I am worried that the United States is no longer a “serious country.” Of course, the U.S. is still a powerful country, but regarding seriousness - the discipline and maturity that allows political leaders to discern events and issues that should transcend self-interest; to set aside ego and emotionalism; to act with prudence and self-restraint - the world’s oldest democracy demonstrates it is a a weak, impoverished provincial backwater.
They are following Steve Bannon’ s dictate to deconstruct the government. No Speaker...no legislation...just a feckless but dangerous group of useful idiots for Putin.
I will never, ever understand how the insurrectionists were allowed not just to return or be elected to Congress but then be allowed to bring it to a standstill.
Exactly right. Also, exactly what those dimwits want. I would only argue they are quite serious about that. It’s not only mind bending, it’s soul crushing. I’m checking out of the news for tomorrow. Loving my grandkids and reading a novel... a made up story, a spy thriller by James Rollins that will not upset me nearly so much as the actual reality of life.
Does it make sense if Putin, Netanyahu, Muhammad bin Salman, and Trump, the guy who owns the Republicans in Congress and is purported to have a large following in the US --does it make sense if this is all plan B by these four that is attempting to produce fruit now. With Iran helping in the wings? And money coming from the usual suspects? And news media taking sides.
Things can suddenly make sense when viewed from the right standpoint. Minds more in the know than mine might want to take a stab at it.
You're right, Anzio is pretty bad - as with most else in the Italian campaign, piss-poor American leadership. General Truscott was the lone exception. Fortunately he was finally put in overall charge in December 1944.
This is deliberate destruction from the inside. At least, then we could identify and shoot our enemies. Now we have to pretend that they are our fellow citizens who support our country first. Trojan Horses are traitors.
Is this because a bunch of anti government idiots got addicted to reality TV and were drawn like moths to its DC series? Is it because dumb addicted chose morons who are desperate for attention and power? Is it because none of them have a shred of integrity much less a moral compass? Is it because so many of them are psychotic narcissists themselves? Is it a massive case of cya from criminal seditionists? Are they Russian assets? Are they just plain stupid? All of the above? Other?
It’s because a bunch of anti-government, neo nazi billionaires got caught not paying their taxes...some even went to jail for it...and that’s the kind of everlasting hatred has spurned their desire to destroy this democracy.
I meant that our current situation is weak because the Founders wrote the Constitution making an assumption that the majorities of elected officials placed value in the concept of personal honor and demonstrated truths. They did not foresee a future where Honor had no political value and Truth had alternative interpreted facts
That’s why it’s worse than anything before, and scares me for my grands and everybody else's. I have waited for “so-called” old-guard republicans to make a ground swell of support for sanity, loud and constant. I have waited in vain. Shout-out to Steve Schmidt and Lincoln project. But there were legions, with nary a peep. And the MSM just blathers on, for the most part, not willing to offend.
Actually, it was Hezbollah that the failed insurrectionist said was "really smart"; further evidence that he is divorced from reality.
If all of these Republicans are so incensed at the crazies, one wonders why they haven't banded together and gone to the Democrats as a group and said "We outnumber them if we work together, let's take back our House and do some business." McCaul, and a few of the others have some heft and little to fear in a primary so this makes less sense as times goes on.
Thats what I dont get either, Dave. WHY the hell the supposed "moderate" Repubs are such chicken s**ts & so fearful of the little twerps that Tom listed? Frankly, theres a descriptive word for them & its not kitty!!!!
well, for starters it seems to me that the folks now being called the "moderate Republicans" would have been considered "very Conservative" back in, say, the '90s, which was when Newt began his famous "take no prisoners" bullshit.
shit, I'd even say that there were Repugs you could actually talk to in the earliest part of THIS century...don't ask me to name any names, but I'm sure I speak the truth. I could probably be a little more thoughtful if I hadn't just spent god knows how long restoring my... let's just say that I'm not good at troubleshooting electronics.
but no House speaker? it's a great punchline if somebody else can manage the originating joke.
Dear Lord--I go lie down with a book and get up to see Scalise Scooted. I share your despair.
--Maybe the solution is to comb the House Republicans to find someone who hasn't made an unutterably stupid statement and then choose by lottery from the group. Merely stupid statements would not need to disqualify them. Do any such exist?
--Maybe the Dems should set up a test and announce that if a GOP House member passes it, under oath, they will consider backing him/her. The test would include at the least:
a. Statement that the 2020 Election was not stolen
b. Statement that human-caused climate change is real with promise to vote for measures that help alleviate it (side note: my crocuses are coming up. In October. In Seattle. Spring crocuses. )
c. Statement that US is not a "Christian Nation" and that the First Amendment establishment clause means what it says
d. Abililty to pass the citizenship test required of immigrants
e. Promise never to use Democrat as an adjective.
f. Abililty to define the words "woke", "socialist", "communist", "democracy" etc.
g. Statement that they already have support to pass the budget currently proposed under the CR with proviso that any aid to Israel also be paired with aid to Ukraine and that further "cutting" would be postponed till next fiscal year.
h. Waiver of immunity under the speech and debate clause if found to have committed perjury in any of their answers.
I'm too sleepy to continue but one could go on. At least this would show who is "moderate" or not, not to mention who has courage.
Andy Borowitz has announced that an intern named Zach will be the new Speaker. He can undertake the duties while still fetching coffee and making photocopies, someone pointed out.
"No House Speaker" was never on my Bingo card for how the R's would ultimately fail I have a hard time seeing how they'll get a Speaker without Democrat votes, which means they will have to admit complete defeat and cede control. But then, the game's not over yet.... lots more surprises to come, I have no doubt.
The few semi-rational and mature republicans must offer to vote for Jeffries as Speaker, get the word out, and then c-span can cover the fistfights. It is the only way the GOP can redeem itself---vote for a Dem. And I'm really not kidding here.
Yup. I'm so embarrassed every time Biden or anyone blurbs "the greatest nation ever" . We never were but generations grow up with the big lie. We are a laughing stock of the world and we fucking deserve it. Who would look at us for leadership?
We need a sane opposition party. Republicans are really just insane. And the mainstream media is a major fucking accomplice. We are fucking doomed and the moran citizens also contribute.
The accomplices of these midway barkers live among us and vote for them, empowering the ongoing freak show. They are the mush-brained who've found their big and cozy niche of bigots and anti-government types, a maga-niche where they are comfortable because when they are at their neo-religious rallies they don't have to contend with "those others," just other versions of themselves. Tom is correct that we've become an unserious, unhinged country. A population of lint-brains who elected one of the most unprincipled, destructive, and uneducated piles of fast food in an ill-fitting suit to be the 45th POTUS, a stain not easily removed.
in defense of TFF (a FIRST!!!), his suits are cut in such a way as to best flatter the body they're covering. and they more or less do, considering that body.
and actually, I was really just defending his tailors.
Here's a scary, "serious" scenario suggested by a highly decorated Special Forces veteran and skydiving buddy of mine: "The proverbial chess board, as per a famous Mr. Fish cartoon," he recently pointed out, " is arranged with all the autocrats and oligarchs on one side and the pawns on the other, with one pawn making the first advance, a satirical scene that indicates what the next right move might be in the effort to clean up the mess in the Swamp. Now is the time for the rest of the pawns, i.e., those of us who have been the sacrificial lambs in the war against democracy waged by the GOP and other fascist, neoliberal elements, to get serious and form a massive revolt. Otherwise, Donald J. and his minions will destroy us all ... One of the advantages in this order of battle for We, the People, is the more than two million active duty military personnel and millions more veterans who swore oaths to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, and who motivated by their love of democracy and commitment to responsible leadership, will stand with the American people in solidarity with their Commander in Chief, against the forces of insurrection. Another advantage is the fact that we know who most of the treasonous miscreants stirring up all this chaos are; in their zealous adoration of a narcissistic loser, they have formed a caucus in the congress and a majority on the Supreme Court ..."
I only wish that were as true as you have written it. Unfortunately, I know too many veterans who have forgotten that oath, or have decided to interpret it differently than you and I. But those of us who do remember and interpret it correctly do need to act.
When we do finally act loud and strong and insistent, and in great numbers, how will the newspapers spin that? How will they want to make our movement appear I wonder?
When Biden successfully aligned NATO allies to support Ukraine, he dashed Putin's dream of capturing Ukraine. Prigozhin- in full spiteful mode to best Biden- said that (am paraphrasing) that Russia had penetrated America's heart & lungs. At the time, I had a bad premonition that this means so much more.
So here we are with the "useful idiots" of the Republican Party imploding. The heart and lungs of America: Republicans in Congress and the Senate.
The American Oligarchs who are insatiable using the country 's capitalist system - to corrupt the country which has enabled them to make their fortunes - with propaganda, lies, buying judges, gerrymandering, suppression of voters, revoking women's & minority rights, denying climate change, spreading false rumors on vaccinations, driving sales of guns : Conservatives conserving themselves at the cost of democracy.
They are following Steve Bannon’ s dictate to deconstruct the government. No Speaker...no legislation...just a feckless but dangerous group of useful idiots for Putin.
And everyone one of them should be indicted for failing to uphold their oath of office.
For sure! And a group of them should also be indicted for their part in the insurrection.
I will never, ever understand how the insurrectionists were allowed not just to return or be elected to Congress but then be allowed to bring it to a standstill.
I know Mim.
I, too, fail to understand why they are still free, much less “serving” in Congress.
It is truly incomprehensible
Follow the dark money.
Exactly right. Also, exactly what those dimwits want. I would only argue they are quite serious about that. It’s not only mind bending, it’s soul crushing. I’m checking out of the news for tomorrow. Loving my grandkids and reading a novel... a made up story, a spy thriller by James Rollins that will not upset me nearly so much as the actual reality of life.
I'm jumping in the time machine and returning to the Anzio beachhead in 1944. It makes better sense.
True... because NONE of this 💩 makes sense. At. All.
Does it make sense if Putin, Netanyahu, Muhammad bin Salman, and Trump, the guy who owns the Republicans in Congress and is purported to have a large following in the US --does it make sense if this is all plan B by these four that is attempting to produce fruit now. With Iran helping in the wings? And money coming from the usual suspects? And news media taking sides.
Things can suddenly make sense when viewed from the right standpoint. Minds more in the know than mine might want to take a stab at it.
The named cretins are all on the same page, if memory serves.
You should talk with Lucian about that, his grandfather led that campaign if I’m not mistaken, I’m not so sure I would want to be in Anzio. 🙏
You're right, Anzio is pretty bad - as with most else in the Italian campaign, piss-poor American leadership. General Truscott was the lone exception. Fortunately he was finally put in overall charge in December 1944.
Bad as it was, it's better than this.
This is deliberate destruction from the inside. At least, then we could identify and shoot our enemies. Now we have to pretend that they are our fellow citizens who support our country first. Trojan Horses are traitors.
Might be safer too.
What a sad commentary
Is this because a bunch of anti government idiots got addicted to reality TV and were drawn like moths to its DC series? Is it because dumb addicted chose morons who are desperate for attention and power? Is it because none of them have a shred of integrity much less a moral compass? Is it because so many of them are psychotic narcissists themselves? Is it a massive case of cya from criminal seditionists? Are they Russian assets? Are they just plain stupid? All of the above? Other?
It’s because a bunch of anti-government, neo nazi billionaires got caught not paying their taxes...some even went to jail for it...and that’s the kind of everlasting hatred has spurned their desire to destroy this democracy.
All the above
I don’t know about other, but all of the above seems to fit.
This is the state of our Republic, dependent upon the provision that men and women have Honor
The fatal flaw the Founding Father could not Fathom, no Honor at all
Zip, zero, have no clue what that means. How could the rank and file buy it. Ask Germany
I meant that our current situation is weak because the Founders wrote the Constitution making an assumption that the majorities of elected officials placed value in the concept of personal honor and demonstrated truths. They did not foresee a future where Honor had no political value and Truth had alternative interpreted facts
absolutely agree
A highly bipartisan flaw at that.
Tom, you're our political historian guru on this 💩.
Has this ever happened before? Political history is not
my forte.
It's tragic they're thinking the
House Democrats can help
them out of this. And if they
do, they better get some hard
and fast concessions, in writing and signed, aid to
Ukraine primarily, along with
passing the bloody damn budget as is! Quit playing
Putin and Trump's games.
We have never been here before. As so much in the past 8 years, this is unprecedented.
That’s why it’s worse than anything before, and scares me for my grands and everybody else's. I have waited for “so-called” old-guard republicans to make a ground swell of support for sanity, loud and constant. I have waited in vain. Shout-out to Steve Schmidt and Lincoln project. But there were legions, with nary a peep. And the MSM just blathers on, for the most part, not willing to offend.
Actually, it was Hezbollah that the failed insurrectionist said was "really smart"; further evidence that he is divorced from reality.
If all of these Republicans are so incensed at the crazies, one wonders why they haven't banded together and gone to the Democrats as a group and said "We outnumber them if we work together, let's take back our House and do some business." McCaul, and a few of the others have some heft and little to fear in a primary so this makes less sense as times goes on.
Thats what I dont get either, Dave. WHY the hell the supposed "moderate" Repubs are such chicken s**ts & so fearful of the little twerps that Tom listed? Frankly, theres a descriptive word for them & its not kitty!!!!
well, for starters it seems to me that the folks now being called the "moderate Republicans" would have been considered "very Conservative" back in, say, the '90s, which was when Newt began his famous "take no prisoners" bullshit.
shit, I'd even say that there were Repugs you could actually talk to in the earliest part of THIS century...don't ask me to name any names, but I'm sure I speak the truth. I could probably be a little more thoughtful if I hadn't just spent god knows how long restoring my... let's just say that I'm not good at troubleshooting electronics.
but no House speaker? it's a great punchline if somebody else can manage the originating joke.
There were Republicans I could talk to, have drinks with, and I even dated one during ski season in 1978.
Dear Lord--I go lie down with a book and get up to see Scalise Scooted. I share your despair.
--Maybe the solution is to comb the House Republicans to find someone who hasn't made an unutterably stupid statement and then choose by lottery from the group. Merely stupid statements would not need to disqualify them. Do any such exist?
--Maybe the Dems should set up a test and announce that if a GOP House member passes it, under oath, they will consider backing him/her. The test would include at the least:
a. Statement that the 2020 Election was not stolen
b. Statement that human-caused climate change is real with promise to vote for measures that help alleviate it (side note: my crocuses are coming up. In October. In Seattle. Spring crocuses. )
c. Statement that US is not a "Christian Nation" and that the First Amendment establishment clause means what it says
d. Abililty to pass the citizenship test required of immigrants
e. Promise never to use Democrat as an adjective.
f. Abililty to define the words "woke", "socialist", "communist", "democracy" etc.
g. Statement that they already have support to pass the budget currently proposed under the CR with proviso that any aid to Israel also be paired with aid to Ukraine and that further "cutting" would be postponed till next fiscal year.
h. Waiver of immunity under the speech and debate clause if found to have committed perjury in any of their answers.
I'm too sleepy to continue but one could go on. At least this would show who is "moderate" or not, not to mention who has courage.
They would all flunk.
Andy Borowitz has announced that an intern named Zach will be the new Speaker. He can undertake the duties while still fetching coffee and making photocopies, someone pointed out.
No doubt
"No House Speaker" was never on my Bingo card for how the R's would ultimately fail I have a hard time seeing how they'll get a Speaker without Democrat votes, which means they will have to admit complete defeat and cede control. But then, the game's not over yet.... lots more surprises to come, I have no doubt.
The few semi-rational and mature republicans must offer to vote for Jeffries as Speaker, get the word out, and then c-span can cover the fistfights. It is the only way the GOP can redeem itself---vote for a Dem. And I'm really not kidding here.
Please, don't hold your breath Judith. I'd hate to see you turn blue and die.
I have no coherent words. There is profanity, there are vulgarities and the whole shebang is a blasphemy. What utter horse 💩.
We sputter together.
At this hour Scalisi has withdrawn. Paralyze the administrative state is a strategie? With no gains for anyone.
Deliberately and with malice. And with the backing of billionaires who think this is a game of tiddlywinks. You are so right, again.
Yup. I'm so embarrassed every time Biden or anyone blurbs "the greatest nation ever" . We never were but generations grow up with the big lie. We are a laughing stock of the world and we fucking deserve it. Who would look at us for leadership?
We need a sane opposition party. Republicans are really just insane. And the mainstream media is a major fucking accomplice. We are fucking doomed and the moran citizens also contribute.
We are the '62 Mets of the world
The accomplices of these midway barkers live among us and vote for them, empowering the ongoing freak show. They are the mush-brained who've found their big and cozy niche of bigots and anti-government types, a maga-niche where they are comfortable because when they are at their neo-religious rallies they don't have to contend with "those others," just other versions of themselves. Tom is correct that we've become an unserious, unhinged country. A population of lint-brains who elected one of the most unprincipled, destructive, and uneducated piles of fast food in an ill-fitting suit to be the 45th POTUS, a stain not easily removed.
in defense of TFF (a FIRST!!!), his suits are cut in such a way as to best flatter the body they're covering. and they more or less do, considering that body.
and actually, I was really just defending his tailors.
He buys his suits "off the rack." It's why they fit so well.
seriously??
explains a great deal, on more than one level.
I wonder what size?
Extra-large in the front and back.
well, at LEAST. and the extra- extra- long ties.
Not nearly that amusing.
Here's a scary, "serious" scenario suggested by a highly decorated Special Forces veteran and skydiving buddy of mine: "The proverbial chess board, as per a famous Mr. Fish cartoon," he recently pointed out, " is arranged with all the autocrats and oligarchs on one side and the pawns on the other, with one pawn making the first advance, a satirical scene that indicates what the next right move might be in the effort to clean up the mess in the Swamp. Now is the time for the rest of the pawns, i.e., those of us who have been the sacrificial lambs in the war against democracy waged by the GOP and other fascist, neoliberal elements, to get serious and form a massive revolt. Otherwise, Donald J. and his minions will destroy us all ... One of the advantages in this order of battle for We, the People, is the more than two million active duty military personnel and millions more veterans who swore oaths to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, and who motivated by their love of democracy and commitment to responsible leadership, will stand with the American people in solidarity with their Commander in Chief, against the forces of insurrection. Another advantage is the fact that we know who most of the treasonous miscreants stirring up all this chaos are; in their zealous adoration of a narcissistic loser, they have formed a caucus in the congress and a majority on the Supreme Court ..."
I only wish that were as true as you have written it. Unfortunately, I know too many veterans who have forgotten that oath, or have decided to interpret it differently than you and I. But those of us who do remember and interpret it correctly do need to act.
When we do finally act loud and strong and insistent, and in great numbers, how will the newspapers spin that? How will they want to make our movement appear I wonder?
Not the way we would like.
When Biden successfully aligned NATO allies to support Ukraine, he dashed Putin's dream of capturing Ukraine. Prigozhin- in full spiteful mode to best Biden- said that (am paraphrasing) that Russia had penetrated America's heart & lungs. At the time, I had a bad premonition that this means so much more.
So here we are with the "useful idiots" of the Republican Party imploding. The heart and lungs of America: Republicans in Congress and the Senate.
The American Oligarchs who are insatiable using the country 's capitalist system - to corrupt the country which has enabled them to make their fortunes - with propaganda, lies, buying judges, gerrymandering, suppression of voters, revoking women's & minority rights, denying climate change, spreading false rumors on vaccinations, driving sales of guns : Conservatives conserving themselves at the cost of democracy.
Who is we Representative McCaul? It is you and the other members of the clown caucus.
This essay is a bitter pill to swallow, Tom, and I hope someone sees a way out of the quagmire this country has sunk into.