Let's just stop with the farce of taking an Oath to the Constitution. Every damn Republican in this Country runs for personal power. Americans, democracy and our Constitution be damned. I hate them all.
"Every damn Republican in this Country runs for personal power."
Power, status, serious money, the black cars, deference from people smarter than they are, invites to the best parties, free tickets to football and opera, and best of all, easy access to interns fresh in from the Midwest.
Mind you - not all Democrats have been vaccinated against these perks either.
How could Joni Ernst support Hegseth? Did they threaten her life or her family? If it's just her seat, I don't understand. Couldn't she stand up for what is right and find another way to earn a living if the megadonors force her out of office?
I so agree. This is the problem with Realpolitick v social justice. So what if Hegseth delivers on his alleged promise to support long overdue changes in how sexual assaults are legally handled in the military ? The fact that he is a predatory sex abuser being gifted an authoritative political position, is a violent kick in the face for all the millions of assault victims who have yet to be believed, let alone seen any justice being done. It will also rightly enrage their friends and families. The only people this move benefits, apart from Hegseth and The Cult, are anti American hostile players who are working to create conflict and demoralise everyone in the country.
She was looking for a job when she found that one, why she would be worried about finding another is beyond me, especially if her integrity is the price of keeping her senate seat, with the maggots chewing at her heels, 👠 STOMP!!!!💥
"If Ernst is that easily bullied by a primary threat, a woman who was sexually assaulted - read RAPED - and will cave, she doesn't belong in the senate, or anywhere else in government."
That's pretty tough, it seems to me - you're setting a MUCH higher bar for Senator Ernst than you might for the dozens of gutless, spineless, pathetic male senators who have kissed Trump's ring for years to save their own worthless arse.
Different issue altogether ... your experience as a child is awful, but it doesn't give you a free pass to demand more from Senator Ernst than you do from male senators ... that was my point.
You seriously don't get it. This should be the standard Ernst would hold herself to, but she likes being a Senator more than she likes being an honorable person.
The unwillingness of Republicans like Ernst to take a stand against the drunk, sexual abusing, totally unqualified Hegseth (or disloyal Gabbard, or loony and dangerous RFK Jr.) presents Democrats with golden opportunities to embarrass the nominees, Republican senators and Trump in confirmation hearings. We can just hope they will take thosechances. Sadly, there are very few experienced trial lawyers, people who know how to ask questions and press for answers, on the Democratic side of the aisle. But it is very important for Democrats to be fully prepared to cross examine, hard and in detail. This is the time to begin our recovery!
I'll believe Hegseth on alcohol consumption when he is prescribed Antabuse and is observed publicly to take it. Even attending AA meetings wouldn't convince me.
Given that AA has a 12% "success rate" over 5 years (according to a study done by the State of California that I remember), as a "treatment"the organization is a bad joke. Going cold turkey on one's own actually has a higher success rate (but AA has great "lobbying ability" with governments, so that fact is not well-known, which doesn't make it less true). Bill W used to say that it was impossible for a woman to be an alcoholic (I beg to differ with him and I can present five examples for proof), and then of course he "13th stepped" every woman who came to him for help. And bragged about increasing cigarette sales wherever they had convention. Every AA "leader" I ever met was just another junkie con artist running a different scam. I remember Clancy, the con artist who had rich people from Hollywood painting his house as an "act of recovery."
(And for all those moved to write and tell me how wrong I am, don't waste your time. I'm the editor here and my delete key works)
I have to agree, it’s a step to admit that you have a problem, after that it’s a crap shoot. I attended one AlAnon meeting and couldn’t go back. I thought it was me but maybe I just smelled Schitt.
You have just described what makes it NOT a "cure." I don't have to believe or not believe in an antibiotic for it to work. This is why I say AA is not a cure of anything.
Sorry TC - I didnt say he was CURED! But the program helped him to quit drinking - I think if you believe something - have faith in something (not necessarily antibiotics) it DOES make a difference.
Now just to add a little twist to it - his wife got into numerology(!!) and dragged him along with her - changed their names - she claimed it helped them financially etc etc. Frankly, I thought that was crap.
Going that far is crap. But numerology can be useful, used as a metaphor, used as a method to provide insight. I use it (I'm an "11=2" look it up). But I wouldn't use it to run my life.
Dave, the people I have known who went to AA meetings always drank first, just to get through it. Or got high. It's a beast of a disease and his simplistic answers sound like bullshit.
Agreed. My late ex-wife went to meetings and died of late stage liver disease. I've known some folks who benefited from AA and are still sober 10 or 20 years on but the will has to be there. Antabuse plays no favorites; if you take it and drink alcohol you pay a heavy price.
What were the circumstances of Hegseth's separation from the military? Was he ever fragged by his men? Are there any who served with him who are truly brave enough to come forward, someone who's not intimidated by clowns and freaks? Is he up to date in his child support? Does he have the DTs?
I doubt that his assault victim will come forward. She likely saw what happened during the Kavanaugh confirmation. If he could get her silence with money, why can't someone else induce her to come forward with money? It's the GOP way, right?
I agree that the rightwing bullies are inept and incapable of governing anywhere near the level the country needs, but they will be in positions to do a great deal of damage. Their faces must be pushed into the mud with every stumble they make, and that's done by repetition and amplification. Throw some innuendoes in there for good measure. Most of us can think of a few.
Hegseth resigned from the National Guard after he was flagged by a fellow national guardsman as a potential "enemy within" for all those tattoos when the unit was being assigned to guard duty for Biden's inauguration, and he was removed and sent home.
I knew he had to have some major relationship beef with the military, enough to want to join Trump's Legion of Destruction. That he thinks he packs the gear to be head of the DOD is laughable. Having tough guy opinions is hardly a qualifier. Someone should ask him what the Nuclear Triad is, the question that most exposed his fuhrer as a knownothing nudnik back in 2016.
Got that right TC, generally NDA's must meet criteria. First, what's the choice of law? Which state? CA? Note, the restrictive terms in your state & the latest case law construing same.
Remember during the Senate recess conversations where people talked about how important the Senate "advice and consent" would be a solution to trump's worst nominees? Well, maga has a solution for that - threats from their mob.
Dhillion lost her 2023 bid for being head of the RNC 2023. Basically, Harmeet is a MAGA Troll.
Compare Biden's pick elevating the Civil Rights warrior, KRISTEN CLARKE with Wreck's maga hack. There is no comparison.
******************************
Dhillion is a Big Lie Trumpeter 🎺 with many court losses on her record from 2020. She was the Co-chairwoman of Lawyers for Wreck. Dhillion is her name Voter Suppression is her Game.
There is footage of Dhillion on Fox on Election Day, 11/5/2020, literally calling out loud for Amy Coney Barrett to come save Wreck from those nasty Pennsylvania voters. 'Amy, help!'
We cannot rely on Democracy Docket to counter every fascist attack but, I did give a donation to Marc's Team today.
I contribute to Marc’s Democracy Docket too. I am at a loss for how to fight the fascists aside from standing my ground and speaking the truth and not letting them intimidate. But I am not a lawyer and hopefully we will continue to be a nation ruled by laws, and Marc Elias and his group are our best hope for voting rights and our democracy.
“This is how fascism happens”, and one of the shittiest shit shows ever possible. What a string of evil clowns keep jumping out of the orange felon’s car and into our worst nightmare. A nightmare that unfortunately is our reality for the next 4 years. The only way I’m sleeping these days is with a 6 cat weighted comfort blanket on me. Cats can sense trouble and I appreciate the help.
This kind of behavior, Ernst's submission, her preemptively giving away her power and her status as a Senator without a peep is exactly what Prof. Timothy Snyder is talking about in On Tyranny. It is how fascism wins.
She would have had a more honorable legacy if she stuck to castrating pigs.
That he was nominated makes me wonder...among all the fuckups the orange felon could have nominated why this one? Is it christo-fascism? Is the reason to demoralize and weaken the US military? Is it to be sure lucrative and usually well padded contracts go to the oligarchs as in Russia. I appreciate the obvious sexual assaults aka rape or attempted rape by an alcoholic who does not recognize the humanity of anyone. I can see that even though he could not run two so-called veteran's organizations, misused money, and was drunk much of the time...I mean, what could go wrong? Can you imagine him having a conversation with russia's defense chief? Hegseth is a fool. He is the man his maga mother says he is. The real problem is that among the senators there appears to be zero backbone. How do they stand up? There should be report upon report of his mishandling funds, lack of executive skill other than harassing women and stealing. I am so sick if senatorial stupidity on BOTH sides of the aisle.
Go read about the Roman Senate - in both the Republic and the Empire. How anyone 240 years ago could have thought that body was a useful model for moern government is beyond me. I guess they were just looking for "republic with modest democratic rule" and that was the only one.
Thank you, Tom. Nothing the MAGAts do surprises me. The only one with any strength of character is Lisa Murkowski. Susan and Joni 'mean well' but both succumb when pressure is applied.
I started giving some more thought to the meaning of evil. Evil is not the opposite of good. It’s the opposite of life or the word live, an anagram of evil.
I could say that evil people are not actually alive. Their bodies live, but their spirit has been traded for a belief in lack, the opposite of life’s eternal abundance.
Those who understand that abundance are overflowing with generosity of spirit.
Sure does make it clear that THESE Repubs are terrified of being primaried -the ultimate catastrophe! Nothing more than a bunch of P***ys and wimps. Do we really believe "confused" Suzie Collins will vote no? Likely will tell us how this nominating "process" will make Pete a better man! This is ridiculous - for a supposed "committee" of Senators! I cant write what I feel about them - I'm so disgusted.
Let's just stop with the farce of taking an Oath to the Constitution. Every damn Republican in this Country runs for personal power. Americans, democracy and our Constitution be damned. I hate them all.
"Every damn Republican in this Country runs for personal power."
Power, status, serious money, the black cars, deference from people smarter than they are, invites to the best parties, free tickets to football and opera, and best of all, easy access to interns fresh in from the Midwest.
Mind you - not all Democrats have been vaccinated against these perks either.
How could Joni Ernst support Hegseth? Did they threaten her life or her family? If it's just her seat, I don't understand. Couldn't she stand up for what is right and find another way to earn a living if the megadonors force her out of office?
Could be she wants to retain her seat, then have influence? Although once you capitulate, where do you stop?
She has never had a spine. Nor has Collins…
She’s not been on my radar. Mea culpa.
Been a MAGAt from the first, I think. Many have been periphery, but when the rubber hits the road, they cave. Liz and Adam are rare birds
Gawd I’m ready for reality to set in. Ha!
The numbers are with us, but the cult is dug in
I so agree. This is the problem with Realpolitick v social justice. So what if Hegseth delivers on his alleged promise to support long overdue changes in how sexual assaults are legally handled in the military ? The fact that he is a predatory sex abuser being gifted an authoritative political position, is a violent kick in the face for all the millions of assault victims who have yet to be believed, let alone seen any justice being done. It will also rightly enrage their friends and families. The only people this move benefits, apart from Hegseth and The Cult, are anti American hostile players who are working to create conflict and demoralise everyone in the country.
She was looking for a job when she found that one, why she would be worried about finding another is beyond me, especially if her integrity is the price of keeping her senate seat, with the maggots chewing at her heels, 👠 STOMP!!!!💥
Gloria,appears she’s “in bed with” the megadonors.…
“There is a Senate DOGE caucus as well, which is led by Senator Joni Ernst….”
https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkbigpicture/p/doge-trump-musk-ramaswamy-spending?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
"Mr. Trump’s MAGA base was ready, willing and able to bully Republicans into submitting to his desires.” Indeed, this is how fascism happens.
Yup
Victor Orban is in
Mar-a-Lardo with Musk and
Trump as of last night. This is
1 of Putin's bully fan boys
who's been directing the
republicans and Trump for
the last year, openly.
If Ernst is that easily bullied
by a primary threat, a woman
who was sexually assaulted -
-read RAPED - and will cave,
she doesn't belong in the
senate, or anywhere else in
government.
"If Ernst is that easily bullied by a primary threat, a woman who was sexually assaulted - read RAPED - and will cave, she doesn't belong in the senate, or anywhere else in government."
That's pretty tough, it seems to me - you're setting a MUCH higher bar for Senator Ernst than you might for the dozens of gutless, spineless, pathetic male senators who have kissed Trump's ring for years to save their own worthless arse.
As an adult woman, who as a
six year old was repeatedly
orally raped by our caregivers
18 year old son, I set an
extremely high bar for
ANYONE, including Trump
and his regime, who cow tow
to sexual predators, Ian
Williams! Don't talk to me
Qabout high bars!
Different issue altogether ... your experience as a child is awful, but it doesn't give you a free pass to demand more from Senator Ernst than you do from male senators ... that was my point.
You seriously don't get it. This should be the standard Ernst would hold herself to, but she likes being a Senator more than she likes being an honorable person.
The unwillingness of Republicans like Ernst to take a stand against the drunk, sexual abusing, totally unqualified Hegseth (or disloyal Gabbard, or loony and dangerous RFK Jr.) presents Democrats with golden opportunities to embarrass the nominees, Republican senators and Trump in confirmation hearings. We can just hope they will take thosechances. Sadly, there are very few experienced trial lawyers, people who know how to ask questions and press for answers, on the Democratic side of the aisle. But it is very important for Democrats to be fully prepared to cross examine, hard and in detail. This is the time to begin our recovery!
Raskin is good, and so is AOC, also Jasmine Crockett, but we could certainly use more like them.
Also, Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, and Dan Goldman, all of whom are former prosecutors and already on the Trump retribution list.
Sadly, they are all in the House. Not sure how many Democratic senators know how to ask questions and repress the politician’s need to show off.
Well, Schiff is in the Senate now.
I'll believe Hegseth on alcohol consumption when he is prescribed Antabuse and is observed publicly to take it. Even attending AA meetings wouldn't convince me.
Given that AA has a 12% "success rate" over 5 years (according to a study done by the State of California that I remember), as a "treatment"the organization is a bad joke. Going cold turkey on one's own actually has a higher success rate (but AA has great "lobbying ability" with governments, so that fact is not well-known, which doesn't make it less true). Bill W used to say that it was impossible for a woman to be an alcoholic (I beg to differ with him and I can present five examples for proof), and then of course he "13th stepped" every woman who came to him for help. And bragged about increasing cigarette sales wherever they had convention. Every AA "leader" I ever met was just another junkie con artist running a different scam. I remember Clancy, the con artist who had rich people from Hollywood painting his house as an "act of recovery."
(And for all those moved to write and tell me how wrong I am, don't waste your time. I'm the editor here and my delete key works)
I have to agree, it’s a step to admit that you have a problem, after that it’s a crap shoot. I attended one AlAnon meeting and couldn’t go back. I thought it was me but maybe I just smelled Schitt.
As I said - it was successful for my uncle - guess he believed? His sister my aunt died of cirrhosis!
You have just described what makes it NOT a "cure." I don't have to believe or not believe in an antibiotic for it to work. This is why I say AA is not a cure of anything.
Sorry TC - I didnt say he was CURED! But the program helped him to quit drinking - I think if you believe something - have faith in something (not necessarily antibiotics) it DOES make a difference.
Now just to add a little twist to it - his wife got into numerology(!!) and dragged him along with her - changed their names - she claimed it helped them financially etc etc. Frankly, I thought that was crap.
Going that far is crap. But numerology can be useful, used as a metaphor, used as a method to provide insight. I use it (I'm an "11=2" look it up). But I wouldn't use it to run my life.
I'm sure my aunt would have been up on it!! She went all the way!
Haha, not funny. Lordy, it’s not just babies that have security blankets. Got a few myself.
Dave, the people I have known who went to AA meetings always drank first, just to get through it. Or got high. It's a beast of a disease and his simplistic answers sound like bullshit.
Agreed. My late ex-wife went to meetings and died of late stage liver disease. I've known some folks who benefited from AA and are still sober 10 or 20 years on but the will has to be there. Antabuse plays no favorites; if you take it and drink alcohol you pay a heavy price.
I am sorry you lost your wife to it. It's too hard for a lot of people who suffer from it.
Thanks. People who haven't experienced it only rarely can appreciate the nature and impact of addiction.
Truer words haven't been written here in awhile, Dave.
Thanks Tom.
Some try but can’t
Not "some." Most.
Sadly true, but we sure hear more about those who don’t. No mystery why.
My uncle belonged & benefited from AA - never stopped going! I guess it does work well with some people - not always tho.
A beast but not even on a par with cult nuts
AA is a cult.
It can be. It can also be two people who believe in sobriety.
And see a path
Belief.
Anybody else had experience living with promises of alcoholics
Yes.
Not promises, just abuse. Fun times.
Not so fun, I really admire anyone who can recover, some have brain damage and will never be able to be a person without that albatross
😢
We will have no choice but a revolution.
Do we have an Ike tucked away somewhere
What were the circumstances of Hegseth's separation from the military? Was he ever fragged by his men? Are there any who served with him who are truly brave enough to come forward, someone who's not intimidated by clowns and freaks? Is he up to date in his child support? Does he have the DTs?
I doubt that his assault victim will come forward. She likely saw what happened during the Kavanaugh confirmation. If he could get her silence with money, why can't someone else induce her to come forward with money? It's the GOP way, right?
I agree that the rightwing bullies are inept and incapable of governing anywhere near the level the country needs, but they will be in positions to do a great deal of damage. Their faces must be pushed into the mud with every stumble they make, and that's done by repetition and amplification. Throw some innuendoes in there for good measure. Most of us can think of a few.
Hegseth resigned from the National Guard after he was flagged by a fellow national guardsman as a potential "enemy within" for all those tattoos when the unit was being assigned to guard duty for Biden's inauguration, and he was removed and sent home.
I knew he had to have some major relationship beef with the military, enough to want to join Trump's Legion of Destruction. That he thinks he packs the gear to be head of the DOD is laughable. Having tough guy opinions is hardly a qualifier. Someone should ask him what the Nuclear Triad is, the question that most exposed his fuhrer as a knownothing nudnik back in 2016.
The assault victim has signed an NDA—I’m sure she forfeits the entire settlement amount if she comes forward.
Courts have become very willing to tear up NDAs where it can be shown their enforcement restricts public policy.
She might not know that, however!
Got that right TC, generally NDA's must meet criteria. First, what's the choice of law? Which state? CA? Note, the restrictive terms in your state & the latest case law construing same.
They will be in positions to do a great deal of damage. That’s the plan, man
Remember during the Senate recess conversations where people talked about how important the Senate "advice and consent" would be a solution to trump's worst nominees? Well, maga has a solution for that - threats from their mob.
TC & Everybody: A new front has opened up as Wreck has picked Harmeet Kaur Dhillion of the Dhillon Law Group, Inc. for DOJ's Civil Rights Division.
******************************************************
Wednesday 12/11 Update:
Dhillion lost her 2023 bid for being head of the RNC 2023. Basically, Harmeet is a MAGA Troll.
Compare Biden's pick elevating the Civil Rights warrior, KRISTEN CLARKE with Wreck's maga hack. There is no comparison.
******************************
Dhillion is a Big Lie Trumpeter 🎺 with many court losses on her record from 2020. She was the Co-chairwoman of Lawyers for Wreck. Dhillion is her name Voter Suppression is her Game.
There is footage of Dhillion on Fox on Election Day, 11/5/2020, literally calling out loud for Amy Coney Barrett to come save Wreck from those nasty Pennsylvania voters. 'Amy, help!'
We cannot rely on Democracy Docket to counter every fascist attack but, I did give a donation to Marc's Team today.
I contribute to Marc’s Democracy Docket too. I am at a loss for how to fight the fascists aside from standing my ground and speaking the truth and not letting them intimidate. But I am not a lawyer and hopefully we will continue to be a nation ruled by laws, and Marc Elias and his group are our best hope for voting rights and our democracy.
Marc is very direct & more than a competent litigator. Excellent "Big Picture" strategist.
“This is how fascism happens”, and one of the shittiest shit shows ever possible. What a string of evil clowns keep jumping out of the orange felon’s car and into our worst nightmare. A nightmare that unfortunately is our reality for the next 4 years. The only way I’m sleeping these days is with a 6 cat weighted comfort blanket on me. Cats can sense trouble and I appreciate the help.
This kind of behavior, Ernst's submission, her preemptively giving away her power and her status as a Senator without a peep is exactly what Prof. Timothy Snyder is talking about in On Tyranny. It is how fascism wins.
She would have had a more honorable legacy if she stuck to castrating pigs.
And now you know why this piece has the title it does.
That he was nominated makes me wonder...among all the fuckups the orange felon could have nominated why this one? Is it christo-fascism? Is the reason to demoralize and weaken the US military? Is it to be sure lucrative and usually well padded contracts go to the oligarchs as in Russia. I appreciate the obvious sexual assaults aka rape or attempted rape by an alcoholic who does not recognize the humanity of anyone. I can see that even though he could not run two so-called veteran's organizations, misused money, and was drunk much of the time...I mean, what could go wrong? Can you imagine him having a conversation with russia's defense chief? Hegseth is a fool. He is the man his maga mother says he is. The real problem is that among the senators there appears to be zero backbone. How do they stand up? There should be report upon report of his mishandling funds, lack of executive skill other than harassing women and stealing. I am so sick if senatorial stupidity on BOTH sides of the aisle.
Go read about the Roman Senate - in both the Republic and the Empire. How anyone 240 years ago could have thought that body was a useful model for moern government is beyond me. I guess they were just looking for "republic with modest democratic rule" and that was the only one.
Thank you, Tom. Nothing the MAGAts do surprises me. The only one with any strength of character is Lisa Murkowski. Susan and Joni 'mean well' but both succumb when pressure is applied.
They mean well, really???
JD, that was me being sarcastic which is why I put it in quotations.
Sorry, my really was too. Sarcasm rules
Agreed!!! (:-)
I started giving some more thought to the meaning of evil. Evil is not the opposite of good. It’s the opposite of life or the word live, an anagram of evil.
I could say that evil people are not actually alive. Their bodies live, but their spirit has been traded for a belief in lack, the opposite of life’s eternal abundance.
Those who understand that abundance are overflowing with generosity of spirit.
Sure does make it clear that THESE Repubs are terrified of being primaried -the ultimate catastrophe! Nothing more than a bunch of P***ys and wimps. Do we really believe "confused" Suzie Collins will vote no? Likely will tell us how this nominating "process" will make Pete a better man! This is ridiculous - for a supposed "committee" of Senators! I cant write what I feel about them - I'm so disgusted.