…some days it’s just all a bit fucking much
…by which I mean, sure…shit happens…c’est la vie, que sera sera…all that good shit
…but sometimes
…sometimes shit happens that makes me question the world I live in (well, okay, that’s more of a “constantly” in a lot of ways but I mean in a different sense) because it feels like it pulls the rug out from under that whole “objective reality” thing I flatter myself that I might actually get to live in
…when I wasn’t president & people took to the streets it was evidence that the president was a failure…but now that the same thing is happening while people are still prepared to accept I am the president (despite all evidence that I don’t know how to be) clearly it’s evidence of my success…but mark my words it’ll be the same or worse if you vote for the other guy & in that case it will revert to being proof that the president is at fault
…if the consequences of people swallowing this paltry, palsied pablum weren’t so fiendishly tragic on such an outlandish scale it would be the very definition of laughable
In Kenosha, Trump blames ‘political violence’ on ‘radical ideology’
…the kind of transparently bullshit prevarication a small child might offer because they haven’t developed the mental faculties to realize how obviously full of shit they sound
The Department of Homeland Security started an effort a year ago this month to address domestic terrorism, white nationalist threats and other acts of homegrown violence, a major shift for an agency created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to protect the country from foreign terrorism.
Today the plan to carry out that new mission remains stalled in a bureaucratic morass as clashes between protesters and counterprotesters have escalated to precisely the violent acts that the plan was supposed to address.
…so it wasn’t that nobody saw this coming
…meanwhile
In concocting his tale, Trump fantasized of “people that you’ve never heard of, people that are in the dark shadows.” Ingraham, as though trying her best to stop his self-immolation, responded, “That sounds like conspiracy theory.” No luck. Trump continued: “They are people that are on the streets, they’re people that are controlling the streets. We had somebody get on a plane from a certain city this weekend. And in the plane, it was almost completely loaded with thugs, wearing these dark uniforms, black uniforms, with gear and this and that.” This is simply bonkers.
Ingraham then stopped him from digging himself a deeper hole when he suggested police who kill unarmed people are akin to a golfer missing a three-foot putt. “But they choke, just like in a golf tournament, they miss a three-foot [putt],” Trump said. Ingraham leaped in: “You’re not comparing it to golf, because that’s what the media [would say].” In other words, actual reporters would recognize what he was saying was morally offensive and so lacking in self-awareness as to suggest Trump cannot even fake normal behavior.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/01/trump-is-too-loony-even-laura-ingraham
…dark shadows, you say?
Unfortunately, none of the people the president keeps tapping for intelligence roles seem to know much about the last five decades of reforms that have brought greater accountability and oversight to America’s most secretive agencies. But for the intelligence community, the decision signifies a significant step toward the erosion of congressional oversight, the politicization of intelligence and the expansion of executive overreach.
In simpler vernacular, it smacks of the very thing that Mr. Trump has used to stoke outrage in his followers — the formation of a politicized national security apparatus that can serve as a personal weapon for the president. A “deep state.”
…but it’s 2020
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/08/31/dangerous-overconfidence-trump-supporters
The problem is not just that with all the resources of the U.S. government at his disposal, the president’s view of the world is that of your uncle who in the early stages of dementia spends his days reading obscure conspiracy websites. The problem is that he is spreading these bonkers conspiracy theories while encouraging and justifying violence and vigilantism.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/01/republicans-conscience-have-one-last-chance-retain-their-honor
…& where do you suppose he got those bullshit ideas from?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/01/facebook-disinformation-takedown
…mind you…much like twitter mysteriously only being able to isolate & expunge far-right extremist content from its platform in Germany where that shit is illegal…everywhere else apparently it’s just not something they can implement…it turns out that the other kind of charges work pretty good when it comes to getting facebook to quit doing the faux-news-platform dance…
…& just to be clear
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/01/us-mainstream-right-vigilante-terror
…because when you don’t like the answers, the orange avoid the question
…shit can always be worse, right?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/31/trump-rip-jay-portland-oregon
…I mean, there are worse ideas, I guess
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/08/31/miracles-are-not-plan
U.S. says it won’t join WHO-linked effort to develop, distribute coronavirus vaccine
…& slower processes
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/appeals-court-temporarily-blocks-manhattan-da-getting-trump-s-tax-returns
The findings underscore deep concerns about whether the agency will be able to process what is expected to be a significant increase in mail-in votes for the presidential election.
…& somehow even when the courts eventually get it right
…they turn around & pull some bullshit like this
…which is hardly indicative of a healthy judiciary…or even a healthy respect for the concept of a subpoena…but then, even the definition of “healthy” seems to be looking a little shaky
…& child’s play isn’t what it used to be, apparently
…so although it ought by rights to be looking pretty good for Candidate Hey-I’m-Not-Trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/01/trump-keeps-walking-into-joe-bidens-trap
…& even professional gun-totin’ types are turning their backs on him…or at least backing away judiciously with one hand on some lethal weapon or other
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/01/troops-tell-us-what-they-think-trump
…not that the military is coming up roses just of late
…how does it go again?
…mind you…I’m pretty sure there’s some passionate intensity to be had that’s a long way from the worst
So, let’s reconstruct events here. Trump is partially regurgitating half-remembered Facebook fiction, while being encouraged by Fox News? I think that covers it.
Fortunately, some people are calling him on his bullshit. I wish they’d grown a pair four years ago:
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/09/cnn-cuts-interview-after-trump-aide-refuses-to-offer-evidence-to-back-up-their-conspiracy-theory/
Are the Antifa armies bring their own soup to the protests or buying it locally? ‘Cause sales of all that soup is good for the economy.
Locally, but a portion of it was going to be donated by a non-profit. Unfortunately, the non-profit employees were all arrested for driving vehicles with out-of-state plates.
I’d make a joke, but since that actually happened it’s not really funny.
In trumpland the jokes write themselves, but. One of them ate really funny. 😭
That came out weird, it’s supposed to be but none of them are really funny.
Do they offer concealed carry permits for soup? Asking for a friend.
I think Progresso Light doesn’t require a permit. But the Chunky soups probably do.
I didn’t really follow this race – but looks like Camelot’s shine is fading.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/01/massachusetts-primary-markey-kennedy-407078
As it should, honestly. We shouldn’t have political dynasties in this country. Kennedys, Bushes, doesn’t matter. It just perpetuates existing systems.
Of course, the polar opposite of that is Trump, whose “outsider” persona is characterized by deep, abiding stupidity. God help us if the Trump family establishes a political dynasty. I just wish candidates for public office had to pass a civics test.
Nobody had a reason for Kennedy to challenge Markey except he wanted a more prominent position and he was afraid that he’d face tougher opponents for other elections.
A bit of trivia — his father, former Representative Joe Kennedy II, was voted dumbest Representative in surveys of congressional staff.
What is especially odd is that Pelosi endorsed Kennedy over Markey, despite pushing a strong anti-primary policy in the House. She had served with Markey for a long time when he was a Representative, and he had always been a loyal Democrat. She didn’t give a reason except she said she didn’t like things Markey haad sid about the Kennedys, which was really weak stuff.
One way to look at it is a proxy fight between Pelosi and AOC. Markey sponsored the Senate version of the Green New Deal, and Pelosi may have tried to beat him to embarrass AOC. If so, she picked a weird fight. It wasn’t a smart move and suggests she is more focused on settling intra-party scores than beating the GOP.
It was totally about keeping AOC in her place. Markey supporting the GND pissed Pelosi off.
Markey also went with a political consultant who stresses grassroots engagement and decentralized campaigns with young staff. Pelosi is very heavily invested in old school established consultants. She tried to lock in their dominance with her edict about not backing primary challengers. I suspect she is fighting to preserve an old order first and worried about actual policies a distant second.
Probably true. I respect her resistance to the Orange Menace but let’s not mistake that for a desire to work on behalf of the people who elected her. Once we’ve hosed the filth out of the White House, we will need to turn our attention to these matters. But one problem at a time.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes
I’m sorry but fuck these people! I have NO sympathy for any of these fucking covidiots! My only hope is they die alone or with similar idiots and don’t take down innocent people that they argued with at the grocery store because they were told to put on a fucking mask!
You are not alone in your stance on this matter.