you don't buy into the Democrats' issue de' jour.. :^/
Once again.. Hypocrisy at it's finest.. :^/
Hypocrisy.. It's not a bug in Democrat programming. It's a feature..
Kick,
Who said it best: The Apostle Luke in the Parable of the Faithful Servant or Spiderman? Heh.
Spiderman.. Definitely Spiderman..
You're awfully close, even if you don't realize it.
Ahhh.. OK So you concede I didn't say anything about foreign interference.. Thank you.. I appreciate you conceding that..
As far as Guiliani?? I don't know why you are fixated with him.. Nothing I have said has anything to do with Rudy...
Regardless, I am glad to see you have calmed down and we can continue this discussion..
My sincerest apologies for upsetting you, my friend..
I hope you have an awesome day and I look forward to debating some more.. :D
Michale
59
As opposed to now where "Free Speech" is only allowed from the Left.. Yes I am imagining it flowing both ways.. It's a pleasant thought. :D
That's a misrepresentation of Twitter and more closely sounds like Fox News, which is their right because this is America. I don't hear you whining about Fox not covering negative stories about Donald Trump. Why not?
So, you disagree with your Democrats about banning misinformation and disinformation..
I'm not a Democrat, and they're not my Democrats.
That's really fascinating.. I hope to explore this deeper with you.. :D
A waste of time since I'm not a Democrat.
Apologies if I offended you.. That's understandable.. I would be very offended if someone accused me of being a Democrat..
I'm not offended at all. It's just that I'm not a Democrat; therefore, any ideological argument you proffer based on ideology is a total waste of time.
So, again, my apologies.. :D
No need.
Obviously, I have upset you and you are now lashing out with personal attacks..
Nope. There is no personal attack there at all.
I'll ignore the rest and give you a chance to calm down..
Heh. If I calm down any further, I'll doze off to sleep.
Kick,
Thank you again for the wonderful comments. :D
That's a misrepresentation of Twitter
Considering recent events, that's not a misrepresentation but rather a factual assessment.. :D
I'm not a Democrat, and they're not my Democrats.
They are "your Democrats" insofar as you support their agenda...
But OK.. I'll rephrase for you..
What is your opinion on Democrats' agenda of banning what they call misinformation and disinformation.
Heh. If I calm down any further, I'll doze off to sleep.
Well, apparently, the nap worked.. :D
Nice ta have you back to your normal chipper and happy self, my friend.. :D
Madness... Simply madness..
More Madness..
"Hay!! Since we're losing control of Titter, why not create a MINISTRY OF TRUTH so that we can still push the idea that CENSORSHIP IS FREEDOM!!!"
-Democrat Party
:^/
Democrats are hysterically furious that they are going to be blocked from blocking and banning FACTS and people that don't line up with their Anti-America agenda...
Brief list of things that could get you kicked off Twitter over the past few years:
-Saying Covid-19 was made in a lab.
-Saying cloth masks don’t work that well.
-Saying vaccinated people can spread Covid.
-Misgendering someone, even in satire.
-Reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop.
And my personal favorite: Saying the phrase “learn to code” derisively to someone.
Remind me again how Twitter doesn't censor people???
I seem to have forgotten what with all the FACTS that prove the contrary...
"Misgendering" someone??
Wha??? Like you when you point out that, according to the FACTS and according to the SCIENCE that Lea Thomas is a guy???
THAT will get you banned from Twitter??? :^/
This is how badly Democrats have frak'ed things up..
And it is exactly WHY Democrats are going to be thrown out of their jobs en masse in November.. :D
Bashi,
So, I have gotten pretty good at ECHO VR.... I figured out how to steer properly in zero gee and can move around pretty good..
But I keep getting stuck on walls and barriers.. And people!!! I'll go to punch a player to immobilize them and they stick to my hands and I am zooming along with them attached!! Pain in the arse!! hehe
Kick and Michale,
For the first time in forever I've read through all of your comments. And, it was actually enjoyable! It's what I've always hoped this place could be like ... strong views, forcefully put on the table and with a certain decorum that befits the quality of Chris's headlining pieces. Very, very nice!
Caddy,
No, you won't have to repost anything, my sweet. I have no time today but will be back Saturday evening to respond to your Ukraine stuff ... and, watch your damned language, see!?
Michale[75],
I might have to try that! :)
Sorry Don, I can't help it.
Heh.
Don,
Oh, I can't wait for you to give me my kudos for standing up for MTN Caddy and Michale in the true spirit of the New Dynamic. :D
Kudos, Don! You're doing pretty good ...
The 'New Dynamic' ... I like it!!!
Liz,
I might have to try that! :)
It's a lot of fun... And wow, it makes the time fly by!!
Okay, so, I don't need anything to make the time fly by faster than it already does!!! :)
Elizabeth Miller
85
I'd definitely be interested to know why you're laughing at Don's filthy anacronym while (attempting to) censor me the other day over nothing?
You think that's funny, Elizabeth?
You mean 'New Dynamic'?
Kick,
I love the humour in many of Don's posts. And, I hope he doesn't come up with a bad acronym ... not what I was aiming for, naturally!
You just laughed at his acronym.
I was just curious as to why you'd find it funny. I guess you missed it.
Yeah i don't see Liz laughing at that unless she didn't get it.
Get what?
I'm not the sensitive type, y'all should know by now. Try very hard not to take anything personally ... in public, anyways. :)
Oh, I see now ... Kick, I was laughing at Don's spelling mistake when he said it was bound to happen. I mean, we all make them and we usually try to explain why we did it. :)
... or laugh it off.
We just CANNOT let a spelling mistake stand.
That's one of the things that make us all special. :-)
Sometimes, I can be about as clear as mud. :(
Sorry.
no liz, [84] already included the acronym, and it was a very misogynistic four-letter word.
also [68, 80 & 83], now that i look. it's a boring and tasteless tack, so i'm not surprised you didn't get it.
yikes, [65] too. geez.
It would be SOOOO much easier if ya'all would just quote the reference rather than just the #... Ya'all are gonna break my scroll wheel!! :D
i didn't want to repeat it.
Liberals melt down after Musk claims the Democrat Party was ‘hijacked by extremists'
'It's now 100% clear that Musk is part of the GOP propaganda apparatus'
https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/04/1862/1048/muskcartoon.png?ve=1&tl=1
Democrats are a never-ending source of entertainment these days.. :D
I love the taste of progressive tears all day long. :D
i didn't want to repeat it.
Aaaaa I see your point..
"The cause was sufficient"
-Surak
Joshua,
My mind just doesn't work that way.
Though it should ... after having read The Ghost (the roman a clef) AND seen the movie ... for God's sake! :)
Get it?
Meet the Ministry Of Truth Kween... :^/
Twitter users shocked by ‘ridiculous’ TikTok of new ‘disinformation czar’ singing: ‘God help us’
'Who would have thought the collapse of the world's greatest empire would be so funny'
https://www.foxnews.com/media/twitter-users-tiktok-disinformation-czar-singing-media
It's like Democrats are TRYING to lose in November...
Joshua Re. My 109
The Ghost Writer
The mystery in this political thriller is solved in a manner similar to an acronym.
By the way, everyone ... if you haven't already, do read the novel by Robert Harris first (The Ghost) before viewing the movie (on Netflix now, sorry again, ahem).
Pie.
"Cake. It's the only way to be sure."
For the first time in forever I've read through all of your comments. And, it was actually enjoyable! It's what I've always hoped this place could be like ... strong views, forcefully put on the table and with a certain decorum that befits the quality of Chris's headlining pieces. Very, very nice!
"One is honored to be of service."
-Robin Williams, BICENTENNIAL MAN
I too enjoyed the discussion and look forward to many more discussions with Kick... :D
Jack Brewer files police report on Joy Reid for putting kids in ‘danger,’ demands apology
'Ms. Reid’s reckless statements placed these kids in danger,' Brewer says
https://www.foxnews.com/media/jack-brewer-police-report-joy-reid-kids-danger-letter-apology
There are no words to describe how contemptible Democrats are... :^/
Liz [2]
Thanks!
MtnCaddy [22]
Appreciate that! I love their videos…good stuff!
Kick [33]
Thank you, my sweet friend. I like the book burning /free speech idea. I also thought about one interviewing people protesting an abortion clinic upset at the idea of COVID-19 mandates trying to tell them what is good for their health! They make it too easy sometimes.
Michale [36]
So, we should just IGNORE the women and their families who have put their entire hearts and souls into their sport only to see those dreams go up in flames because Democrats care more for their disastrous Anti America Anti Women agenda more than they care for women??
So what prevents someone from demanding to see your daughter’s medical records if they think your daughter is taking a medicinal regimen necessary to help them feel like the gender they identify with? Doesn’t have to be true, but that accusation makes it actionable for the school system to demand her medical records for review. There is no evidence that trans females would have any advantage over cis-gender females when it comes to running track.
For all we know, this whole thing is the messed up byproduct of parents remembering Wheaties boxes with Bruce Jenner on the cover and thinking how unfair it would be for Caitlyn Jenner to be able to compete against their perfect track princesses.
Michale [39]
I mean, seriously.. Imagine how utterly FRAK'ed in the head you have to be to change your entire GENDER just because you suck in men's sports and therefore have to compete in women's sports just to feed your ego...
First off, this post is you responding not to anything I posted, but to your own post [36]?!?! Sad.
Next, THIS is what ya’ll sit around the fire at the Bigot Jamboree and tell each other to scare yourselves silly…admit it!!!
Seriously, this one had me laughing hard for a good 15 minutes…but then I realized that the only person who would even think that this is a possibility would an overbearing father whose whole life is focused on making their son into a future first round draft athlete — and a Trump supporter, as well. The type that can justify anything if it helps their kid to win!
No kid thinks up that kind of crap! No male athlete wants to win so badly that they’d be willing to identify as a female in order to achieve sport “greatness”! No, that would be something a father trying to achieve, through their child, the sports greatness that eluded them when they competed.