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Friday Talking Points -- Student Loan Relief In Sight

[ Posted Friday, October 21st, 2022 – 17:29 UTC ]

Next week, millions of students and former students are on track to have $10,000 to $20,000 of their student debt wiped off the books. Republicans are incensed and are desperately fighting to halt this debt forgiveness before it can happen. It is a perfect example of the ideological divide between the two parties -- one of whom is trying to help millions of people while the other fights against it tooth and nail.

This is a real success story for President Joe Biden, and it's going to happen right before the midterm elections, so hopefully it will motivate some young voters to get to the polls. Biden delayed announcing student loan forgiveness (which he had promised to do while campaigning) for over a year, but now the timing seems to be working rather well for him politically, we have to admit.

The application for debt forgiveness was rolled out (go to StudentAid.gov) without a lot of media fanfare, but in the first week alone a whopping 22 million students -- over half of the 40 million who are eligible -- signed up for it anyway. There have been no technical problems with the application, unlike the Obamacare marketplace site's disastrous rollout (which Joe Biden proudly pointed out this week: "We made sure we tested it"). Letters will be going out soon to everyone who is eligible for debt relief, so those who still haven't realized they can benefit will be informed. For tens of millions, the debt relief will actually cancel all of their outstanding loans and allow them to face the world for the first time without this burden of debt.

Republicans, of course, are doing everything they can to stop it from happening at all. Multiple lawsuits have been filed -- but this week they had two major courtroom defeats, both at the hands of Republican-appointed judges. Six red states sued to halt the program, but a federal judge in Missouri tossed their case out because they have no standing to sue. Meanwhile a separate case had asked the Supreme Court to issue an emergency order to halt the program, but Justice Amy Coney Barrett flat-out denied this request. There may be more rulings coming in the next few days, since the loan forgiveness program may actually start wiping out students' debt as early as this Sunday.

As mentioned, Republicans are absolutely incensed that federal money is being used to make tens of millions of Americans' lives better, because according to them that's only supposed to happen for the ultra-wealthy and/or for giant corporations. Shoveling federal largesse at those two groups is perfectly fine with them, but... students? That's a step too far for them, apparently.

As we enter the midterm homestretch, Democrats should be touting this as good news -- brought to you by a Democratic president. Joe Biden also announced this week that he would be releasing more oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and he browbeat the oil companies to stop raking in massive windfall profits and bring the price at the pump down to where it should be. Coincidentally or not, gas prices have been falling all week, after a peak in a minor bump upward.

Today, Joe Biden got some more good economic news as last year's budget deficit came in at half what it was the year before -- falling by an all-time record of $1.4 billion in one year. The deficit would have been even lower without the one-time expense of the student loan forgiveness, where 30 years of debt relief was counted in a single month. Voters admittedly don't care as much about budget deficits as they once did, but good news is good news.

Biden is also taking Republicans to task for blatantly and openly threatening not just the American economy but the stability of the entire world's economy if they take power in Congress next year. Why would Republicans choose this risky course? To slash Social Security and Medicare. Once again, a pretty easy political case to make about which party is actually fighting for the little guy and which party is not. As Biden himself pointed out:

If you're worried about the economy, you need to know this Republican leadership in Congress has made it clear they will crash the economy next year by threatening the full faith and credit of the United States -- for the first time in our history putting the United States in default -- unless we yield to their demand to cut Social Security and Medicare. Let me be really clear: I will not yield. I will not cut Social Security. I will not cut Medicare, no matter how hard they work at it. And folks, we know what the Republican Congress will do if they regain power. They're telling us straight-up about it.

The mainstream media is presenting a false choice to the public, that Democrats are only running on the abortion issue, while Republicans are running on fixing the economy. It is true that Democrats are making a big deal about the loss of women's freedoms (as well they should) but Republicans simply have no economic plan at all. What is their answer on inflation? They don't have one. What bill would they introduce to lower both inflation and gas prices by waving a magic wand? It doesn't exist. Their campaign strategy is to yell as loud as they can about how bad things are and hope nobody notices that they have no solutions to any of the problems they bring up.

Except, of course, to slash Social Security and Medicaid. That much, Republicans are willing to publicly state. Oh, and to perhaps cut off all military aid and abandon Ukraine to Vladimir Putin -- that's one other plan some of them are willing to admit.

This week, Joe Biden promised that the first bill he would send to Congress if Democrats hold the House and add two seats to the Senate would be to codify Roe v. Wade. Republicans want to do the opposite -- they want a federal law to ban abortions even in deep blue states. Again, the differences are pretty stark between the two parties.

You wouldn't know any of this (or very little of it) from watching the media's never-ending fascination with horserace politics. We're smack in the middle of "debate season," so there have been lots and lots of stories written about gaffes or zingers or "big moments" in many of the senatorial and gubernatorial debates held so far. But in all of those stories there is precious little discussion of any of the actual policy differences between the candidates. If it's not contained in a short "zinger" clip, the media yawns. 'Twas ever thus, we suppose....

At least the media has woken up (somewhat) to the fact that there are dozens of GOP candidates out there running on Donald Trump's Big Lie, who are all essentially pledging to the voters that in the future any election that Democrats win will be considered illegitimate and should be overturned. That is a scary and dangerous idea, but that's where Trump's monomania has led us all. How many states will have election deniers running their 2024 elections? The answer to that, sadly, is quite likely "more than zero."

It now seems that every single week that passes brings bad legal news for Donald Trump. In the courts so far, Trump is precisely what he fears the most -- a big loser. Without getting too far into the details of any of them, here's a quick rundown of courtroom setbacks for Trump, just in the last week alone:

After the Supreme Court denied Trump's appeal in the case surrounding all the government documents he stole, the Justice Department immediately filed a different appeal to the initial basic ruling which created the "special master" overseer. They were all but invited, in the appellate court's ruling, to challenge this entire ruling when they challenged only a small part of it. This ruling laid out precisely why the special master never should have been appointed in the first place, and now the Justice Department is asking the same appellate court to essentially agree with itself and toss the entire ruling and the special master. Stay tuned....

Some of those government documents were top secret, of course, and the Washington Post is now reporting on the seriousness of the secrets they contain. Meanwhile, Trump is trying to argue a legal impossibility on some of the documents -- that they are his own personal papers, but at the same time are government documents covered by executive privilege. They cannot be both -- they could conceivably be one or the other, but not both. This position is expected to get laughed out of court, obviously.

The big breaking news today is that the House Select Committee on January 6th has now officially subpoenaed Trump, asking he come in next month to testify under oath. They also want some documents from Trump. This is breaking news, so no word yet (as of this writing) as to how Trump will react. We're betting on "badly."

Testimony continues on many fronts, as well. Trump underlings are testifying to the grand jury on the documents case, the grand jury looking into January 6th (not the House committee, mind you, but the criminal grand jury), and the Georgia grand jury on election tampering -- where Senator Lindsey Graham will indeed have to testify. A judge also ruled that the House January 6th committee can access emails from attorney John Eastman which document an important Trump lie. Trump was warned by his own attorney to stop talking about non-existent voter fraud in Georgia, and then after being told this Trump signed his name to a legal filing which included the false claims. Lying to the public in politics isn't a crime, but lying in a court filing is, and the emails prove Trump knew it to be a lie beforehand.

Trump himself was deposed this week in the defamation case against him by E. Jean Carroll, who has accused Trump of raping her many years ago. While neither side has leaked anything which was said in his deposition, Trump pre-emptively torpedoed his own defense in this case by repeating his defamation on his Truth Social media site. His legal defense was, essentially, that he was a government employee (the president) when he first made the comments Carroll is suing over, and therefore is protected because making comments about someone who has accused you of rape is "part of the president's duties." But he's no longer president, and he just publicly made the same statements. Wave bye-bye to your defense strategy, Donnie!

Speaking of Truth Social, it continues to melt down as the complicated deal which was supposed to inject a ton of money into it crumbles into ruin. And now there are disgruntled fired executives who are dishing all the inside dirt on the company's ongoing downfall to the media (and to investigators).

Let's see, what else? Steve Bannon was just sentenced to four months in prison for refusing to obey a congressional subpoena, although he won't spend a night behind bars until all his appeals run out.

The big counter-investigation that Trump created, to somehow prove that the F.B.I. and the "Deep State" concocted the Russia investigation just completely fell apart, as the prosecutor lost in court again. This puts his courtroom conviction rate at 0-for-2, and he's now expected to wrap everything up and issue a final report. So much for the "crime of the century," as Trump liked to call it -- when they went looking, they found no there there. Just more Trump conspiracy theories....

And just as icing on the bad-news cake for Trump this week, it was revealed that his hotels charged the Secret Service "exhorbitant rates" while they were protecting Trump and his family. Which comes as no surprise to anyone, but it's nice to see the proof of it.

Bizarre news from the campaign trail: Mehmet "Dr." Oz, who wants to be senator from Pennsylvania, is not only being "dogged" by ads about all the dogs killed in medical experiments in a lab he used to run, but also for a rather strange comment he made years ago -- that he drinks his own urine.

You just can't make this stuff up, folks. Oz was appearing on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show a while back, and started talking about the flavor of urine. An astonished Kimmel asked him: "How do you know how it tastes? Who's tasting it?"

Oz replied that "of course" he drank his own urine on occasion. He even incredulously asked Kimmel why he hadn't ever drank his own pee: "Are you kidding me? Where have you been?!?"

This is the man Republicans want to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate. Joe Biden amusingly pointed out this week that Oz had actually gone to high school in his home state of Delaware, but that "Delaware was smart enough to send him to New Jersey." Ouch.

In other amusing campaign trail news, a prankster tried to give Herschel Walker a bunch of condoms this week... for obvious reasons.

Maybe it's why more and more Republicans are walking away from their party. This week saw Jim Leach, who served 30 years in the House as a staunch Republican from Iowa, endorse the Democrat running against Senator Chuck Grassley. This is after he switched from being a Republican since the early 1960s to registering as a Democrat. What happened on January 6th and everything since then finally drove him away, and he reluctantly came to the conclusion that the Republican Party "has become dishonest and criminal."

We couldn't agree more, but he left out "and completely divorced from reality." And nominating quack doctors who ingest their own excreta, just for good measure.

 

Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week

We gave him an Honorable Mention for a strong debate performance last week, and this week we've decided to elevate Representative Tim Ryan to our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week.

Ryan is running for a Senate seat in Ohio, which used to be a purple state but has become redder and redder over the past decade or so. Not entirely -- their other senator is a Democrat (Sherrod Brown) -- so it's still a winnable seat for Ryan, if everything falls in his direction.

He's running against a hand-picked Trump guy, J.D. Vance, and the race is extremely close. Either candidate could win.

The truly surprising thing is that Ryan has pretty much been abandoned by the national Democratic Party. They are not injecting millions of dollars into this race, because they feel their money is better spent on other races elsewhere. This is almost inexplicable, since the Ohio race is so close. Ryan has been left on his own, but even with this handicap, he will still achieve one impressive feat, even if he winds up losing -- locking up Republican money in Ohio that won't be spent elsewhere. As Politico reports:

Tim Ryan is arguably running the country's most valuable Senate campaign. Even if he doesn't win.

The self-described Democratic "underdog" is neck-and-neck with J.D. Vance in the race to replace retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). And Ryan's doing it without the help of the national party while forcing Republican groups to spend more than $30 million countering him rather than on Democratic-held seats in places like Arizona and Colorado.

. . .

"Tim Ryan has forced national Republicans to spend roughly $40 million in a general election in a state that they had no plans to spend in," said Justin Barasky, who managed Brown's winning 2018 reelection bid. "He is going to be responsible, one way or the other, for helping Democrats hold the Senate. Win or lose."

Of course, we're hoping that winds up as "win" rather than "lose." Ryan would be a perfect match to Sherrod Brown in the Senate, since they share the same focus on working-class issues. Democrats like Brown and Ryan represent a chance for the Democratic Party to wrestle the mantle of "populism" back from the fake populism of Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

If Ryan does manage to defy the odds and win, hopefully it will cause a shift in how the national party prioritizes populists within its own ranks, for the next election. But for now, win or lose, Tim Ryan is our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week.

[Congratulate Representative Tim Ryan on his House contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]

 

Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week

Last week, we gave the MDDOTW award to three Los Angeles city councilmembers and a local labor leader. This week we're heaping on an extra (Dis-)Honorable Mention for two of the councilmembers -- the two who still refuse to resign.

Gil Cedillo at least has an excuse, of sorts. His term is almost up anyway, so he'll be vacating the seat very soon now anyway. But Kevin de León could actually face a recall for his insistence on staying put. De León issued what many considered a very weak apology this week, in an effort to hang onto his job. It wasn't very well received. So a recall effort is a definite possibility, here.

But this week's Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week is none other than Joe Biden, who in an offhanded remark yanked the rug out from a very good idea. Biden is already making political hay out of the fact that Kevin McCarthy is openly threatening to use the debt ceiling as a hostage to get Biden to agree on cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Which is good, because it is not only an odious thing to threaten, it shows the basic irresponsibility of the Republican Party these days.

So why would you allow this to happen over and over again? There is an easy way to solve this problem permanently, and that is to remove the requirement that Congress vote twice on money it spends. Currently, spending is approved through a budget and then paying for this budget has to be approved by raising the debt ceiling. But there is no rational reason for this system to be in place. Most other countries have nothing like it -- it is an American quirk. All it would take to get rid of it forever would be for Congress to pass a bill saying "when a budget is passed, it inherently gives the Treasury the power to borrow money if necessary to pay for it." Poof! Just like that, the debt ceiling idea would disappear into smoke, and we'd be just like every other major industrialized country.

Biden was asked about this possibility today, and here's what happened:

But he also ruled out taking one of the more extreme measures to avoid such a fight, saying he opposes eliminating the debt limit altogether as a means of averting future confrontations. Such a move, he said, would be "irresponsible."

Say what? Removing the power of the Republicans to periodically threaten to default on the nation's debt in order to score political points would be "irresponsible"? How?

Removing this hostage from GOP clutches once and forever is clearly the most responsible thing Biden could do -- but he just killed that idea before it even got a chance to happen.

This is beyond disappointing. Refusing to even consider this is shortsighted, because every single time the Republicans hold Congress while a Democrat is in the White House, they are going to play this dangerous game of chicken. Every single time. Like clockwork. Until a Democratic Congress and a Democratic president put an end to this periodic misery.

Which won't happen any time soon, according to Joe Biden. For blowing this possibility out of the water and also for calling the most responsible thing to do "irresponsible," Biden is clearly the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week.

[Contact President Joe Biden on his official contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]

 

Friday Talking Points

Volume 682 (10/21/22)

We've still got a few weeks left before the midterm elections, but we're going to devote the talking points this week to closing arguments Democrats should be making, out there on the hustings.

Democrats have plans and ideas. Republicans don't. That should be the core of every political message from the Democrats, since it has the benefit of being not just true but obvious. And while Republicans are making political hay out of inflation, there are actually plenty of other economic subjects which should be highlighted as well (in an effort to break through the media's oversimplified take, which is basically: "Democrats are running on abortion, Republicans are running on the economy").

So here are seven ideas for good closing arguments for Democrat to make.

 

1
   Gas prices headed down again

This is the biggest issue for many voters, so let them know things are getting better again.

"After falling over a dollar a gallon, gas prices inched up for a short period. But we're now beyond that little bump and gas prices are falling once again. They're down 10 cents this week, in fact. The same week President Joe Biden announced another release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and castigated the oil companies for gouging customers and posting record profits. Somehow I don't think this was a coincidence, do you?"

 

2
   Students about to benefit

The court cases continue, but hopefully this will be reality for millions very soon now.

"President Biden's student debt relief program got smoothly up and running last week, and 22 million students signed up to get either $10,000 or $20,000 forgiven from their student loans. This is going to make an enormous difference in tens of millions of families' budgets. Many of these students will now be debt-free, and will now be able to contemplate things that seemed out of reach -- a new car, getting married, having children, buying a house. This is a huge improvement in millions of lives, and it is going to happen as soon as this weekend for some. Why are the Republicans fighting this so hard in court? Why do they reject improving so many millions of lives? I have no idea -- you'd have to ask them."

 

3
   Protect Social Security And Medicare

We realize we already used this quote at the start of the article today, but we felt it was worth repeating. Joe Biden summed things up nicely -- Democrats will fight hard for Social Security while Republicans will threaten a worldwide economic meltdown in their attempts to cut them.

If you're worried about the economy, you need to know this Republican leadership in Congress has made it clear they will crash the economy next year by threatening the full faith and credit of the United States -- for the first time in our history putting the United States in default -- unless we yield to their demand to cut Social Security and Medicare. Let me be really clear: I will not yield. I will not cut Social Security. I will not cut Medicare, no matter how hard they work at it. And folks, we know what the Republican Congress will do if they regain power. They're telling us straight-up about it.

 

4
   Cut in half

Biden had one other good quote this week, after getting the good news on the deficit. He rightly pointed out that "the deficit fell by $1.4 trillion -- the largest one-year drop in American history," which is also a good way to frame it.

The federal deficit went up every single year in the Trump administration -- every single year he was president. It went up before the pandemic. It went up during the pandemic. It went up every single year on his watch....

On my watch, things have been different -- the deficit has come down both years that I've been in office, and I've just signed legislation that's going to reduce it even more in the decades to come.

 

5
   Jobs jobs jobs

Don't forget to beat this drum too.

"Under Joe Biden's watch, the American economy has created 10 million new jobs as it recovered from the pandemic. That's a record amount for any president, folks. The unemployment rate is at a 50-year low. Almost 700,000 manufacturing jobs have been created, as companies bring those jobs back from overseas due to the policies Democrats have enacted. 'Made in America' is becoming a reality once again. And that's a record to be proud of."

 

6
   Protect women's freedoms

We put the abortion issue way down the list, but it's still an important point to make.

"Democrats are on the front lines in the fight for women's constitutional right to bodily autonomy after a radical and extreme Supreme Court threw these rights out the window. Republicans across the country are taking freedoms away from women in their quest to force them to give birth no matter what the circumstances. Victims of rape and incest as young as 10 years old are going to be forced to carry to term, because Republicans think that's the kind of country we should all live in. Democrats reject this and are fighting hard to restore women's rights to every woman in America, no matter what state she lives in."

 

7
   They got nothin'....

End any or all of these points with a simple comparison.

"What are the Republican plans for improving anyone's lives? I haven't heard any. What would they do if they get power in Washington? Throw as many monkey wrenches into the economy as they possibly can. They'll try to cut Social Security and Medicare. They're even out there bragging about it! Republicans simply have no plan -- on anything, really. You may not agree with every single thing the Democratic Party wants to accomplish, but at least we tell you exactly what our agenda is and what we're willing to fight for. Republicans won't, because if they honestly did tell you what they want to do, they know you'd be much less inclined to vote for them."

-- Chris Weigant

 

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant

Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground

 

331 Comments on “Friday Talking Points -- Student Loan Relief In Sight”

  1. [1] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Obviously, this was written before the 8th Circuit weighed in... always a risk, that events will overtake the writing...

  2. [2] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    What sayeth the 8th Circuit?

  3. [3] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I'm just home from work and listening to music, so ...

  4. [4] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    I looked it up. Due to a lawsuit by Republican governors the court temporarily halted the president's program to forgive student debt. Because heaven forbid the government do anything to help people who aren't already wealthy.

  5. [5] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Typical Republican playbook. And, yet, Democrats haven't been able to move the dial and garner enough public support to get much that is worthwhile done.

  6. [6] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    Re: MDDOTW -- "Effing Joe Biden," remarked this Bernie Bro.

    Say what? Removing the power of the Republicans to periodically threaten to default on the nation's debt in order to score political points would be "irresponsible"? How?

    Of course I agree with you but I suspect this is a page out of the Obama Playback. Remember how disappointed in Obama so many people were? I think a significant chunk of the "Disapprove of Obama" pollees were folks (like me) that bought into Hope and Change and we were underwhelmed by

  7. [7] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    ... the fact that he governed like a Corporate Tool.

    Remember how he seemed to be constantly negotiating against himself in pursuit of a "Grand Bargain" and the "Public Option, " for example?

    I think he did this to portray the Repugs as unreasonable extremists uninterested in cleaning up Dubya's mess. Tossing away the Democrat's filibuster-proof majorities screwed the country but doing so got the Brother reelected.

    In case the Dems lose the House* I think Biden wants the Repug crazies to try such insanity. It'll starkly contrast the two parties come 2024, especially if the GQP nominates Trump.#

    *I don't think the Senate is in play. I don't much trust polling and so many GQP candidates are, like, a joke.

    #Dunno how the Repugs will renominate Bigly Loser Trump should he be in custody (as a flight risk and as a danger to the Public) once the indictments start raining down.

    And they will, coming to a February near you! After J6C has so artfully plowed the road I don't see Merrick Garland having much of a choice.

  8. [8] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    ...Obama PLAYBOOK, dammit.

  9. [9] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    Yo, Chris!

    Thanks for the Student Loan link.

    I just went there and it took me less than two minutes total to apply for my $20,000 in debt relief.

  10. [10] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [5]


    Typical Republican playbook. And, yet, Democrats haven't been able to move the dial and garner enough public support to get much that is worthwhile done.

    At the risk of nit-picking, Elizabeth, most of Build Back Better's different aspects are very popular with the public. The problem remains fucking Manchinema until the Dems gain two more seats.

    Death to all DINOs, I say.

  11. [11] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [3]

    I'm just home from work and listening to music, so ...

    ... and hopefully prepping a package to

    POB 8336
    Green Valley Lake
    CA 92341-8336

  12. [12] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    Ahem. :D

  13. [13] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    G'Nite, Peeps.

  14. [14] 
    Kick wrote:

    Meanwhile, Trump is trying to argue a legal impossibility on some of the documents -- that they are his own personal papers, but at the same time are government documents covered by executive privilege.

    *laughs*

    He's represented by his attorneys: Dewey, Cheatum & Howe who earned their juris doctorates at Trump U.

    How long before the simpering man-baby who claims possession over "all the papers" petitions the Supreme Court urgently to declare that Trump asserts ownership of all the currency printed at Treasury during his Lordship?

  15. [15] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    MtnCaddy [9] -

    Woo hoo! Congratulations!

    I almost didn't put that link in, but as I was editing I thought "I should really point people at it" so I'm glad to hear that was the right choice!

    :-)

    -CW

  16. [16] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    MtnCaddy [10] -

    "Manchinema"... I like Steven Colbert's "Sinemin"...

    :-)

    -CW

  17. [17] 
    Michale wrote:

    OK Let's take this new Weigantia® out for a spin!!! :D

    Next week, millions of students and former students are on track to have $10,000 to $20,000 of their student debt wiped off the books.

    AT the expense of American taxpayers..

    So, really Dementia Biden hasn't "FORGIVEN" the student loan debt..

    Dementia Biden has just shifted the RESPONSIBILITY for WHO pays the debt from the person who actually INCURRED the debt to people who have NOTHING to do with the debt...

    Welcome to Demonrat's America :eyeroll:

    And what about ALL those hundreds of thousands of people who paid of their debt like responsible Americans???

    Are THEY going to get a refund??

    Do ya'all HONESTLY think that this action is FAIR and equitable??

    It's all a moot point anyways.. The GOP's lawsuits against this massive irresponsible unfair act will put an end to Dementia Biden's shenanigans...

    :D

  18. [18] 
    Michale wrote:

    This is a real success story for President Joe Biden, and it's going to happen right before the midterm elections,

    First off... No it isn't.. It really isn't..

    And it's going to have even a LESS impact than Baby Killings...

    If anything, it's going to turn Americans AGAINST the Demonrats...

    New Poll: 76% of Americans Oppose Student Debt Cancellation if It Drives up the Price of College, 64% Oppose if It Raises Taxes

    The Cato 2022 Student Debt Cancellation National Survey, a new national poll of 2,000 U.S. adults, finds 64% of Americans support the federal government forgiving up to $10,000 in federal student loans for people who earn less than $150,000 a year or less than $300,000 per year for married couples. However, support for cancelling federal student loan debt plummets when Americans consider its trade??offs.

    Nearly two??thirds of Americans oppose cancellation if forgiving $10,000 per borrower raises their taxes (64%) or if it primarily benefits higher income people (68%). Even more Americans oppose if cancellation incentivizes colleges and universities to further raise prices, as research has shown it may. About three??fourths of Americans would oppose student debt cancellation if it caused universities to raise their tuition and fees (76%) or if it caused more employers to require college degrees even if not needed to do the job (71%), also known as “credential inflation.”

    “These data show that Americans don’t like the costs that many experts believe are associated with federal student loan forgiveness” said Cato’s Director of Polling Emily Ekins, Ph.D.
    https://www.cato.org/blog/new-poll-76-americans-oppose-student-debt-cancellation-it-drives-price-college-64-oppose-it

    As ya'all can see...

    This bonehead Demonrat move is going to actually HURT the Demonrats in the coming Uber Nuclear Biblical Shellacking.. :D

  19. [19] 
    Michale wrote:

    OK.. I am going to have to do some changes here..

    I am getting older and my eyes are getting worse... It's hard for me to differentiate between regular text and italics text...

    So, I am going to be using bold to differentiate between quoted text and my response to quoted text...

    Ya'all will be able to denote the difference between quoted text and media-relayed text by the URL at the bottom of the media-relayed text..

    Biden delayed announcing student loan forgiveness (which he had promised to do while campaigning) for over a year, but now the timing seems to be working rather well for him politically, we have to admit.

    Not really.. As the polls show, this blatant pandering is working AGAINST the Demonrats in the coming mid-terms.

    The application for debt forgiveness was rolled out (go to StudentAid.gov) without a lot of media fanfare, but in the first week alone a whopping 22 million students -- over half of the 40 million who are eligible -- signed up for it anyway.

    Unfortunately, it was all made moot by the 8th Circuit Courts ruling.. :D

    And another interesting point..

    Who do you think is going to be blamed when this pandering exercise falls thru??

    It won't be the GOP.. :D

    Republicans, of course, are doing everything they can to stop it from happening at all. Multiple lawsuits have been filed -- but this week they had two major courtroom defeats, both at the hands of Republican-appointed judges. Six red states sued to halt the program, but a federal judge in Missouri tossed their case out because they have no standing to sue. Meanwhile a separate case had asked the Supreme Court to issue an emergency order to halt the program, but Justice Amy Coney Barrett flat-out denied this request. There may be more rulings coming in the next few days, since the loan forgiveness program may actually start wiping out students' debt as early as this Sunday.

    "Uh... Mr President.. That is NOT entirely accurate.."
    -SecDef Nimzicki, INDEPENDENCE DAY

    Looks like the 8th Circuit put a crimp in THAT idea, eh?? :D

    This blatant pandering by Dementia Biden and the Demonrats is going to be shut down..

    For all the reasons I listed above..

    It's blatant pandering..

    It's completely unfair to RESPONSIBLE and MATURE Americans who actually PAY their debt!!

    And it's completely unfair to have taxpayer Americans to shoulder the debt that others incurred..

  20. [20] 
    Michale wrote:

    Today, Joe Biden got some more good economic news as last year's budget deficit came in at half what it was the year before -- falling by an all-time record of $1.4 billion in one year. The deficit would have been even lower without the one-time expense of the student loan forgiveness, where 30 years of debt relief was counted in a single month. Voters admittedly don't care as much about budget deficits as they once did, but good news is good news.

    But will that "good news" actually MEAN anything what with all the bad news about inflation and the economy and the explosion of violent crime???

    I mean, it's like:

    "Passengers f the Titanic, this is your captain speaking.. I know that we just hit an iceberg and will likely sink real soon.. But we did just re-arrange the deck chairs so that ya'all will have much more comfortable seating arrangements.. We hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise aboard the HMS Titanic.."

    :D

    While I understand that things are really REALLY bad for Demonrats and that ya'all have to really dig deep for even a MODICUM of good news...

    Do ya'all REALLY think that it's going to make even a scratch in the problems facing Demonrats???

    :D

  21. [21] 
    Michale wrote:

    Biden is also taking Republicans to task for blatantly and openly threatening not just the American economy but the stability of the entire world's economy if they take power in Congress next year.

    You mean, as opposed to how badly Demonrats have scroo'ed up the economies of the world and this country??

    You mean like that??? :^/

    The mainstream media is presenting a false choice to the public, that Democrats are only running on the abortion issue, while Republicans are running on fixing the economy.

    You mean, the factually accurate choice??

    Baby Killing is ALL Demonrats HAVE to run on.. They sure don't want to run on the competent stewardship of the US Economy because, let's face reality..

    There IS no competent stewardship whatsoever..

    Demonrats have managed to decimate everything they touch..

    Baby killings is all they got..

    It's not only the GOP'ers who are stating this fact, it's DEMONRATS themselves who are stating this fact...

    Oh?? What's that?? You want some FACTS to back that up??

    Well, why didn't you just say so!?? :D


    Democrats stake their House majority on abortion


    Why Abortion Has Become a Centerpiece of Democratic TV Ads in 2022
    Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Democrats have spent nearly eight times as much on abortion-related ads as Republicans have.


    Democrats aim to keep spotlight on abortion, as they face midterm head winds
    Their efforts have collided with ramped-up Republican attempts to center the elections on crime and the economy

    Please note that these are ALL Left Wing rags.

    And are just a FEW of the HUNDREDS of links that are available that PROVE Demonrats are running on Baby Killing..

    What is REALLY interesting is that I can't find many links at all that say Demonrats are running on their competent prowess on Economy and Violent Crime.. :D

    "Gee!! I wonder why that is!!!"
    -Kevin Spacey, THE NEGOTIATOR

    :D

    No, it's clear.. Demonrats CAN'T run on their economic skills because they HAVE no skills to speak of to run on..

    For Demonrats, it's Baby Killing, Baby Killing, Baby Killing... All day.. All night.. 24/7...

    The facts that prove this are as unequivocal as they are conclusive as they are plentiful....

  22. [22] 
    Michale wrote:

    This week, Joe Biden promised that the first bill he would send to Congress if Democrats hold the House and add two seats to the Senate would be to codify Roe v. Wade. Republicans want to do the opposite -- they want a federal law to ban abortions even in deep blue states. Again, the differences are pretty stark between the two parties.

    Yes, the differences ARE pretty stark..

    Demonrats are running on killing babies...

    GOP'ers are running on saving babies lives...

    You and I are in COMPLETE agreement..

    The differences ARE pretty stark...

    And the American people are siding with the GOP'ers...

  23. [23] 
    Michale wrote:

    I put out the poll question yesterday but no one wanted to chime in..

    Not surprising..

    But let me put the question to you and see what YOU think..

    If we suddenly acquired the technology whereas we could terminate a woman's pregnancy WITHOUT killing the baby...

    Would you support a law that makes abortion/baby killing illegal and tantamount to murder??

    Why or why not???

  24. [24] 
    Michale wrote:

    At least the media has woken up (somewhat) to the fact that there are dozens of GOP candidates out there running on Donald Trump's Big Lie,

    Not factually accurate..

    There are "dozens" of GOP candidates out there running with the FACTUAL knowledge that there was fraud and cheating in the 2020 election..

    The fraud and cheating has been well documented and is completely and 1000% factual..

    who are all essentially pledging to the voters that in the future any election that Democrats win will be considered illegitimate and should be overturned.

    You mean, as opposed to Demonrats who refuse to accept elections when GOP'ers win???

    Going all the way back to 2000, Demonrats REFUSED to accept Bush's win against Al Crazed Sex Poodle Gore and John I Love The Enemy Kerry...

    There is ALSO of course Stacey BIG LIE Abrams and Cankles Clinton's Russ Collusion Delusion...

    So, if you REALLY want to talk about the Party that REFUSES to accept the validity of elections that THEY lose..

    You need look no further than your own Demonrat Party...

    I'm just sayin'... :D

  25. [25] 
    Michale wrote:

    WOOT!!! About a quarter of the way thru!!! :D

    This is the man Republicans want to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate.

    You mean, as opposed to the human vegetable that Demonrats have selected to represent Pennsylvania??

    Left Wing water carrier MSNBC did a Town Hall with DEMOCRATS on John Fraydeeman...

    It was BRUTAL...

    Swing voters rip Fetterman on MSNBC: ‘Hard to watch him speak,’ ‘sore eye for the Democratic Party'

    One voter told MSNBC that Fetterman should've been advised to not run given his current health issues
    https://www.foxnews.com/media/swing-voters-rip-fetterman-msnbc-hard-watch-him-speak-sore-eye-democratic-party

    Doc Oz has his faults to be sure.. But at least he can FUNCTION in a US Senate environment..

    The same cannot be said about Fraydeeman..

  26. [26] 
    Michale wrote:

    I mean, look at some of these quotes from DEMOCRATS!!

    "It’s hard to watch him speak because you want the words to flow. You want him to be able to have that ease of communication. I don’t have a problem with the fact that he needs closed-captioning. I think that way, for him, and if he becomes my representative, I’d want him to be clear as to what the other party is saying."
    -Female Democrat Voter

    "This is a serious liability for the candidate. The one thing that I got to say is you don’t know if he’s going to need that [closed captioning] six months from now or the rest of his life, and neither do we, and neither do his doctors at this point. That’s the sad part, and that’s why I think somebody should have stepped in, and said, ‘Hey, this just isn’t the right time, John.’"
    -Male Democrat Voter

    "I think them parading him out there is a sore eye for the Democratic Party."
    -Democrat Voter

    As ya'all can see.... Fraydeeman is NOT going to win his election..

    THAT much is certain...

  27. [27] 
    Michale wrote:

    Since I am a bit thru the FTP commentary, I would like to thank the moderator for making clear what the rules are in the here and now.....

    I am especially gratified to see the moderator step in and put his foot down on the gross personal attacks on people and family members...

    My only goal has ever been to get those gross personal attacks stopped..

    And, personally, I am also gratified to see that I can still have some fun in Weigantia® while playing within the rules..

    It's a new dawn in Weigantia®.. Let us all make the most of it.. :D

  28. [28] 
    Michale wrote:

    Maybe it's why more and more Republicans are walking away from their party.

    Oh wow.. Do you REALLY want to go there??

    Well, awww right.. Kewl..

    Let's peruse the last couple weeks where Democrats by the tens of thousands are walking away from the Demonrat Party, eh?? :D

    First off, there is Tulsi Gabbard...

    Then, of course, there are thousands and thousands of hispanic Americans who are walking away from the Demonrat Party..

    Not to mention the thousands and thousands of black Americans who are leaving the Demonrat Party and voting GOP..

    What's that?? You have some GOP'er endorsing a Democrat??

    Oh.. Well, let's see what we have on the OTHER side of the equation?? :D


    Former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes endorses Republican Tyler Harper for ag commissioner


    MDemocratic state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. endorses Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for reelection
    The endorsement comes after Patrick’s Democratic opponent, Mike Collier, received endorsements from two Republicans, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley and state Sen. Kel Seliger of Amarillo.


    Florida Democrat Endorses DeSantis for Governor: 'Obvious Choice'

    So yea.. Ya'all can keep your ONE GOP'er endorsing a Demonrat...

    I've got tens of thousands of hispanic Americans and black Americans and even actual Democrats endorsing and voting for GOP'ers...

    We'll see who wins in a little over 2 weeks, eh?? :D

  29. [29] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Michale [17] -

    Strange, I didn't hear a peep out of you or the GOP for all those bazillions in PPP loans that were forgiven...

    -CW

  30. [30] 
    Michale wrote:

    We gave him an Honorable Mention for a strong debate performance last week, and this week we've decided to elevate Representative Tim Ryan to our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week.

    You realize that there is simply NO WAY Ryan is going to win, right???

    Vance has biatch-slapped Ryan all up one side and down the other... :D

    Vance is going to be the next CongressCritter from Ohio... :D

    Ohio is Paula's stomping grounds, eh?? Wonder how she feels about all this.. :D

  31. [31] 
    Michale wrote:

    Moderator,

    Strange, I didn't hear a peep out of you or the GOP for all those bazillions in PPP loans that were forgiven...

    Could you be more specific.. I would need to know exactly what you mean before I can comment intelligently on the subject. :D

  32. [32] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Michale [18] -

    Or you can look at a poll that isn't a push-poll designed to get one particular answer, and see a majority of Americans actually do support it:

    https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3623055-majority-backs-student-loan-debt-relief-poll/

    -CW

  33. [33] 
    Michale wrote:

    But this week's Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week is none other than Joe Biden,

    Say what? Removing the power of the Republicans to periodically threaten to default on the nation's debt in order to score political points would be "irresponsible"? How?

    Question from the peanut gallery..

    Haven't Demonrats "periodically threaten to default on the nation's debt in order to score political points"??

    I mean, you infer that the GOP is wrong to threaten default on the nation's debt to score political points is a BAD thing.

    And I would agree with you.. It IS a bad thing..

    But if I recall correctly, I believe that Demonrats have ALSO used that political ploy on several occasions..

    So, my question is..

    Why is it OK for Demonrats to do it, but heinously offensive when GOP'ers do it??

    Personally, I think Dementia Biden is correct in this case.. I know.. I was just as shocked too!! :D

    Like getting rid of the filibuster, it's a short-sighted action that will likely end up biting the Demonrats on the arse...

    In THIS case, I think Biden is actually thinking longer ahead than those who want to eliminate the debt ceiling...

    Just my 2 cents worth..

  34. [34] 
    Michale wrote:

    Or you can look at a poll that isn't a push-poll designed to get one particular answer, and see a majority of Americans actually do support it:

    As I have said ad nauseum, anyone can find a poll that supports any claim they want to make.. :D

    But the simple fact is, it is COMPLETELY unfair to the people who have responsibly paid back their student debts..

    Wouldn't you agree with that??

    If Demonrats are going to forgive student debt, then by all that is fair, those who PAID off their loans should get a refund..

    Further, wouldn't you agree that saddling Americans with student loan debt on student loans they never got?? Wouldn't you agree that THAT is patently unfair??

  35. [35] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:
  36. [36] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Quote:

    I figured conservative hypocrisy was imminent. I didn’t expect the official White House Twitter to showcase it. Per that account, Pennsylvania Rep Mike Kelly and Florida Rep Matt Gaetz, both vocal critics of loan forgiveness, had $987,237 and $482,321, respectively, in PPP loans forgiven.

    You know, those same guys who are whining the students should "pull themselves up by the bootstraps" and "pay their loans off in full."

    There's dozens of articles out there, if you look...

    -CW

  37. [37] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    COMPLETELY unfair to every small business that paid back all their loans in full... right?

    American taxpayers "on the hook" for all these members of Congress who got many times the $10K or $20K they're now whining about... right?

    As I wrote:

    As mentioned, Republicans are absolutely incensed that federal money is being used to make tens of millions of Americans' lives better, because according to them that's only supposed to happen for the ultra-wealthy and/or for giant corporations. Shoveling federal largesse at those two groups is perfectly fine with them, but... students? That's a step too far for them, apparently.

    -CW

  38. [38] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    I will give you this...

    you do seem to be staying on topic, at least.

    :-)

    -CW

  39. [39] 
    Michale wrote:

    Thanx.. Now I am up to speed..

    And yes.. I completely agree with you..

    That is as bad as the Student Loan bailout issue..

    Complete agreement....

  40. [40] 
    Michale wrote:

    Moderator,

    I will give you this...

    you do seem to be staying on topic, at least.

    Thank you.. Much appreciated...

  41. [41] 
    Michale wrote:

    JL,

    Because heaven forbid the government do anything to help people who aren't already wealthy.

    You mean, like helping the doctors and lawyers with their student debt??

    Doctors and lawyers who are clearing 6-figure salaries??

    You mean, like that???

  42. [42] 
    Michale wrote:

    MC,

    Of course I agree with you but I suspect this is a page out of the Obama Playback. Remember how disappointed in Obama so many people were? I think a significant chunk of the "Disapprove of Obama" pollees were folks (like me) that bought into Hope and Change and we were underwhelmed by

    Yep, yep yep.. You can count me in as one of those who bought into Odumbo's "Not Red States, Not Blue States, UNITED States BS rhetoric...

    I completely and utterly regretted my Odumbo vote in 2008.... :^/

    I think that was when I became very disillusioned with the Demonrat Party...

  43. [43] 
    Michale wrote:

    And they will, coming to a February near you! After J6C has so artfully plowed the road I don't see Merrick Garland having much of a choice.

    I think we can file this under the old meteorological term WISHCASTING.. :D

    The Cardassian 6JC was a complete and utter failure.. It even had DEMONRATS questioning the validity and wisdom of it..

    You want to see CIVIL WAR 2.0???

    Have a Demonrat Administration indict the Presidential Candidate from the opposing Party..

    THAT will set off Civil War 2.0....

  44. [44] 
    Michale wrote:

    Death to all DINOs, I say.

    Woaahh.. Dood.. Incitement to murder??

    "That's no bueno.."
    -Agent J, MEN IN BLACK 3

  45. [45] 
    Michale wrote:

    At the risk of nit-picking, Elizabeth, most of Build Back Better's different aspects are very popular with the public.

    For example.....?????? :D

  46. [46] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  47. [47] 
    Michale wrote:

    Looks like Demonrats take another hit.. :D

    US appeals court temporarily blocks Biden's student loan handout

    The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with several Republican-led states
    https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/u-s-appeals-court-grants-injunction-temporary-blocking-bidens-student-loan-handout

    So, the Student Loan pandering won't help in the coming Uber Nuclear Biblical shellacking...

    It was a valiant try....

    "You were great in your day, Superman. But it just stands to reason, when it came time to cash in your chips, this old... diseased... maniac would be your banker."
    -Lex Luthor

    :D

  48. [48] 
    Michale wrote:

    As we enter the midterm homestretch, Democrats should be touting this as good news -

    Speaking of the midterm homestretch.... :D

    As ya'all know, I have been charting the odds of Demonrats actually holding on to the US Senate..

    I was out for a couple months with VERY painful cellulitis so I missed the ascension of the Demonrats..

    But after catching up, I saw that Demonrats were up to like a 78% (don't quote me) chance of keeping the US Senate...

    Fast forward to today....???

    Why I'm Telling My Friends That The Senate Is A Toss-Up
    The Senate started out as a toss-up when we launched our forecast in June — and after a summer in which political developments mostly played to Democrats’ favor, there is now clear movement back toward Republicans. The FiveThirtyEight Senate forecast gives Democrats a 58 percent chance of keeping control of the Senate, down from a peak of 71 percent last month.

    But let’s get real. If a friend asked me to characterize the Senate race, I’d say “it’s pretty fucking close,” and emphasize that neither party has much of an advantage. Here’s why.

    For one thing, as of Thursday afternoon, Republicans realized a slight lead (of 0.1 percentage points) in the FiveThirtyEight generic ballot average for the first time since Aug. 2.
    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-senate-is-a-toss-up/

    The momentum is obviously with the GOP and against the Demonrats..

    And this close to an election, momentum usually wins the day.. :D

    Since this is the New Weigantia® and the slate is wiped clean... I am opening the floor for wagers.. :D

    There is the wager that JL and I have...

    T-shirt wagers are fun and have their beginnings in ancient Weigantia® with the infamous "moustache wager" heard round the world..

    So step right up and place yer bets!! :D

  49. [49] 
    Michale wrote:

    And, again.. Speaking of the mid-terms...

    The growing warning signs for Democrats in 2022

    For months, Democrats’ polling gains, strong special-election performances and surprising leads in key Senate races have come with important caveats.

    Those caveats? The party that holds the presidency loses the vast majority of midterms, and the fundamentals — both President Biden’s approval rating and perceptions of the economy — still pointed to a tough 2022. What’s more, the polls have been off in recent elections (usually overestimating Democrats’ prospects when they are) — and what happens if and when Republican-oriented voters come home to candidates they might not love?

    It appears to be happening. And those caveats now appear in effect, with the GOP’s chances of winning both chambers growing.

    A Monmouth University poll released Thursday is the latest to suggest the 2022 election is moving in the GOP’s direction. It shows Republicans with a four-point lead on the question of which party American adults prefer to run Congress. That’s the GOP’s best showing since May — before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Republicans also lead by six points among registered voters, specifically.

    And it’s not the only one. Other high-profile media polls which test the generic ballot — that is, would you prefer a generic Democrat or a generic Republican — have also shown a modest shift in the GOP’s direction. And FiveThirtyEight’s average of generic ballot polls now favors Republicans for the first time since early August.
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-growing-warning-signs-for-democrats-in-2022/ar-AA13cnsZ

    As is apparent, the GOP has the momentum going into the mid-terms..

    Demonrats are holding onto the hope that the fringe issues like Baby Killing and Student Loan Debt will be enough to blunt the Red Tsunami that is about to come ashore..

    But, by all indications, it looks like those hopes will be unmet..

    I am thinking we're probably going to see a repeat of Weigantia from 9 Nov 2016... :D

    Oh, damn, I woke him up....

    Heh.

    :-)

    -CW

    Heh :D

  50. [50] 
    Michale wrote:

    In Pennsylvania, a new AARP poll this week showed Republican Mehmet Oz closing to within two points in a race that Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) once led by double digits.

    A big reason? Oz’s favorability rating rose from 30 percent in June to 38 percent today. Republicans viewed Oz favorably by just a 15-point margin back then, but they now view him favorably by a 44-point margin

    And the news is only getting worse for Fraydeeman.. As I indicated above, even DEMOCRATS are turning against Fraydeeman...

    So I think we can count Pennsylvania as a win for the GOP...

    Ohio???

    In Ohio, Republican J.D. Vance has asserted a lead in the polling average after trailing previously. And again we can look to image ratings. As recently as last month, a Suffolk University poll showed his opponent Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) had a surprisingly solid image rating among Republicans, at negative-26 (19 percent favorable to 45 percent unfavorable). The same poll now shows Republicans dislike Ryan by a 56-point margin, while Vance’s image has improved modestly.

    Yep.. Ohio is a solid pick-up for the GOP...

    Wisconsin??

    There’s similar movement in a third race in which Democrats seemed to have hope of a pickup: Wisconsin. Polling from Marquette University Law School has shown Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) moving from down seven in August, to virtually tied last month, to now leading by six points among likely voters. During that span, he’s gone from an image rating of plus-55 with GOP-leaning voters to plus-74.

    Another GOP win...

    Georgia??

    In Georgia, Herschel Walker hasn’t benefited from a similar shift. But that’s in part because his image was already strong in the GOP, and it doesn’t appear to have suffered much despite an allegation that he paid for an abortion more than a decade ago. The race remains tight, with perhaps a slight edge for Sen. Raphael G. Warnock (D-Ga.).

    What we have in GA is a dark horse Demonrat who squeeked by in a special election against a well known and beloved Georgia Football Hero.. And if Georgians love one thing, it's a Hometown College Football Hero...

    Georgia is definitely going to the GOP..

    Arizona???

    he evidence is less compelling in Arizona, where we just don’t have as much high-quality polling. But a recent CBS News/YouGov poll showed Republican Blake Masters within three points of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) despite 63 percent of voters disliking Masters personally.

    Masters remains an underdog, but all of these races appears to be in play for the GOP, and winning four or even just three of them could translate into a GOP Senate majority. That seems very possible if things continue to close in the GOP’s direction in the final two-plus weeks of the campaign — particularly if gas prices don’t drop and if abortion is indeed waning as a campaign issue, as some indicators suggest it could be.

    Arizona is probably the only true toss-up state... But one has to remember that Arizona is a border-state and, let's face the facts here, people... Border states don't like Demonrats much at ALL...

    So, this will likely also be a GOP pick-up...

    Democrats were never really favorites to hold both chambers; it was always about whether they had a shot to beat history, particularly in the Senate. Their odds of doing that appear to be declining.

    Keep in mind, THIS ^^^^ comes from Demonrat Water Carrier extraordinaire WaPoop.. So, the credibility factor is WAY up there....

    Demonrats are heading for a fall... The only question is how BIG of a fall it's going to be...

  51. [51] 
    Michale wrote:

    Let's see, what else? Steve Bannon was just sentenced to four months in prison for refusing to obey a congressional subpoena, although he won't spend a night behind bars until all his appeals run out.

    Let's look at two instances of "Contempt Of Congree"..

    One involving a GOP'er and one involving a Demonrat..

    We all know what happened with the GOP'er...

    The Demonrat??

    Eric Holder's Contempt Case Trends Amid Bannon Sentence 'Double Standards'

    Holder, a Democrat who served in former President Barack Obama's administration, was held in contempt by the House in June 2012 "for failing to disclose internal Justice Department documents in response to a subpoena." The White House and Justice Department did not attempt to criminally prosecute Holder after the contempt citation, CNN reported.

    "Double standards are the DOJ's only standard!," one Twitter user, @Pscc8082, tweeted Friday after comparing Bannon's case to Holder's.
    https://www.newsweek.com/eric-holder-contempt-case-steve-bannon-sentence-double-standards-1753963

    Iddn't it funny how two different CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS cases result in two diametrically opposed outcomes??

    Hypocrisy. It's not a bug in Demonrat programming. It's a feature..

    :eyeroll:

  52. [52] 
    Michale wrote:

    In comment #50 above, I went thru the various Senate races that Demonrats are likely to lose..

    How could I forget the BIGGEST loss that Demonrats face!!??

    Nevada!! :D

    THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE IN NEVADA MIGHT BE FALTERING
    In Nevada, a major teachers’ union is withholding its endorsement, infighting has roiled the state Democratic party, and Republicans are inching up in the polls.

    “This would never have happened if Senator Reid were still alive,” a Nevada Democratic insider tells Vanity Fair.
    https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/10/democratic-machine-reid-nevada-midterms-2022

    The biggest strike against Demonrats in Nevada is their loss of the hispanic American vote..

    It's well documented that Demonrats are losing the hispanic American vote by the millions..

    That fact is why Demonrats are going to lose in Nevada..

  53. [53] 
    Michale wrote:

    This is the man Republicans want to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate.

    You mean, as opposed to Demonrats wanting THIS man to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate??

    Fetterman Doctor Controversy as Oz Surges in Pennsylvania

    Doctor who gave green light on health revealed as Democrat donor to Senate candidates.
    So, as Pennsylvania’s hotter-than-hot race for the U.S. Senate heats up even more, GOP nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz is surging in the polls.

    And as that happens, Newsmax has exploded the following story about Oz’s opponent, Democrat Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. Here’s the headline:

    Fetterman Doctor Also a Donor

    The story reveals that the Fetterman campaign, in response to media demands that the candidate, a recent stroke victim, release an update on his health, did so in a report from his doctor.

    The doctor, identified as Clifford Chen, did so. And in that report said that his patient, Fetterman, “can work full duty in public office.”

    Then Newsmax goes on to reveal, as the headline hints, that not only is Chen a donor to Fetterman’s campaign, but he has also been a donor to the Democrat Senate nominees Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia and Rep. Val Demings in Florida.
    https://spectator.org/fetterman-doctor-controversy-oz-surges-pennsylvania/

    So, Fraydeeman's "doctor" is nothing but a Demonrat Donor ringer..

    Why won't Fraydeeman release his medical records??

    I mean, Demonrats clamored and clamored and hooted and hollered hysterically for President Trump's medical records..

    Yet Demonrats are strangely silent about Fraydeeman NOT releasing his medical records...

    What's up with THAT!!?? Double Standard much???

    Hypocrisy. It's not a bug in Demonrat programming. It's a feature..

  54. [54] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  55. [55] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  56. [56] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  57. [57] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  58. [58] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  59. [59] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    The program would help individuals making less than 125k or families making less than 250k. Sure that includes some in the upper-middle and lower-upper classes. But COVID hit students hard, and it helps a lot of people who really need it.

  60. [60] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    It being the program, not COVID.

  61. [61] 
    Michale wrote:

    The program would help individuals making less than 125k or families making less than 250k. Sure that includes some in the upper-middle and lower-upper classes. But COVID hit students hard, and it helps a lot of people who really need it

    Everyone has a sob story..

    The people who acted responsibly and like mature adults and actually paid off their student loans did so under great personal stress...

    The message the Demonrats are sending is, "It's OK to be a slacker.. Us Demonrats will cover for ya at the expense of the American people.."

    Not a good message for so-called "LEADERS" to send, eh?? :^/

  62. [62] 
    Michale wrote:

    And the funny thing is, it's really not going to change anyone's mind or change anyone's vote..

    It's such a blatant pandering move that will have absolutely ZERO effect on the mid-terms..

    If it is even allowed to go thru at all.. Which, as of now seems doubtful..

  63. [63] 
    Michale wrote:

    "Under Joe Biden's watch, the American economy has created 10 million new jobs as it recovered from the pandemic.

    You mean Creepy Dementia Biden RECOVERED 10 million jobs that PRESIDENT TRUMP created that Demonrats LOST with their hysterical and unfounded Covid bullshit..

    Let's be factually accurate here, eh???

    Kinda like when you gave Creepy Dementia Biden credit for the hearing aids law when it was actually PRESIDENT TRUMP who signed the measure into law.. Remember??

    Lets try and be reality based here, eh?? :D

  64. [64] 
    Michale wrote:

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  65. [65] 
    Michale wrote:

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  66. [66] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [42]

    Yep, yep yep.. You can count me in as one of those who bought into Odumbo's "Not Red States, Not Blue States, UNITED States BS rhetoric...

    I completely and utterly regretted my Odumbo vote in 2008.... :^/

    I'm impressed, Michale, that you disclose your vote for the Dem alternative to Dubya's GOP. It shows you recognized what a mess he made of things. And it begs the question why are you still so into Dear Leader Trump after he left an even bigger mess than did Dubya?

    You'll do whatever the fuck you want (God bless America!) but for the record boldifying lengthy paragraphs of YOUR Repug Parallel Universe musings is IMO the same as ALL CAPS... it's SHOUTING.

    Being a sensitive artist type it annoys my eyes, so I just scroll through. I regularly go read that stuff for myself and have no reason to plow through it here. I'm interested in whether or not YOU-- in YOUR words -- can contribute anything to my understanding.

    I'm not entitled to my posts being replied to or even read in the first place, and neither are you.

  67. [67] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  68. [68] 
    Michale wrote:

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  69. [69] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    On the bright side Michale, I read far more of your stuff just now than usual which is obviously what you live for.

    On the dark side you post this "Dems will get killed" stuff over and over morning after morning. B-o-r-i-n-g, Dude, and I scroll through it. You likewise crowed about imminent Repug/Trump victories in 2018 and 2020... and then disappeared for months after both elections went the other way, so I guess you don't want to take any chances with this election.

    If I put as much time and effort into Weigantia as you do I'd want people to read and comment on it, not scroll through it. But that's just me.

  70. [70] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  71. [71] 
    Michale wrote:

    On the bright side Michale, I read far more of your stuff just now than usual which is obviously what you live for.

    Well, on the one hand, it really makes me no never mind.. I don't post these facts to be popular.. I post these facts because I like to post facts.. :D

    However, in deference to the spirit of détente that we have now, when I respond to you, I'll endeavor to use the I /I so as not to upset your artistic sensibilities.. :D

    On the dark side you post this "Dems will get killed" stuff over and over morning after morning. B-o-r-i-n-g, Dude, and I scroll through it.

    Only because ya'all post this "Dems are gonna be fine" stuff over and over, day after day...

    "If ya didn't START none, der wouldn't BE none!!"
    -Will Smith, INDEPENDENCE DAY

    :D

    You likewise crowed about imminent Repug/Trump victories in 2018 and 2020...

    Just as ya'all did regarding Cankles Clinton imminent victory in 2016...

    Such is the nature of the beast.. Reading too much into it is not logical or rational, eh??

    If I put as much time and effort into Weigantia as you do I'd want people to read and comment on it, not scroll through it. But that's just me.

    It's been my experience with my long 16 (17??) years here in Weigantia, that people who are ensconced in Party dogma and ideology will do what they wish regardless of any logic or facts or rational thought..

    Given that fact....

    "I run my unit how I run my unit!"
    -Colonel Nathan R Jessup, A FEW GOOD MEN

    :D

  72. [72] 
    Michale wrote:

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  73. [73] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  74. [74] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  75. [75] 
    Michale wrote:

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  76. [76] 
    Michale wrote:

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  77. [77] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    Herschel Walker once again displays why education should be the focus even for athletes...or in his case, ESPECIALLY for athletes!

    ""Right, right," Walker added, "and yeah hey, and if you can't have, if you can't have, you can't produce, uhhhh, a child, you're a man."

    So the ability to give birth to a child is how you determine whether you are talking to a man or a woman... this might explain why he has so many kids from so many different women! How else could he know if they were women if they didn't give birth!

    Thrilled that Georgia has a Republican candidate that is so horrible that a majority of UGA alumni will probably choose to stay home on election day rather than have to vote against #34. (FYI, that was Walker's jersey number back when he played football for UGA. The fact that it's also his IQ now is just a freaky but sad coincidence.)

  78. [78] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  79. [79] 
    Michale wrote:

    Damn... WTF!!!????

    Thrilled that Georgia has a Republican candidate that is so horrible that a majority of UGA alumni will probably choose to stay home on election day rather than have to vote against #34. (FYI, that was Walker's jersey number back when he played football for UGA. The fact that it's also his IQ now is just a freaky but sad coincidence.)

    Assumes facts not in evidence..

    The reality is, is GA is a College Football State..

    Walker is a Hometown College Footbal Hero...

    Raph Warlock BARELY squeaked by in the special election..

    Does ANYONE honestly believe that Warlock can prevail??

    ANYONE??? :D

  80. [80] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  81. [81] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  82. [82] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  83. [83] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    Interview with a Republican Congressman

    So what do Republicans plan to do about the economy if they take back Congress?

    "We are going to start multiple investigations into Hunter Biden's employment history... as we do for most citizens that never held a political office."

    How will that benefit our economy or even address inflation?

    "Ummm...Hunter had no experience in the production of Oil but was paid like $100K a year to sit on the board of a Ukrainian oil company. That seems suspicious, right? You know he did drugs? Sure did! He had a laptop."

    Didn't Jared Kushner get over $2.5 Billion dollars from the Saudi Prince as an investment into the new "equity firm" that he was starting with no future projects lined up and no background in that field whatsoever?

    (The Republican stands there in silence. Their eyes keep darting around as if they are looking for somewhere to run to... their mouth, while uttering no sound, just continues to open and close like that of a giant goldfish out of water...They suddenly just take off running...having successfully avoided answering the simple question posed to them.)

  84. [84] 
    Michale wrote:

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  85. [85] 
    Michale wrote:

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  86. [86] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  87. [87] 
    Michale wrote:

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  88. [88] 
    Michale wrote:

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  89. [89] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  90. [90] 
    Michale wrote:

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  91. [91] 
    Michale wrote:

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  92. [92] 
    Michale wrote:

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  93. [93] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  94. [94] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  95. [95] 
    Michale wrote:

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  96. [96] 
    Michale wrote:

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  97. [97] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    The truly surprising thing is that Ryan has pretty much been abandoned by the national Democratic Party. They are not injecting millions of dollars into this race, because they feel their money is better spent on other races elsewhere.

    Has he really been abandoned by Democrats? From the article linked with this...

    ...though several other organizations have collectively spent seven figures on Ryan’s behalf, according to the data.

    The article goes on to state that a recent flood of money by Republicans has brought the amounts being spent by both candidates to almost even!

    So Ryan was actually ahead by millions of dollars and is now about tied with Vance. While the PACs for the National Democrats might not be tossing money his way, some of the less obviously named PACs definitely have been. It may be that the voters in OH like to focus more on the individual candidate and less on the Party... So it is best for ads not to bring up he's a Democrat too much.

    Plus, even Trump mocked JD Vance for being such an ass kisser who would do anything to get Trump's endorsement. Yeah, that surely made voters like him more. But Vance had said "mean" (reads: HONEST) things about Trump years ago... so he had it coming!

  98. [98] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  99. [99] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  100. [100] 
    Michale wrote:

    The article goes on to state that a recent flood of money by Republicans has brought the amounts being spent by both candidates to almost even!

    Which doesn't change the fact that Ryan has been abandoned by the national Demonrat Party...

    Demonrats know that Ryan can't win.. So they are putting their funding elsewhere...

    That's the gist of it, Russ... :D

  101. [101] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  102. [102] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Now, if we could just get Michale to stop tapping out Demonrats ... :)

  103. [103] 
    Michale wrote:

    Liz,

    Now, if we could just get Michale to stop tapping out Demonrats ... :)

    Make a deal with ya..

    Get everyone else to stop with the cutesy name/attacks on the GOP and President Trump???

    I'll be happy to stop with my own cutesy name/attacks on Democrats.. :D

    Deal?? :D

  104. [104] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Removed by moderator]

  105. [105] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    So Garland has obviously chosen not to indict Trump or any of the Republicans in Congress involved in the failed insurrection and attempt to overturn our 2020 election results until AFTER the midterm elections on November 8, 2022. This is to prevent Republicans from crying "unfair" claiming the arrests and indictments were done solely to influence the elections. But Republicans may regret this when so many of them could find themselves charged with crimes that could make them ineligible to hold office. That means the states will have to have special elections to fill those seats. Which means until those elections happen, that state's seats will remain unfilled. It could be that so many Republicans in the Senate and House are ineligible to be in Congress that the Democrats can pass everything they could want to into law. Enough Senators removed and kiss the filibuster goodbye!

    Had Garland arrested them prior to the mid-terms, the states could have had the election for their replacements on November 8. How many that get elected on the 8th will be indicted on the 9th? Good thing Garland didn't do anything to influence the elections.

    Aiding and abetting in the Big Lie and the January 6 failed insurrection can be very broadly defined. Gonna be so wonderful to see Ted Cruz trying to explain how his urging the January 6 crowd to have their "1776 moment" wasn't a call to violence at the capitol.

  106. [106] 
    C. R. Stucki wrote:

    TP2 "Why do they reject improving so many millions of lives?"

    The obvious premise of the question is that it would not be at the expense of degrading other millions of lives.

    That's only the case if the money comes from the tooth fairy or Santa Clause, right? But my guess would be, it comes from the taxpayers.

  107. [107] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Michale,

    Deal!

    'Cause that falls under name-calling. Which is now frowned upon, finally! :)

  108. [108] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Ahh, that's (a little) better.

    Note to all: to avoid quibbles, please note I am not giving reasons for removing comments, because I don't feel the need to. I didn't enjoy reading them for whatever reason; I removed them.

    Deal with it.

    -CW

  109. [109] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Heh.

  110. [110] 
    Michale wrote:

    So Garland has obviously chosen not to indict Trump or any of the Republicans in Congress involved in the failed insurrection and attempt to overturn our 2020 election results until AFTER the midterm elections on November 8, 2022.

    Any facts to support???

    Any facts at all??

    I await with bated breath.. :D

  111. [111] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Michale -

    I'll be polite and open with a quote:

    Please don't dominate the rap, Jack
    If you've got nothing new to say.

    -- Grateful Dead, "New Speedway Boogie"

    I counted. In the first 100 comments, only 32 of them were not you. And half of those were posted before you joined in. You are dominating the rap, Jack. You are being annoying.

    And people are tired of it. Exhausted. They're begging me to kick you off the site entirely.

    Becuase pretty much 90% of your posts are the same:

    "I am right, everyone else is wrong, here's why.
    [incredibly long repost from some right-wing site nobody is interested in]
    There! That PROVES how right I am!
    Nyah, nyah, nyah!"

    In a word, this is BORING. And we've all had quite enough.

    So this is a warning for to you to drastically change your ways. People come here (myself included) for political discussion, not bullying and shouting endlessly without listening to a single word anyone else has to say.

    And it's my site, and that's what I want too. This is not the "Michale Comments Blog."

    I am halfway inclined to just limit you to, oh, I dunno... 20 comments per article. That sounds about right. If you can't say what you have to say within 20 comments, then it's really not worth saying, right?

    You used to be a big supporter of this site, and you used to engage people in intelligent discussion from your own point of view. Neither of those things has been true for quite a while now. And the rest of us miss those days. And we'd all like these comments to get back to a place where intelligent discussion takes place.

    So you've basically got one chance. Don't try to spilt hairs with me, you know exactly what I am asking you to do (or, more importantly, not do). If you can't manage to, then I will at long last grant the wishes of those who have complained to me.

    Last chance, buddy...

    -CW

  112. [112] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    LizM [102] -

    Hmmmm....

    -CW

  113. [113] 
    Michale wrote:

    Strange, I didn't hear a peep out of you or the GOP for all those bazillions in PPP loans that were forgiven..

    That's because the illegal Student Loan Forgiveness was created illegally by Executive Order...

    As is evidenced by the fact that the Courts have stopped it..

    The PPP loans were DESIGNED to be forgiven as the PPP Loan Forgiveness was done by an ACT OF CONGRESS, not an illegal Executive Order..

    "These are the facts of the case.. And they are undisputed."</B
    -Captain Smilin' Jack Ross, A FEW GOOD MEN

    :D

  114. [114] 
    Michale wrote:

    Moderator,

    You used to be a big supporter of this site, and you used to engage people in intelligent discussion from your own point of view. Neither of those things has been true for quite a while now. And the rest of us miss those days. And we'd all like these comments to get back to a place where intelligent discussion takes place.

    As would I.. But it's very difficult to have Intelligent Discussions when I am constantly defending myself from disgusting personal attacks, moronic "background checks" and discussing attacks on my wife and children...

    If THOSE would be eliminated, 80% of the comments would disappear..

    As evidenced by yesterday and today's comments..

    I can't help it if the FACTS allow me to "dominate" the conversation...

    But, I'll make it easy for you..

    Just go ahead and ban me.. Silence those whose sole "crime" is simply relaying unpopular facts...

    :^/

  115. [115] 
    Michale wrote:

    I played within your rules.. You even acknowledged this fact... Each and every comment I made today has been ON TOPIC...

    But the problem here is not me playing by the rules you set down..

    The problem here is simply not allowing any dissent..

    And the only way to deal with these facts is to kill the messenger..

    So be it..

  116. [116] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Michale,

    I'll never be one who begs anyone to kick you off the site, to be clear. Because, well, I'm a cockeye optimist, as you well know! :)

  117. [117] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Michale,

    If you stay on topic AND don't keep repeating yourself, you should be good to go ... er, stay.

  118. [118] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Hey, Michale!

    Did I tell ya that I recently say the Eagles in concert? I would hate to see you go 'cause then you wouldn't be able to post an Eagles song and you know there is one for almost any situation, I hope Already Gone isn't one of them!

  119. [119] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Say and saw ...

  120. [120] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Michale -

    As I pointed out, you were 68% of the first 100 comments. If you start counting from where you jumped in, you were 81% of the comments.

    It's the volume, dude. That's what is truly annoying everyone. The sheer flood of it all. Just to let you know...

    -CW

  121. [121] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    He came, he sawed, he conquered ... and then he was gone. :(

  122. [122] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Besides, Michale, if we didn't care, we would stop trying to get through to you ...

  123. [123] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    I'd like to publicly thank LizM for doing such great work here in my absence. Some of the feedback I got specifically mentioned how LizM has been trying to keep things on the rails, so I wanted to acknowledge that fact and give a big public "Thank you!" to her for her tireless efforts.

    :-)

    -CW

  124. [124] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    ... I can't tell you why.

  125. [125] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    (addition to [120] to Michale)

    I'll even prove it. How's this?

    No other restrictions than volume. For the next week, post anything you like but after your first 20 comments, they'll be unceremoniously deleted. Sound fair?

    (Bet it sounds pretty OK to everyone else...)

    -CW

  126. [126] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Aw, shucks, Chris ... you're the one who inspires all those of good will to make this place the best it can be!

  127. [127] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    :-)

  128. [128] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    No other restrictions than volume.

    Dammit!

  129. [129] 
    BashiBazouk wrote:

    The Gish gallop is annoying, especially when there is little argument and mostly just copy and paste from right wing opinion pieces. I definitely agree with CW's new direction...

  130. [130] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    LizM -

    (see [112])...

    :-)

    -CW

  131. [131] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Indeed.

  132. [132] 
    Steedo wrote:

    CW- You are the umpire and he is bumping your chest and kicking dirt on your shoes and daring you to run him. So go ahead and run him and see if the game (your game, your bat, your ball) is served by your move.

  133. [133] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    LizM [116],

    Just to be clear - I joked about asking for the red card to be used, but I have done no such thing. I've become entirely too detached from this site. The troll puke is too much. If I want Facebook . . .

    Your cockeyed optimism is very misguided in this instance.

  134. [134] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    CW [125],

    Bet it sounds pretty OK to everyone else

    It's your site. I've wondered for a long time why you'd allow more sewerage to be on your site than your own work. I think you're being way too generous. You will be provoked further. That's what trolls do.

    You are agonizing over this too much. The GQP is a cult, pure and simple. Their only organizing principle is love of an ignorant internet troll. Trolling the libs is what it's about. It's why they're unsatisfied with their RW Twitter wannabe sites. There are no libs to troll.

  135. [135] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    The Democratic Party of Utah is looking pretty impressive lately.

  136. [136] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    JFC [135] -

    For not running anybody?

    -CW

  137. [137] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Yes, for excellent strategy. Incremental change is better than none.

  138. [138] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Oh I agree. I hope it works!

  139. [139] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Big Money Joe all but promised he will run for re-election and blamed it on Doctor Jill. I'm really weary of the gerontocracy. If Chuck Grassley wins again, he'll be able to stay until he's 95. On the other hand, he'd probably still be sharper than fake cop Herschel Anybody want a fake cop badge? I'm giving them away! Walker.

    The End is near.

  140. [140] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    very interesting!

  141. [141] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    JFC -

    At least in the House the Dems will likely have a changing of the guard soon, win or lose. I could see Pelosi sticking around for another 2 years if she has a D-52+ Senate, but I see it more likely she'll step down (perhaps starting a dynasty, one of her daughters is interested in her seat, from what I hear). Also the other House leaders (all advanced age) will probably follow her out.

    -CW

  142. [142] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    @cw,

    as i've said before, it's your sandlot, so do with it what you will.

  143. [143] 
    Kick wrote:

    MtnCaddy
    9

    Thanks for the Student Loan link.
    I just went there and it took me less than two minutes total to apply for my $20,000 in debt relief.

    Good for you, MC.

    Cry me a river, GOP. They are outraged -- outraged, I tell you -- that some of the government's largesse is going to help Americans directly versus the billions in corporate welfare where it "trickles down" *shakes head*

    Maybe we should start calling you GM instead of Caddy? ;)

  144. [144] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    18

    New Poll: 76% of Americans Oppose Student Debt Cancellation if It Drives up the Price of College, 64% Oppose if It Raises Taxes

    Charles Koch's right-wing "think tank" performs another push poll. *laughs*

    I got a poll too:

    95% of Americans Oppose Donald Trump if Found He is a Grifting Pathologically Lying Con Artist

  145. [145] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    19

    OK.. I am going to have to do some changes here..

    Why am I thinking it's likely to be torment for everyone else?

    I am getting older and my eyes are getting worse... It's hard for me to differentiate between regular text and italics text...

    So you can easily zoom your screen so that the "shitting" all over the board isn't required.

  146. [146] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris Weigant
    32

    Or you can look at a poll that isn't a push-poll designed to get one particular answer, and see a majority of Americans actually do support it

    Exactly! A dang right-wing push-poll proving nothing beyond polling can be manipulated.

  147. [147] 
    Michale wrote:

    No other restrictions than volume. For the next week, post anything you like but after your first 20 comments, they'll be unceremoniously deleted. Sound fair?

    I have tried to respond to this...

  148. [148] 
    Michale wrote:

    No other restrictions than volume. For the next week, post anything you like but after your first 20 comments, they'll be unceremoniously deleted. Sound fair?

    OK.. I'll be your huckleberry...

    Make it 30 comments..

    And you remove comments that are personal attacks on myself and/or my family and come down on those commenters as publicly as you come down on me..... If you renege on that then all restrictions are lifted..

    Deal??

    [1]

  149. [149] 
    Michale wrote:

    Moderator,

    As I pointed out, you were 68% of the first 100 comments. If you start counting from where you jumped in, you were 81% of the comments.

    It's the volume, dude. That's what is truly annoying everyone. The sheer flood of it all. Just to let you know...

    Let's be honest here.. It's NOT the volume, it's the content..

    That's the fact here...

    [2]

  150. [150] 
    Michale wrote:

    Moderator,

    I am going to assume that the deal we have is acceptable and we start the 30 comments from right now...

    [3]

  151. [151] 
    Michale wrote:

    Kick,

    I got a poll too:

    Yes.. Just like I said.. You can find a poll to support ANY position you want, no matter how outlandish..

    But let's look at the issue with a little common sense, eh?? :D

    Is it FAIR to Americans who behaved responsibly and actually paid their student loans off to have Creepy Dementia Biden just write off the lazy people, the slackers' loans..

    Of course it's not fair... It's completely un-American..

    So, the polls that point to Americans not liking this illegal pandering are more accurate because they support the common sense on this particular issue..

    You see how easy it is?? :D

    1/30

    [4]

  152. [152] 
    Michale wrote:

    As I pointed out, you were 68% of the first 100 comments. If you start counting from where you jumped in, you were 81% of the comments.

    It's the volume, dude. That's what is truly annoying everyone. The sheer flood of it all. Just to let you know...

    Think of it like a debate..

    I come to the debate armed with hundreds and hundreds of FACTS...

    My opponent (one of ya'all) gets overwhelmed with all the facts and complains to the Moderator, "Waaaaa Waaaa Waaaa... Michale has too many facts to support his position.. I can't compete!! Waaaa Waaaa Waaaaa"

    So, the moderator (because he is more inclined to support my opponent) says, "OK Michale.. You are kicking ass too much.. I am going to limit you to just 30 facts..."

    Now I axe you?? Where is the logic in that???

    Of course, ya'all can come back with, "Well, there are time limits in debates"

    And ya'all would be right.. There ARE time limits.. But those limits apply to EVERYONE, equally...

    NO ONE is stopping ANYONE here from matching my facts, fact for fact with facts of their own that prove THEIR position... The fact that people here can't do that is not MY fault, is it??

    But, hay... It's kewl.. I'll be happy to accept the restrictions placed on the ONLY dissenting political voice here.. :D

    I guess I should be flattered that ya'all think I am so effective here that ya have ta game the rules in ya'all's favor to even the playing field....

    "I'm fatter.... Er... flattered.."
    -Eddie Murphy, THE NUTTY PROFESSOR

    :D

    I'll be happy to prove to ya'all that it's not the volume, that it's just the content... :D

    2/30

    [5]

  153. [153] 
    Michale wrote:

    As an aside to the moderator..

    There seems to be something glitchy with my account.. Sometimes when I post a comment, your site just sits there at a blank page..

    But then I repost and it works fine..

    I was hoping you could check into that for me..

    Thanx so much.. :D

    3/30

    [6]

  154. [154] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    150

    I am going to assume that the deal we have is acceptable and we start the 30 comments from right now...

    We all know what it means to "assume."

    Would it hurt anything if you attempted to be an adult and allow yourself to follow his multiple requests to limit your comments to no more than 20? Rhetorical question.

    No one is above the law in America or Weigantia.

    147
    148
    149
    150

    That's four already.

  155. [155] 
    Michale wrote:

    We all know what it means to "assume."

    Yes.. I know what it means to make an assumption..

    It makes an ASS out of U... And UMPTION :D

    Would it hurt anything if you attempted to be an adult and allow yourself to follow his multiple requests to limit your comments to no more than 20?

    As much as it would hurt you to actually be civilized towards myself, President Trump supporters and Republicans in general.. :D

    That's four already.

    Actually, no.. The count would start at the accepting of the deal.. After comment #150..

    I am numbering my comments so that everyone can be clear and factual.. :D

    4/30

    [7]

  156. [156] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    151 a.k.a. your 5th comment today, 25% of your allotment

    Just like I said.. You can find a poll to support ANY position you want, no matter how outlandish..

    Yes, you definitely already said that and thus are repeating yourself. What a waste to use one of your comments to repeat something every commenter here likely already knows.

    But let's look at the issue with a little common sense, eh?? :D

    I've already done that, but I'd definitely be interested to see you attempt "common sense."

    Is it FAIR to Americans who behaved responsibly and actually paid their student loans off to have Creepy Dementia Biden just write off the lazy people, the slackers' loans..

    That's quite easily recognizable to the common person as a question; therefore, a person using "common sense" would naturally punctuate it with a question mark and not a period (or two). I offer that evidence right from the jump as proof positive the dearth of "common sense" in your thought processes.

    Furthermore, it's asinine on its face to assume that someone with a debt (college or otherwise) is lazy and/or a slacker. My niece has multiple student loans for which I'll be paying the debts when she graduates. She is neither lazy nor a slacker (she and my uncle are just cash poor, her mother is deceased). My niece having her debt reduced will save me thousands that I can put into the economy in a myriad of other ways and benefit a lot of other people. I definitely think it's fair, and I don't give a hang if the GOP and their ilk don't agree.

    Did it cross your mind that it isn't just the student who will receive a benefit from having their college debt eliminated/reduced but also their family who are helping to pay for their education? Rhetorical question.

    Of course it's not fair... It's completely un-American..

    It's very American for the United States government (a.k.a. taxpayers) to subsidize education.

    https://datalab.usaspending.gov/colleges-and-universities/

    Public colleges have been receiving federal (as well as state) funding for centuries. Students have been receiving Pell grants since 1973. Pell grants, federal research grants, GI Bill benefits, Disabled Veterans' benefits for retraining, and many more.

    So, the polls that point to Americans not liking this illegal pandering are more accurate because they support the common sense on this particular issue..

    Bullshit.

    You see how easy it is?? :D

    Sure. You simply assume that federal student loan forgiveness helps no one at all except the student and discount totally the obvious fact that they have families all over America that will also benefit and totally disregard the fact that the money they won't be paying to the United States will be spent in a myriad of other ways that more likely than not help the global economy.

    Thank you for burning 5% of your daily comments in ridiculous fashion.

  157. [157] 
    Michale wrote:

    151 a.k.a. your 5th comment today, 25% of your allotment

    The comment count is between myself and the moderator and you have no purview to address it..

    Yes, you definitely already said that and thus are repeating yourself.

    Only because you were repeating the same thing the moderator said.. So, obviously, you didn't get the memo..

    If you stop repeating what other people have said, I won't have to repeat why you are wrong..

    "Simple logic"
    -Admiral James T. Kirk

    That's quite easily recognizable to the common person as a question; therefore, a person using "common sense" would naturally punctuate it with a question mark and not a period (or two). I offer that evidence right from the jump as proof positive the dearth of "common sense" in your thought processes.

    So, your only response to common sense is a grammar lame..

    I accept your concession. :D

    Furthermore, it's asinine on its face to assume that someone with a debt (college or otherwise) is lazy and/or a slacker

    But a person who refuses to pay back that debt honorably IS lazy and a slacker.. :D

    See how "common sense" works. :D

    Bullshit.

    Yes.. That is your claim.. Non-Factual and unsubstantiated though it may be.. :D

    Here are the facts....

    Creepy Dementia Biden's illegal forgiveness of student loans has been stopped by the courts..

    There is a reason for that. :D

    5/30

    [8]

  158. [158] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Michale,

    Remember, save some comment room for the CW Sunday Night Music Festival and Dance Party!

  159. [159] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Creepy Dementia Biden's ...

    Is that REALLY necessary?

  160. [160] 
    Michale wrote:

    Liz,

    I don't think that's going to happen..

    Most of my comments are not posting properly, so I am under some kind of restriction, despite the offer from the moderator that I could post unrestricted..

    So, we'll have to see if I am even ABLE to participate..

    [9]

  161. [161] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I don't believe it.

  162. [162] 
    Michale wrote:

    Creepy Dementia Biden's ...

    Is that REALLY necessary?

    About as necessary as all the names ya'all have for Republicans and President Trump..

    Not 'necessary'..

    But, apparently, the norm in Weigantia®... :^/

    [10]

  163. [163] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    The Eagles concert was pretty phenomenal, by the way. And, there was a surprise special guest!

  164. [164] 
    Michale wrote:

    I don't believe it.

    It's factually accurate..

    I have tried to post several (4) comments of various current events.. Actually even ON TOPIC comments, but they all are snatched up by the NNL filters..

    So, obviously there is some restriction in place the moderator said would not happen..

    So, I dunno.. I guess we'll have to wait for him to wake up and see what's what..

    [11]

  165. [165] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Not 'necessary'..But, apparently, the norm in Weigantia®... :^/

    Not anymore. So, please show me some courtesy and refrain.

  166. [166] 
    Michale wrote:

    The Eagles concert was pretty phenomenal, by the way. And, there was a surprise special guest!

    Yea, THE EAGLES always put on a good show! :D

    [12]

  167. [167] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    You're up to 8/30, now.

  168. [168] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Make that 9/30.

  169. [169] 
    Michale wrote:

    Not anymore. So, please show me some courtesy and refrain.

    I'll adopt a WAIT AND SEE attitude..

    If others abide by that restriction, I will as well..

    Can't get more fair than that, eh? :D

    [13]

  170. [170] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    They already are ...

  171. [171] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    That's 10/30 for you!

  172. [172] 
    Michale wrote:

    You're up to 8/30, now.

    Make that 9/30.

    Since there are restrictions on my account, it's not really fair to hold me to a comment count until those restrictions are lifted..

    Eh??

    I mean.. We WANT to be fair here... Right?? :D

    [14]

  173. [173] 
    Michale wrote:

    They already are ...

    Factually, not accurate...

    #Dunno how the Repugs will renominate Bigly Loser Trump should he be in custody (as a flight risk and as a danger to the Public) once the indictments start raining down.
    -MC

    [15]

  174. [174] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    11/30

  175. [175] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    12/30

  176. [176] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    That should be delected, then ...

  177. [177] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    155 a.k.a 8/20

    As much as it would hurt you to actually be civilized towards myself, President Trump supporters and Republicans in general.. :D

    Thank you for wasting your eighth comment out of 20 explaining your neediness/control issues.

    Actually, no.. The count would start at the accepting of the deal.. After comment #150..

    The terms were obviously stated in no uncertain terms. You only assumed the "deal" was accepted:

    I am going to assume that the deal we have is acceptable and we start the 30 comments from right now...

    ~ Michale

    http://www.chrisweigant.com/2022/10/21/friday-talking-points-student-loan-relief-in-sight/#comment-199638

    I am numbering my comments so that everyone can be clear and factual.. :D

    I am numbering them too because facts should matter.

  178. [178] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Delectedly deleted!

  179. [179] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Kick,

    Michale can have 30, don't you think? You know, so he can come to the after party!

  180. [180] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    JFC,

    I joked about asking for the red card to be used, but I have done no such thing.

    I knew that - you're not the type! :)

  181. [181] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    JFC,

    Your cockeyed optimism is very misguided in this instance.

    Well, that's kinda the point, right?

  182. [182] 
    Michale wrote:

    Delectedly deleted!

    We'll see.. :D

    Michale can have 30, don't you think? You know, so he can come to the after party!

    She doesn't really have any say in the matter...

    I am waiting for the moderator to wake up and address the issue..

    I don't have a problem with his terms.. I can accomplish my goals even with the comment count restriction..

    I would like him to remove the current restriction and to meet the NO PERSONAL ATTACKS ON FAMILY request, but that will be up to him..

    I am more than willing to prove that it's not the volume that is the issue but rather the content.. :D

    If he allows me to, that is.. :D

    [16]

  183. [183] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [103]

    Get everyone else to stop with the cutesy name/attacks on the GOP and President Trump???

    I'll be happy to stop with my own cutesy name/attacks on Democrats.. :D

    Deal?? :D

    Deal! I'll use Reps instead of Repugs if you'll use Dems instead of Democrats.

    Correctly spelled last name for public figures?

  184. [184] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    157 a.k.a. 9/20

    The comment count is between myself and the moderator and you have no purview to address it..

    Obviously, I can see/count and thus have purview.

    Only because you were repeating the same thing the moderator said.. So, obviously, you didn't get the memo..

    I respond to them as I read them; therefore, I had no knowledge at the time of my post that the author made a similar point regarding the obvious push-poll until I read it after I posted. #GMTA

    If you stop repeating what other people have said, I won't have to repeat why you are wrong..

    I wasn't wrong about the obvious push-poll, and neither was CW. #GMTA

    So, your only response to common sense is a grammar lame..

    It wasn't my only response. Also, you are confusing punctuation with grammar. If I had an issue with your word usage, that would be grammar.

    I accept your concession. :D

    Yawn.

    But a person who refuses to pay back that debt honorably IS lazy and a slacker.. :D

    What kind of fool would assume that someone refused to pay back debt just because it was forgiven? That

    See how "common sense" works. :D

    Yawn.

    Yes.. That is your claim.. Non-Factual and unsubstantiated though it may be.. :D

    Yawn.

    Here are the facts....

    Creepy Dementia Biden's illegal forgiveness of student loans has been stopped by the courts..

    Now is the part where you move the goalpost. Yawn.

  185. [185] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Michale,

    That's 13/30, now

    Isn't this fun!!??

  186. [186] 
    Michale wrote:

    MC,

    Deal! I'll use Reps instead of Repugs if you'll use Dems instead of Democrats.

    Correctly spelled last name for public figures?

    Deal....

    Ya see how much fun things are when we are not at each other's throats???

    There is simply no need for all the antagonism.. We're all Americans, right?? All salute the same flag??

    [17]

  187. [187] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    And, honourary Americans!

  188. [188] 
    Michale wrote:

    And, honourary Americans!

    I stand corrected.. :D

    [18]

  189. [189] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I won't count that one. :)

  190. [190] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    179

    Kick,

    Yes.

    Michale can have 30, don't you think? You know, so he can come to the after party!

    I definitely think the party should be separate and shouldn't count as part of his 20 if he attends; however, I don't make the rules here. I'm just counting the verbal diarrhea.

  191. [191] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Oh I agree! But, if he gets to 20 (or 30) BEFORE the party, then he can't come! :)

  192. [192] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    182 a.k.a. 17/20

    She doesn't really have any say in the matter...

    I can definitely count, and the moderator was clear on the number.

    I am waiting for the moderator to wake up and address the issue..

    You're assuming he isn't awake, and he already addressed it in no uncertain terms.

  193. [193] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Or, let me rethink that ...

    He can't come to the party if he goes OVER 30 before the party starts ..

    OH, Hell ...I'm going out to sunbathe ... yeah, it's that nice today!!!

  194. [194] 
    Kick wrote:

    One more makes 20.

    Bring it.

  195. [195] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I think the count is now at 15.

  196. [196] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    191

    Oh I agree! But, if he gets to 20 (or 30) BEFORE the party, then he can't come! :)

    Not my call, but I think the party shouldn't count as his 20.

  197. [197] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    195

    I think the count is now at 15.

    It's 19. He didn't count four of the comments after CW told him to limit his comments to 20.

    So... 19.

  198. [198] 
    Michale wrote:

    And THAT's why I am the Alpha Dog here... :D

    Ya'all just CAN'T stop talking about me.. :D

    [19]

  199. [199] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Heh

  200. [200] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I have a special tune to kick things off tonight so, see y'all later ...

  201. [201] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    [offical count in brackets]

  202. [202] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Kick [197] -

    I gave him the first one for free. He's at 19 right now. One more, that's it for this column.

    -CW

  203. [203] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    198 a.k.a 20/20

    Thanks for bringing 20 like a good dog.

    And THAT's why I am the Alpha Dog here... :D

  204. [204] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Chris,

    But the music comments don't count, right?

  205. [205] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris Weigant
    202

    I gave him the first one for free. He's at 19 right now. One more, that's it for this column.

    -CW

    You are generous to a fault. ;)

  206. [206] 
    Michale wrote:

    Moderator,

    I'll even prove it. How's this?

    No other restrictions than volume. For the next week, post anything you like but after your first 20 comments, they'll be unceremoniously deleted. Sound fair?

    And yet, there are at least 6 comments that I have made today that you would not allow to be posted..

    So, your "no other restrictions" doesn't seem to be valid, eh? :^/

    I am willing to be honorable about this...

    Apparently, you are not..

    So, why should I bother??

    [20]

  207. [207] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Michale [206] -

    See: [130]

    It's not me... it's the filter.

    -CW

  208. [208] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [116]

    Michale,

    I'll never be one who begs anyone to kick you off the site, to be clear. Because, well, I'm a cockeye optimist, as you well know! :)

    Just to be clear, Michale, I've ALWAYS advocated for you to be banished. In the three years since I got here it's obvious that you live to annoy, period. To troll. I've watched you dial up the outrageousness and dial up the insults until you get somebody to bite. Dunno why Elizabeth keeps trying to reach you as I think she's acting naive. Whatever, it's HER choice not mine.


    I will pay off the $100USD that you've welched on. Just because you're butthurt over Trump losing doesn't mean CW should get screwed, yo.

    I otherwise won't contribute a dime of Ye Olde Weigantia Fund until it's larger than whatever you're paying CW to put up with your splooge.

    No insult, Chris, but I cannot think of another reason why you'd let this Einstein kill your ability to expand participation in Weigantia... and likely expand your Christmas Fundraising donor base. But what the fuck do I know?

    Give me a number, CW...what will it cost me to ransome Weigantia -- by means of a permanent red card -- from the wall to wall nonsense I've observed since I got here? This guy is simply "Don Harris with more moving parts."

    You have my email.

  209. [209] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    MtnCaddy [208] -

    Now there's a fundraising idea!

    (heh... kidding...)

    I mean, it'd be like the Hunger Games... I'd wind up with *one* commenter, whoever had the most money...

    Oh my god, Don's right... I would be a politician!

    (double-heh)

    Yeah, I don't think I'll auction off red cards, but thanks for the laugh!

    :-)

    -CW

  210. [210] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    Yer welcome for the laugh, er, Fellow Traveler.

    (thinking... always a dangerous thing)

    BUT... couldn't it be like the movie #HungerGames where there's more than one survivor?

    Michale could be that Fascist Aryan-looking dude at the end and me and Elizabeth Miller or (preferably AND) Kick up there on top...triumphant!

    Just a thought -- have your people call my people and we'll do lunch, Babe!

  211. [211] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    Yeah, I don't think I'll auction off red cards, but thanks for the laugh!

    :-)

    -CW

    The ambiguity of this is not lost on me CW (wink wink.)

  212. [212] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    (thinking some more)

    I cain't -- I just cain't choose between Em and Kick. Gotta have them BOTH on top, looking down on the dead Aryan-looking Michale below.

    To my mind they represent aspects of the Divine Feminine...both demonstrate as snarkily realistic and lovingly idealistic. Have no idea what y'all see in us men...

  213. [213] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:


    I'll even prove it. How's this?

    No other restrictions than volume. For the next week, post anything you like but after your first 20 comments, they'll be unceremoniously deleted. Sound fair?

    ____________________00__________________
    ___________________0000_________________
    __________________000000________________
    _______00_________000000__________00____
    ________0000______000000______00000_____
    ________000000____0000000___0000000_____
    _________000000___0000000_0000000_______
    __________0000000_000000_0000000________
    ____________000000_00000_000000_________
    ____0000_____000000_000_0000__000000000_
    _____000000000__0000_0_000_000000000____
    ________000000000__0_0_0_000000000______
    ____________0000000000000000____________
    _________________000_0_0000_____________
    _______________00000_0__00000___________
    ______________00_____0______00__________
    ________________________________________

    More than fair and bleeping hold him to it.

  214. [214] 
    Kick wrote:

    MtnCaddy
    208

    I will pay off the $100USD that you've welched on. Just because you're butthurt over Trump losing doesn't mean CW should get screwed, yo.

    He owed $150. Pony up. ;)

    He didn't just welch on the intended recipient, he also welched on the amount due by falsely claiming that Trump received 18% of the Black vote, which he did not.

  215. [215] 
    goode trickle wrote:

    Well... It's a deep subject.

    I see it is all still AHD up in here.

    I predict this current state is going to last about as long as a case of toilet paper at a Costco during the pandemic...

    I am trying to establish a betting line in Vegas where it plays out like this.

    CW comes and cracks down, Mike breaks out his AHD victim card of " oh, it not me, it's everyone else, Mike pouts and goes into lurk mode. Comments section becomes quiet, CW loses interest, time passes, JL and LIZ comment about how they (but, pretty much everyone else does not)"miss" Mike and his oh, so FACT filled wall to wall spleen venting. Mike posts some test comments, JL and LIZ welcome Mike back with open arms. Mike starts his usual slow roll to 50 or 60 copy and pastes from his rage feed between the hours of 2 to 6 am, then declares break time. God forbid anyone who disagrees with him and calls out the fact that OPINION pieces are not fact ( facts are things rooted in truth, FACTS are crap M copies and pastes, silence gives assent, another bullshit mike "rule"), Mike then deems that it is time for a sharp elbow or a just outright punch and when someone punches back, Mike inevitably escalates. Shit escalates, JL and LIZ go tut,tut, much pearl clutching and hand wringing later the comments section is a smoking crater. CW comes back and the "virtuous" cycle starts again.

    Feel free to let me know if I have missed anything...

    All you have to do is scroll through the end time of the AHD group and you will see what Mikes end game is...Don't believe me just search "CW is dead to me" comments from Mike on this site....

    If you can't figure it out, well that is....

    In the mean time toodles, I'm gonna spend my time elsewhere.... Got some gaming to catch up on.

  216. [216] 
    goode trickle wrote:

    And another thing...

    EVERYONE, needs to knock off the FPC crap, I used to think that it meant "From Previous Column".

    It is quite clear that clearly it means " Fucking Petty Crap"....

    How hard is it to figure out, new column, new comments... If you want to discuss the crap of the past, keep it in that column.

    For most of us it really is not that hard.

  217. [217] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Everybody's got a rule. Heh.

  218. [218] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    You should come to the party, sometimes, gt ... it'll be good for ya!

  219. [219] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    When I went to college a million years ago, I worked on the coke oven at a steel mill during two summers to earn money. In addition, I went to a state university, so my education was government-subsidized. I also graduated with government-subsidized loan debt that I paid off in its entirety. I feel fortunate to have gotten that degree and I believe we should educate our young people. I have no issues with the debt relief program.

    On the other hand, I definitely resented that We The People had to pay the orange imbecile's pointless, idiotic tariffs. On top of that, Short Fingers showered the MAGA farmers with welfare cash so that they were not financially impacted by his magic wand tax increases.

    Unfair MAGA tax increases and MAGA welfare are OK with brain dead death cult zombies. Paying for education isn't. It's almost as if they just want to troll.

  220. [220] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Sigh.

  221. [221] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

  222. [222] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I think you are mistaking the meaning of what Chris said about filters. They have nothing to do with the number of your comments.

    Get some rest and then come back ready to play tonight!

  223. [223] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

  224. [224] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Because I care about you.

  225. [225] 
    Michale wrote:

    I think you are mistaking the meaning of what Chris said about filters. They have nothing to do with the number of your comments.

    There was NOTHING in those comments I made to warrant filtering..

    Also, the comments didn't show up as Please wait for your comment to be moderated It was simply blank page..

    The moderator said I could post unrestricted and then he restricts my comments.

    And then lies about it and claims it's the system..

    So, obviously I am not going to get a fair shake here..

  226. [226] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

  227. [227] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    You wanna know what's obvious? Well, I am not going to tell you.

  228. [228] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I've had a long afternoon of sunbathing and I'm tired. So, I'm going to have a wee nap and rejuvenate. Ahem. For later ...

  229. [229] 
    Michale wrote:

    California court rules in favor of Christian baker who refused to bake cake for lesbian wedding

    The Thomas More Society called Tastries owner Cathy Miller's case 'a First Amendment victory'

    A California court ruled in favor of a Christian baker Friday following a years-long legal battle after she refused to bake a custom cake for a lesbian wedding in 2017, citing her religious beliefs.

    "We applaud the court for this decision," Thomas More Society Special Counsel Charles LiMandri said in a statement. "The freedom to practice one’s religion is enshrined in the First Amendment, and the United States Supreme Court has long upheld the freedom of artistic expression."

    Cathy Miller, a cake designer who owns the popular Tastries bakery in Bakersfield, California, won what her lawyers at the Thomas More Society called "a First Amendment victory" when Judge Eric Bradshaw of the Superior Court of California in Kern County ruled against California's Department of Fair Housing and Employment, which had brought the lawsuit against her.
    https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-court-rules-favor-christian-baker-refused-bake-cake-lesbian-wedding

    WOOT!! Once again.. Justice wins.. :D

  230. [230] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

  231. [231] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    ENOUGH, Michale!

    "You don't have to be a prick every day of your life, ya know!"

  232. [232] 
    Michale wrote:

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

  233. [233] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    You'll just have to wait until the party starts, so long as you remember that no political commenting is allowed - for anybody! :)

  234. [234] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    It's exciting to see that Fat Donny's Fraud Org trial is getting underway tomorrow. Weaselberg The Rat squealing on the Drumpf crime family to save his own skin has gotta be fun.

  235. [235] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Michale -

    Yep. It was the filter. Every single one. I checked.

    -CW

  236. [236] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Chris,

    Will Michale be able to post a tune tonight?

  237. [237] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Caddy,

    I like your thinking!

  238. [238] 
    Kick wrote:

    goode trickle
    215

    Feel free to let me know if I have missed anything...

    I would if you did, but you didn't.

    All you have to do is scroll through the end time of the AHD group and you will see what Mikes end game is...Don't believe me just search "CW is dead to me" comments from Mike on this site....

    You know what they say about old dogs and new tricks.

    In the mean time toodles, I'm gonna spend my time elsewhere....

    It's always good to "see" you. Promise you won't be a stranger, and please come back more often. :)

  239. [239] 
    Kick wrote:

    goode trickle
    216

    And another thing...

    You're back! My wish was granted.

    EVERYONE, needs to knock off the FPC crap, I used to think that it meant "From Previous Column".

    It is quite clear that clearly it means " Fucking Petty Crap"....

    Now is the part where I do that thing I do and point out that it's not an "either/or" situation and that it can be both. Also, you're (still) not wrong.

    How hard is it to figure out, new column, new comments...

    We hold these truths to be self-evident.

    For most of us it really is not that hard.

    Don't be a stranger.

  240. [240] 
    Kick wrote:

    John From Censornati
    219

    That is inspiring, JFC.

    On the other hand, I definitely resented that We The People had to pay the orange imbecile's pointless, idiotic tariffs.

    Great point.

    On top of that, Short Fingers showered the MAGA farmers with welfare cash so that they were not financially impacted by his magic wand tax increases.

    The farmers' situation was solely created by Trump's nationalist trade policy to the point he had to bail them out multiple times with billions and billions of taxpayers' dollars, and where was the righty outrage? Crickets.

    Unfair MAGA tax increases and MAGA welfare are OK with brain dead death cult zombies. Paying for education isn't.

    Yep... you nailed it.

    It's almost as if they just want to troll.

    Nailed it again like a bag of hammers.

  241. [241] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    225

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

    There was NOTHING in those comments I made to warrant filtering..

    Grow up and listen to Chris: It's the filter. I was responding to one of your rants regarding your written intent [I won't post the subject so it won't get filtered], and the filter ate my post. You're not being singled out so quit the ridiculous victim routine and blame game; it was definitely the filter.

    Also, the comments didn't show up as Please wait for your comment to be moderated It was simply blank page..

    That verbiage appears when you post multiple links and not when the filter eats your post. Everyone is being filtered; one of my posts was filtered. I had the good sense to change the subject versus whine like a toddler. Take a hint.

    The moderator said I could post unrestricted and then he restricts my comments.

    No, he did not; the filter did it. I too was filtered.

    Got any more ignorant conspiracy theories or petulant whiney victim rants? Keep them to yourself and stop blaming Chris. I have spoken.

    And then lies about it and claims it's the system..

    Sorry to break the news to you, but since it's the filter, that actually makes you the liar.

    So, obviously I am not going to get a fair shake here..

    Another victim rant that also qualifies as a lie. #Pathetic

  242. [242] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    229

    [Exceeded comment limit for this column]

    [Spamming cut-and-paste verbal diarrhea]

  243. [243] 
    MyVoice wrote:

    [207] Chris Weigant

    I like the fact that you gave the information to figure out the filter mystery to anyone who cared to know and don't feel the need to moderator-splain it.

    Thank you.

  244. [244] 
    Kick wrote:

    John From Censornati
    234

    I responded to this post twice now, and the filter ate them both. Now is the part where I take it personal, invent conspiracy theories, blame Chris, and whine like a simpering victim. Right, just kidding.

  245. [245] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    237

    I like your thinking!

    Me too.

    Caddy threw the "green card" too. Nice touch.

  246. [246] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Welcome, everyone, to the CW Sunday Night Music Festival and Dance Party!

    What a weekend, eh? I mean, the weather here has been brilliant. So, I'm kicking this one off with a tune that is not only my all-time favourite but it's my freakin' theme song and instant mood-changer. Maybe it will change yours, too ...

    Lighthouse - Sunny Days

  247. [247] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Here is another analysis video from Fil Henley of Wings of Pegasus. He was asked to find out if pitch correction was used in Queen's recent release of Face It Alone ... you can hear the sadness in Fils voice as he goes along ...

    Was Freddie's Voice Pitch Corrected - How and Why

  248. [248] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    246

    Link leads to:

    ! Video unavailable
    This video is not available

    *
    This it?

    Lighthouse - Sunny Days

  249. [249] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Yes, that's it.

    I just watched Fil's analysis video of Face It Alone - very depressing ...

  250. [250] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Here some interesting background from Jim Vallance and audio of Bryan Adams singing and playing all the instruments on I've Been Lookin' For You, off of his latest album, So Happy It Hurts.

    Time for a spin around the living room!

    I've Been Lookin' For You - Jim Vallance/Bryan Adams (songwriters)

  251. [251] 
    Kick wrote:

    What a weekend, eh? I mean, the weather here has been brilliant.

    Here too. It was 88 today and still is 80. To borrow one of your phrases: I'm poolside. Tomorrow it rains.

    Theme song? We doing our theme songs?

    Killer Queen

  252. [252] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    In 1978, PRiSM played a gig at the Philadelphia Zoo and, I'm told, the monkeys approved. Heh.

    Here's some audio of It's Over from that performance, featuring the brilliant vocals of Ron Tabak.

    After just listening to Fil's analysis video of Freddie Mercury's voice being pitch corrected, I'm listening to this PRiSM performance in a different light. But, I don't think it sounds like it was edited.

    What do you think, Kick?

    PRiSM - Live at the Philadelphia Zoo

  253. [253] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Killer Queen, indeed! :)

  254. [254] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Re. [252] - Prism fans are in general agreement that this is the best live version of It's Over we have ever heard. But, I don't think it has been pitch corrected. I hope not, anyways.

  255. [255] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    249

    I just watched Fil's analysis video of Face It Alone - very depressing ...

    Well, the sound engineers brought it "back to life" from multiple decades-old tape in order to recover it for all posterity to release circa 2022. It's a bummer that it's pitch corrected, but I would wager the tape was practically shredded from the jump and there's likely hundreds of songs they could recover in similar fashion.

    Bring 'em.

  256. [256] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    How many times have you heard Over The Rainbow?

    Well, here's a live performance of the song that will make you feel like you are hearing it for the first time!

    Eva Cassidy - Over The Rainbow

  257. [257] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Kick,

    Hopefully, Queen will fill us all in on how this recording came to be digitally altered. It will be an interesting conversation ...

  258. [258] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    252

    In 1978, PRiSM played a gig at the Philadelphia Zoo and, I'm told, the monkeys approved. Heh.

    Heh.

    What do you think, Kick?

    Audio from a live concert, definitely sounds unedited to my ear, and dang, EM, that guy can really sing. The notes he hits in that live audio are brilliant.

  259. [259] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:
  260. [260] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    How about a little Grateful Dead ... just because.

    Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad - Grateful Dead (Live)

  261. [261] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    256

    How many times have you heard Over The Rainbow?

    Thousands.

    Well, here's a live performance of the song that will make you feel like you are hearing it for the first time!

    Except for the fact you already told us about it:

    [52] Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Okay, one more ... here is Fil Henley with one of his analysis videos for Eva Cassidy singing Over the Rainbow - she died of cancer in November of 1996 but her music will live on forever ...

    Fil fron Pegasus analyzing Eva Cassidy singing Over the Rainbow

    [ Sunday, October 10th, 2021 at 23:15 ]

    http://www.chrisweigant.com/2021/10/08/friday-talking-points-fiscal-cliff-notes/#comment-180803

    *
    It's (still) really a great take on that song.

  262. [262] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Sorry about that!

  263. [263] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Here's what I'm listening to for the rest of the evening.

    Whiskey Blues

    So, all you left coast music lovers, bring this party on home!

  264. [264] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Here's a timely theme:

    Go Away

  265. [265] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    MyVoice [243] -

    Well, you had to follow the breadcrumbs...

    :-)

    -CW

  266. [266] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Hey, you - no political comments until after the party!

  267. [267] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    LizM [246] -

    Never actually heard them, but I know Roger Dean did at least one album cover for them...

    -CW

  268. [268] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Now there is something we need to get into more here ... album covers!

    I played Grateful Dead just for you, by the way. :)

  269. [269] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    JFC,

    Very nice!

  270. [270] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    262

    Sorry about that!

    No apologies; it was great. Me saying I'd already heard it because you brought it to us before is just my way of saying: I am never not here. :)

  271. [271] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    ok, ok...

    New Speedway Boogie, 1971

    :-)

    -CW

  272. [272] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Ha!

  273. [273] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    "It's hard to run with the weight of gold
    On the other hand, I've heard it said
    It's just as hard with the weight of lead."

    -CW

  274. [274] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:
  275. [275] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    [271, 273],

    That's much better!

  276. [276] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    259

    Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel (Live at Carnegie Hall)

    Great song. Caddy will love it. Speaking of which, where is he?

    Demerit for Caddy. ;)

  277. [277] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:
  278. [278] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Yeah, that was a special dedication to our Caddy!

  279. [279] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    263

    So, all you left coast music lovers, bring this party on home!

    Exactly. Where is our "left" coast!? It's our bedtime. ;)

  280. [280] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I played that especially for our Caddy ... I'm sure he is or will be listening ...

  281. [281] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Well, Chris is here, Kick.

    And, may I say that we are all so happy that you made an appearance, Chris, and we hope that you will not be such a stranger in future!

    Rock!

  282. [282] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:
  283. [283] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Here's another theme (with a great album cover).

    (Wait Til The Shit Hits) The Fan

  284. [284] 
    Kick wrote:

    John From Censornati
    264

    Here's a timely theme:

    Go Away

    Heh. Brilliant.

    I played this one before, but here I go again... for JFC:

    Tim Burton's DEAD MAN'S PARTY (OINGO BOINGO)

  285. [285] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:
  286. [286] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris Weigant
    271

    This! I love it. :)

  287. [287] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Best thing to come out of the COVID era... all of a sudden, worldwide collaborations sounded like an excellent idea...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH0-WXUFY2k&list=RDLH0-WXUFY2k&start_radio=1

    :-)

    Both the Norwegian woman and the New Zealander are amazing...

    -CW

  288. [288] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    277

    Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues

    Awesome lyrics.

  289. [289] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    281

    Well, Chris is here, Kick.

    I see that now! I posted that before I saw Chris was here who definitely represents our left coast.

    He brought cool tunes too. :)

  290. [290] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    Sometimes I let my inner child of the 70s out for a while...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH0-WXUFY2k&list=RDLH0-WXUFY2k&start_radio=1

    -CW

  291. [291] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris Weigant
    287

    Both the Norwegian woman and the New Zealander are amazing...

    Wow. Bookmarked that one. :)

  292. [292] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    This is a wonderful music video!

  293. [293] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Very nice!

  294. [294] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Very nice! Love, love, love it when music and politics collide and form a powerful force for positive change.

  295. [295] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris Weigant
    290

    Sometimes I let my inner child of the 70s out for a while...

    I'll bet you do... but that's the same link from [287].

    We'll give you a do-over! ;)

  296. [296] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:
  297. [297] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    294

    Very nice! Love, love, love it when music and politics collide and form a powerful force for positive change.

    Oh, you do. Well, Queen + Adam Lambert released a COVID fundraiser... all video from mobile phones during lockdown.

    You Are The Champions

    It's a short tribute to frontline workers that raised over $7 million dollars.

  298. [298] 
    John From Censornati wrote:
  299. [299] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:
  300. [300] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Very nice. That reminds me, there was a big benefit concert for healthcare workers during the peak of the pandemic put together by Global Citizen and Lady Gaga in support of the WHO - raised more than a hundred million dollars for healthcare workers.

    There must be a youtube video but can't find it right now...

  301. [301] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    300

    So you're saying you don't remember us watching that live right here on this very blog!?

    Sir Paul
    Sir Elton
    Sir Michael aka Mick

    http://www.chrisweigant.com/2020/04/17/ftp570/#comment-157624

    Here's the link... from you yourself.

  302. [302] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    I may have mentioned once or twice that my memory is not what it used to be ... guess it's worse than I thought!

  303. [303] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    G'nite all!

  304. [304] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    302

    I may have mentioned once or twice that my memory is not what it used to be ... guess it's worse than I thought!

    I'm not trying to give you a hard time, just saying that I didn't forget. :)

  305. [305] 
    Kick wrote:

    JFC

    All nice tunes.

    Was that George Washington on the album cover? It sure looked like him. Is that a clue that it was recorded in Washinton, DC? Inquiring minds want to know. :)

  306. [306] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris
    299

    Oh, very nice do-over.

  307. [307] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    303

    G'nite all!

    Me too, everybody. Here comes the rain.

  308. [308] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Kick [305]

    That is the artwork of Neon Park. He did most of Little Feat's covers.

    That is George Washington (and Marilyn Monroe). His covers were awesome, but I won't be bold enough to say that I can definitely interpret their meaning.

  309. [309] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    JFC,

    I have been getting into the Vancouver scene - particularly rock groups there from the 60s to 80s - and, man, was it a happening place to be.

    One of these Sunday nights I'll try to post about some of the phenomenal posters of the day - I know you're going to love them!

    Are you on facebook at all? I opened an account during the first pandemic lockdown for the sole purpose of joining fun pages like Vancouver Rock Groups of the 60s to 80s and, naturally, Fans of Prism: the Ron Tabak Era and it has really been a blast taking a peek back into that music history.

  310. [310] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    That was fun!

    Just want to say again that it was a great pleasure having this semi-weekly shindig's namesake join us for the festivities last night and offer up some really fine tunes and collaborations!

    Always very nice to see the regulars like JFC join in on the fun. Of course, Kick is never not here and that is a good thing. And, I'm here when I can. :)

    As for the rest of you, hoping you will find the time to join us at the next one ...

  311. [311] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    I was a big Thin Lizzy fan back in the 70s. I saw them play live multiple times. Gary Moore was a member (sometimes).

    Still In Love With You

  312. [312] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    I do not have a Facebook account.

  313. [313] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [215] goode trickle wrote:


    Well... It's a deep subject.

    I see it is all still AHD up in here.

    I predict this current state is going to last about as long as a case of toilet paper at a Costco during the pandemic...

    I am trying to establish a betting line in Vegas where it plays out like this.

    CW comes and cracks down, Mike breaks out his AHD victim card of " oh, it not me, it's everyone else, Mike pouts and goes into lurk mode. Comments section becomes quiet, CW loses interest, time passes, JL and LIZ comment about how they (but, pretty much everyone else does not)"miss" Mike and his oh, so FACT filled wall to wall spleen venting. Mike posts some test comments, JL and LIZ welcome Mike back with open arms. Mike starts his usual slow roll to 50 or 60 copy and pastes from his rage feed between the hours of 2 to 6 am, then declares break time. God forbid anyone who disagrees with him and calls out the fact that OPINION pieces are not fact ( facts are things rooted in truth, FACTS are crap M copies and pastes, silence gives assent, another bullshit mike "rule"), Mike then deems that it is time for a sharp elbow or a just outright punch and when someone punches back, Mike inevitably escalates. Shit escalates, JL and LIZ go tut,tut, much pearl clutching and hand wringing later the comments section is a smoking crater. CW comes back and the "virtuous" cycle starts again.

    Feel free to let me know if I have missed anything...

    All you have to do is scroll through the end time of the AHD group and you will see what Mikes end game is...Don't believe me just search "CW is dead to me" comments from Mike on this site....

    If you can't figure it out, well that is....

    In the mean time toodles, I'm gonna spend my time elsewhere....

    ... coming to a Tuesday morning near you.*smh*

  314. [314] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [111] Chris Weigant wrote:


    Michale -

    I'll be polite and open with a quote:

    Please don't dominate the rap, Jack
    If you've got nothing new to say.
    -- Grateful Dead, "New Speedway Boogie"

    I counted. In the first 100 comments, only 32 of them were not you. And half of those were posted before you joined in. You are dominating the rap, Jack. You are being annoying.

    And people are tired of it. Exhausted. They're begging me to kick you off the site entirely.

    Becuase pretty much 90% of your posts are the same:

    "I am right, everyone else is wrong, here's why.
    [incredibly long repost from some right-wing site nobody is interested in]
    There! That PROVES how right I am!
    Nyah, nyah, nyah!"

    In a word, this is BORING. And we've all had quite enough.

    So this is a warning for to you to drastically change your ways. People come here (myself included) for political discussion, not bullying and shouting endlessly without listening to a single word anyone else has to say.

    And it's my site, and that's what I want too. This is not the "Michale Comments Blog."

    I am halfway inclined to just limit you to, oh, I dunno... 20 comments per article. That sounds about right. If you can't say what you have to say within 20 comments, then it's really not worth saying, right?

    You used to be a big supporter of this site, and you used to engage people in intelligent discussion from your own point of view. Neither of those things has been true for quite a while now. And the rest of us miss those days. And we'd all like these comments to get back to a place where intelligent discussion takes place.

    So you've basically got one chance. Don't try to spilt hairs with me, you know exactly what I am asking you to do (or, more importantly, not do). If you can't manage to, then I will at long last grant the wishes of those who have complained to me.

    Last chance, buddy...

    -CW

  315. [315] 
    Kick wrote:

    John From Censornati
    308

    That is the artwork of Neon Park. He did most of Little Feat's covers.

    Those are awesome!

    That is George Washington (and Marilyn Monroe).

    I did think that was Marilyn, but I thought you'd think I was nuts if I asked that! Those are fascinating.

    Thank you, JFC. :)

  316. [316] 
    Kick wrote:

    Elizabeth Miller
    310

    I second (all) that. :)

  317. [317] 
    Kick wrote:

    I just got back from voting early in person.

    Let's go people! Move your butts to the polls and

    $$$_______$$$_$$$$$$_$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$_$$$$$$$$$$
    _$$$_____$$$_$$$___$$$___$$$_$$$$$$$$$$$_$$$____$$$
    _$$$_____$$$_$$$____$____$$$_____$$$_____$$$______
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  318. [318] 
    Mezzomamma wrote:

    [317]Yay Kick!

    I sent in my postal ballot a week ago, so time to start ballot tracking.

  319. [319] 
    Mezzomamma wrote:

    In other news, Rishi Sunak is Prime Minister of the UK. I have mixed feelings about the balance of a degree of competence to be hoped for against the harm of Conservative ideology and his not having experience of what life is like for those of us who aren't rich, never mind people who are truly poor.

    A bit of stability would be good, but.... I expect he will last longer than an iceberg lettuce, but the Tories tend to put the knife in quickly if they aren't happy with the way things go.

  320. [320] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    JFC [308] -

    Cool! That Mothers Of Invention cover was always bizarrely cool...

    A month or two ago, I went up to SF to see original artwork from Mouse. It was amazing! He is known mostly for his Grateful Dead stuff, but I had forgotten he did this one too.

    Enjoy...

    -CW

  321. [321] 
    MtnCaddy wrote:

    [317]

    Yo, Kick I got my ballot and I'll drop it off on election day at my local polling place, a ritual of mine.

  322. [322] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    JFC,

    No facebook account, eh? I understand completely - I resisted, too. But, I have come to love chatting with fellow music lovers and musicians too much now to stop. :)

    When it comes to those fun posters from Vancouver in the sixties, I'll try to get them to you some other way ...

  323. [323] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    JFC,

    Love Still in Love With You!

    We'll have to play some more Thin Lizzy next time ...

  324. [324] 
    Kick wrote:

    MtnCaddy
    321

    Yo, Kick I got my ballot and I'll drop it off on election day at my local polling place, a ritual of mine.

    You and CW have the same ritual on the left coast.

    That is perfect. :)

  325. [325] 
    Kick wrote:

    Chris Weigant
    320

    Nice. These album covers are fascinating.

    We should definitely have EM give us a Sunday dance party some day where we post some of our favorite album covers and picks for best song from the album.

    Example:

    Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - A Day in the Life

  326. [326] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Good idea! Why don't we do that next Sunday?

  327. [327] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    LizM [323],

    Here is the best recording (no Gary Moore):

    Still In Love With You

  328. [328] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    CW [320],

    Lowell George founded Little Feat after leaving FZ & The Mothers.

  329. [329] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    JFC [328] -

    I did not know that! Wow!

    :-)

    -CW

  330. [330] 
    Kick wrote:

    Mezzomamma
    318

    Tell us when it arrives. :)

  331. [331] 
    Kick wrote:

    $$$_______$$$_$$$$$$_$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$_$$$$$$$$$$
    _$$$_____$$$_$$$___$$$___$$$_$$$$$$$$$$$_$$$____$$$
    _$$$_____$$$_$$$____$____$$$_____$$$_____$$$______
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    ___$$$_$$$_____$$$_____$$$_______$$$_____$$$______
    ___$$$_$$$______$$$___$$$________$$$_____$$$____$$$
    ____$$$$$_________$$$$$__________$$$_____$$$$$$$$$$

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