tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post3057934505233913556..comments2024-03-29T06:22:47.638-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Breaking the "Great Wall of NDAs" and Republican defectors - and moreDavid Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-82307909718889066992019-11-28T08:16:09.882-08:002019-11-28T08:16:09.882-08:00Government for the Herrenvolk Government for the Herrenvolk john fremonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06505620790054721035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-61120123737760329352019-11-27T18:19:27.464-08:002019-11-27T18:19:27.464-08:00onward
onward
onward<br /><br />onward<br /><br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-89171429844308416862019-11-27T18:15:48.583-08:002019-11-27T18:15:48.583-08:00@ Larry Hart, if Sanders won the nomination and di...@ Larry Hart, if Sanders won the nomination and did not get sabotaged by corporate media, he could mop the floor with Trump. Sanders has shown that he can charm shockingly large crowds in some very red parts of the country. Sadly, it is a fact that corporate media gave Trump <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/story/13896916/1/donald-trump-rode-5-billion-in-free-media-to-the-white-house.html" rel="nofollow">billions of dollars worth of free media exposure in 2016</a> and it is another sad fact that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5K2VVFLbUA" rel="nofollow">the media have blacked out the story of how they have blacked out coverage on Bernie Sanders!</a><br /><br />Sanders could be another FDR. If we would let him.TCBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08153506222271955110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-70109250842655012092019-11-27T18:03:42.667-08:002019-11-27T18:03:42.667-08:00Matthew you make good points about the current can...Matthew you make good points about the current candidates and I see flaws in every one. STill, that is a different matter than declaring an unwillingness to take part in a grand coalition of national salvation led by any of them. Well, except Gabbard and now that Williamson and Gillibrand are out, thank heavens.<br /><br />I half-suspect Biden will at some point say: “I stepped up because I knew someone would need to draw fire. And I did that. You’re welcome.”<br /><br />Liz leads, in my book. I just wish I were her advisor because she’s doing a dozen things all wrong.<br /><br />Pete is by far the smartest of them all, even smarter than brainy Liz, and his policies and positions are beyond sensible. I fret about him, though, for a range of reasons. Clearly the heir , however this goes.<br /><br />Harris is a tough bird and bright… and far from my first choice. People sense she’s… meaner than Hillary. I don’t mind that, but — She’d be logical choice for AG, if it weren’t that any president would suspect she’ll be sharpening knives the whole time.<br /><br />Bloomberg & Steyer could just as easily be hypothesized as HELPING to broaden the pre-nomination coalition. Let’s wait and see.<br /><br />What I don’t get is why any of this should matter. We need to unite behind whomever it is and then focus attention on the devastatingly evil enemy agents that fill the GOP top to bottom. Stacey Abrams is as important as any of these folks, if she succeeds in truly galvanizing registration and GOTV across vulnerable swing states.<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-18125697736195557182019-11-27T17:35:06.122-08:002019-11-27T17:35:06.122-08:00matthew:
Is taking money from Kavenaugh defenders...matthew:<br /><i><br />Is taking money from Kavenaugh defenders a line that should not be crossed?<br /></i><br /><br />This is going to sound like a flippant answer, but I don't mean it that way. Isn't <b>taking money</b> from Kavanaugh supporters a good thing? Better than <b>giving money to</b> Kavanaugh supporters? As long as he doesn't give in to their demands afterwards, it sounds like a win-win.<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-50154575311767332232019-11-27T17:28:55.026-08:002019-11-27T17:28:55.026-08:00matthew:
With the Judiciary being rapidly packed ...matthew:<br /><i><br />With the Judiciary being rapidly packed with GOP for at least a generation, hoping for good in 2022 is a mirage.<br /></i><br /><br />If only The Rapture would happen. President Pelosi could immediately nominate five replacements to the supreme court, and we could move on from there.Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-1061235957326068042019-11-27T17:19:13.971-08:002019-11-27T17:19:13.971-08:00I really wanted Pete to do well. I think he's ...I really wanted Pete to do well. I think he's failing now. <br />Not a purity test, but c'mon, dude, you have to be smarter than this. <br /><br />Pete Buttigieg took donations from Brett Kavenaugh's lawyers from his confirmation fight. Giving the money back now, but he has to step more gingerly, imo. <br /><br />The learning curve may be too much for him. <br /><br />What do the folks here think? Is taking money from Kavenaugh defenders a line that should not be crossed? I think so, but I'm pretty far out on the 3D political axes. <br /><br />https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/26/pete-buttigieg-brett-kavanaugh-campaign-donations<br /><br />matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-24202310264106006672019-11-27T17:14:17.901-08:002019-11-27T17:14:17.901-08:00But right now, both Warren and Sanders have very h...<i><br />But right now, both Warren and Sanders have very high positives. Warren has low negatives too, and is the second choice of a plurality of Dem voters. <br /></i><br /><br />Are you talking about among Democratic primary voters, or among general election voters? I have no doubt that either Warren or Sanders could win the nomination. My concern is that they wouldn't do any better than Hillary did in November.Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-54963969467282017122019-11-27T17:13:11.015-08:002019-11-27T17:13:11.015-08:00Alfred, thanks for the lol.Alfred, thanks for the lol.matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-44176450952563536852019-11-27T16:56:50.232-08:002019-11-27T16:56:50.232-08:00LH: "Which alternative party that you'd v...LH: "Which alternative party that you'd vote for instead of a Democrat would do so?"<br /><br />Most would just stay home, is my guess. Trump has 2% support amongst Democrats, so he won't get any help there. Zepp Jamiesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03024670772812706971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-53661119241388013512019-11-27T16:44:53.670-08:002019-11-27T16:44:53.670-08:00Come now. Klobuchar is a charmer. Just watch her a...Come now. Klobuchar is a charmer. Just watch her a while.Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-51758044879557457172019-11-27T15:32:25.020-08:002019-11-27T15:32:25.020-08:00@Zepp Jamieson: Valuable advice for anyone who wri...@Zepp Jamieson: <i>Valuable advice for anyone who writes!</i><br /><br />And of course Pascal's "I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time."<br /><br />Laplace's summary of the history of astronomy "is commonly esteemed one of the masterpieces of French literature" [Wikipedia]<br /><br />Combining science and literature is kind of a French thing. I would give a lot for fluency in this beautiful language, above and beyond my obligations as a Canadian.<br /><br /><br /><br />To have another language is to possess a second soul.<br />- Charlemagnescidatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04992209167553267488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-2310660907998238432019-11-27T15:15:33.666-08:002019-11-27T15:15:33.666-08:00Larry's comment about generating negative enth...Larry's comment about generating negative enthusiasm is a good one. But right now, both Warren and Sanders have very high positives. Warren has low negatives too, and is the second choice of a plurality of Dem voters. See Nate Silver for polling on that. matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-26799654997236325292019-11-27T15:09:23.837-08:002019-11-27T15:09:23.837-08:00David, if there was a crewcut-type running for POT...David, if there was a crewcut-type running for POTUS in the primary that was capable of generating enthusiasm in low-information voters, I would be all in for them. I give to Amy McGrath and Doug Jones, for instance, because they are capable of beating much worse opponents. <br /><br />But in the Dem POTUS field, none of the moderates are capable of generating the enthusiasm needed to take the election from Trump. Or at least they have not shown the capability yet.<br /> <br />Biden is low energy and severely wounded from Trump's false attacks. He is only where he is right now due to name recognition. <br /><br />Pete is a regional candidate so far, and is polling at 0% with African Americans in SC. The stock photo idiocy from his campaign would cost several percentage points in a general election. He is making too many unforced errors. <br /><br />Harris would be great, but the preemptive attacks from Biden's camp over her record as AG and as a prosecutor ended her chances before they started. She is VP material though. <br /><br />Booker is trying for the lane but also failing to generate interest. VP.<br /><br />No one likes Klobachar. Boring and mean is a bad combination. <br /><br />Gabbard is another Russian stooge. <br /><br />Bloomberg and Steyer are just running to make sure that Warren or Sanders doesn't get the nomination. If they really wanted to help, either one could put together a GOTV campaign that would be historic. If they would pledge to do so *regardless of who gets the nomination* I would consider supporting them because they would have shown that they are not just stroking their own egos and protecting their billions. <br /><br />As for taking state houses? Getting low-information voters to the polls does that. And to be blunt, if the Dem nominee doesn't win in 2020 against Trump then state houses in 2022 are probably out of reach too. If Trump wins, it will show the GOP that asking publicly for foreign help was a good strategy and the deck will get more and more stacked in favor of the Dominionists. With the Judiciary being rapidly packed with GOP for at least a generation, hoping for good in 2022 is a mirage. <br /><br />It's time for that "hopey-changey stuff." And the talent for that is not with any of the moderates that matter right now. <br /><br />matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-63657928245307508672019-11-27T15:02:34.190-08:002019-11-27T15:02:34.190-08:00For years, I thought Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was ...For years, I thought Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was responsible for the saying, "Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." That was actually Denis Diderot, another French writer so smart he died five years before the French Revolution. <br />de Saint-Exupéry did say one I absolutely love: Perfection is attained, not when no more can be added, but when no more can be removed. Valuable advice for anyone who writes!Zepp Jamiesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03024670772812706971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-25721444523217526232019-11-27T14:58:35.722-08:002019-11-27T14:58:35.722-08:00jim
Well David, which democrat do you think will ...jim<br /><i><br />Well David, which democrat do you think will generate a lot of enthusiasm from the American people?<br /></i><br /><br />Which alternative party that you'd vote for <b>instead</b> of a Democrat would do so?<br /><br />Hillary generated plenty of enthusiasm. But she also generated plenty of <b>negative</b> enthusiasm, both people who would have otherwise sat out but voted against her and people who might have been down on Trump but still couldn't stomach Hillary.<br /><br />Like it or not, Warren and Sanders would each inspire such negative enthusiasm. Biden would not. Which, now that I think it through, is the main reason I take issue with your "Biden bad; Warren and Sanders good" attitude. Maximizing enthusiasm isn't enough if the net-enthusiasm is negative.Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-83683977113273947322019-11-27T14:29:56.649-08:002019-11-27T14:29:56.649-08:00If you define YOURSELF as "the American Peopl...If you define YOURSELF as "the American People," I might deem that a real issue. I don't. Any of them would appoint judges and restore the civil service and our alliances and sciences and help pass those 31 first-round needs.<br /><br />How about maybe you trust the Dem primaries to sort it out? Both Clinton and Obama won by that route and generated huge enthusiasm in 92 and 2008, before guys like you stabbed them in the back, in 94 and 2010.<br /><br />How about I answer your questions when you've answered any of mine.<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-71658517846996780052019-11-27T13:57:46.718-08:002019-11-27T13:57:46.718-08:00Well David, which democrat do you think will gener...Well David, which democrat do you think will generate a lot of enthusiasm from the American people?jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07865068658069680309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-52925104494261923752019-11-27T13:51:18.385-08:002019-11-27T13:51:18.385-08:00locumranch,
...all laws are toothless without the...locumranch,<br /><br /><i>...all laws are toothless without the potential application of deadly force.</i><br /><br />Very libertarian of you, but factually incorrect. I try to point this out to my friends, but they don't want to hear it either. For them, the world is too much about tooth and claw.<br /><br />'Law' is actually an emergent thing we typically call 'rule'. Most of them are unwritten. For example, don't fart in an elevator (if you can help it) when other people are in there with you. Violate that rule and there is a social response. Most law is like this and is called common law. <br /><br />Common law is enforced mostly through shunning and not coercion.<br /><br /><br />What does this have to do with reciprocity between state and federal LE? Everything. More often than not, LE on both sides share a desire to do what they do well and recognize that cooperation is a win-win. Locally positive sum. More often than not, they don't have to be told to cooperate because they already know the emergent rule. Stopping them from doing this when extreme circumstances occur (breaches of trust) is harder than many of us realize. A new law might be written to force the new behavior, but those are usually partially effective. Mostly they provide cover to LE who already realize they must break with the old rule and face retaliation risks if they do it alone.<br /><br />In Nevada, local LE was being used by IRS to track down possible tax cheats. Local LE was spending a fair amount of money doing this, pissing off local voters (yes... tax cheats DO vote), and Nevada wasn't get much in return for this black eye. The result of all this was Nevada choosing to end reciprocity agreements. Let the IRS do their own dirty work. Let locals realize that local LE weren't there to enforce federal tax law. Leave intact, though, reciprocity rules for other kinds of crimes like violence, kidnapping, etc.<br /><br /><br />I doubt this will register with you, though. I'm writing it for others who might stop by and read it. There ARE decent reasons to enforce separation of state and federal law enforcement and not just with recent causes.Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-7320086562464673222019-11-27T13:39:24.465-08:002019-11-27T13:39:24.465-08:00Thanksgiving ammo for those calling Two Scoops God...Thanksgiving ammo for those calling Two Scoops God's anointed. The scene where Clintons and Obamas and Carters and Bidens all recite the Apostles' Creed largely by memory while the Trumps stand, bored and silent, then leave early. While rich televangelists preach a prosperity/Dominionist gospel that's opposite to Jesus's teachings, they blasphemously extol as "God's Chosen One" a tool of communist dictators who is the most opposite-to-Jesus human you can find. And yet, it does mean DT won't fry the world, which Pence will do the minute/day or month he gets a chance to trigger the Patmosian apocalypse.<br />See<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ZjI1mycg8<br /><br />"This election will come down to enthusiasm to vote. " Well, yes... except backwards. We need to zealously attack and crush the GOP treason. That is the focus. And while turnout is vital... as it was in 92 and 2008, we know the splitters will abandon us in 2022, as they did in 94 and 2010, making dogma excuses for their cynical/indolent laziness.<br /><br />THAT is why it must go beyond turnout. We have to take statehouses, becvause Roberts won't help eliminate the cheating We must do it ourselves. And that means more than turnout. We must invade and take territory! Purple districts. Red districts. And that can only be done by men and women who can talk to those folks. Folks who jim doesn't know and refuses to acknowledge.<br /><br />Thanks guys and I am proud of you for exhibiting the generally thick skin that says: "heck, leave these dopes alone. I can always skim past them."<br /><br />As for jim's latest... assertion... that's all it is. A magical incantation that red and purple district americans will only notice the guys HE notices as worthy. Ignore the pure fact that it was hairbun and crewcut Democrats mostly veterans who TOOK TERRITORY from the reds, this time. There's zero evidence for his assertion and tons against it.<br /><br />But why do I bother. He ansers no questions, offers no paraphrasings, exhibits no curiosity and accepts no challenges.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-1562467875959543582019-11-27T13:36:56.308-08:002019-11-27T13:36:56.308-08:00jim,
You are still capable of adding value here, ...jim,<br /><br />You are still capable of adding value here, but you are blocked on the realization that many here are your natural allies. You feel burned by the loss of Hope after the 2008 election did not produce sweeping change? Sure. Many feel that way, but your natural allies here weren't necessarily as sucked into the hype of that election as you were. Obama's campaign was wondrously stratospheric toward the end of 2008, so the reality later couldn't possibly match the fantasy earlier. Some of us get that and accept that incremental improvement is likely the only achievable way forward.<br /><br /><i>...both good and evil are multidimensional. </i><br /><br />True, but if you get too picky in your attempt to optimize, you'll wind up being as irrelevant as some of my libertarian friends. Choose who you want, but beware of purity tests. You can lose a partial good that is otherwise achievable if you don't pay attention to what your natural allies can tolerate.Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-19095474690657021862019-11-27T12:43:49.922-08:002019-11-27T12:43:49.922-08:00
Although it might upset Mathew, I pretty much agr...<br />Although it might upset Mathew, I pretty much agree with his analysis that democrats will need real enthusiasm from the American people for the democratic candidate to win in 2020. And Sanders is the only candidate that comes even remotely close to that. (although he does inspire the opposition, just like Trump)<br /><br />Surprisingly enough Larry, this is also my favorite holiday, So happy thanksgiving everyone.<br /><br />(if you guys don’t want me to post anymore, I will stop. There are plenty of other things for me to do.)<br />jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07865068658069680309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-58439250183300161792019-11-27T12:22:40.164-08:002019-11-27T12:22:40.164-08:00I often live by the Joe Walsh phrase, "I can&...I often live by the Joe Walsh phrase, "I can't complain but sometimes I still do." But I do try to remain cognizant of all that I really do have to be thankful for. That's probably why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.<br /><br />I know it's different times in different countries, but to all the Americans here, have a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving.<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-18222769935779448062019-11-27T12:12:01.477-08:002019-11-27T12:12:01.477-08:00AWGA
"America Was Great Already!"AWGA<br /><br />"America Was Great Already!"Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-39032157965869725702019-11-27T12:04:06.281-08:002019-11-27T12:04:06.281-08:00Larry quoted, "And hopefully those folks will...Larry quoted, "<b>And hopefully those folks will remember, and long for, a better version of America than what we have now.</b>"<br /><br />MAGA? ;-)Ahcuahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06514651362748555460noreply@blogger.com