tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post6496582499464338823..comments2024-03-28T15:48:48.514-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: The alternative to Trump is scarier! The "Cyrus Effect." And what you can do.David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-15426605794786144772018-09-03T10:25:25.245-07:002018-09-03T10:25:25.245-07:00The morning after the election I posted a blog tha...The morning after the election I posted a blog that began with the premise that we had elected a golden calf. I also mentioned that Pence was a greater fear because he was the one monster that could not be controlled - the True Believer. I don't know where we are going in this country in the near future, but I do believe that getting deeply involved in local politics will be the only buffer - as long as we can still survive with tariff laden goods.Victoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02404311276573703482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-67781147117262431372018-09-01T11:41:10.320-07:002018-09-01T11:41:10.320-07:00onward
onwardonward<br />onwardDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-49768824120587379722018-09-01T11:35:15.241-07:002018-09-01T11:35:15.241-07:00"What are we going to do, throw our PBS tote ..."What are we going to do, throw our PBS tote bags at them?"<br /><br />I've been quietly checking. Since 2001, far more liberals than you'd guess have armed themselves. Taken classes. They just don't make a big, macho deal of it, nor buy more phallic compensators than can fit in the hands.<br /><br />This is one reason why almost zero liberals have even remotely hinted at the "confiscation" scenarios that Fox hotair bloats breathlessly denounce. No one, even on the far-left, is even talking about such things. Not even the Parkland Kids. But the maddest of the confed psychos are in for a surprise, if they try executing a pogrom.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-59152398837420702882018-09-01T10:59:36.157-07:002018-09-01T10:59:36.157-07:00"But the dems would not take to the streets a...<i>"But the dems would not take to the streets and burn half of the USA to the ground"</i><br /><br />Or, in the words of Bette Midler, "What are we going to do, throw our PBS tote bags at them?"Jon S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13585842845661267920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-26698245234314920882018-09-01T06:09:49.613-07:002018-09-01T06:09:49.613-07:00Duncan Cairncross (revisited) :
But the dems woul...Duncan Cairncross (revisited) :<br /><i><br />But the dems would not take to the streets and burn half of the USA to the ground.<br /></i><br /><br />My immediate thought is "maybe we should".<br /><br />Of course, we're not like that. And unlike the Republicans, burning the system down doesn't achieve our ends.<br /><br />But <b>they</b> think we would. In 2008, my formerly-sane conservative buddy Chris used to talk about the atrocities hoards of black rioters would visit upon us should Obama lose the election. And of course , 50 years ago, rioting in the streets wasn't something associated with white supremacists or Republicans (pardon the redundancy). It was long-haired leftist hippies and black people who did that. That outdated image persists to this day, just as that of the "liberal media" does, or dead people voting in Chicago (rather than Waukeshau County, Wisconsin).<br /><br />These days, we liberals are more into peaceful marches, but marches nonetheless. Thousands of counter-protesters to the pathetic dozen or so "Unite The Right II" Nazis. Millions of pussy-hatted womens' marchers compared to the half-empty mall at Benedict Donald's inauguration. Maybe what we need is for them to be as afraid of what those millions might decide to do in response to an outrage rather than for us to cower in fear at the Brownshirts.<br /><br />And cynically, if they really do burn down half the country, it's going to be <i>their</i> half. I'm long past concerning myself with saving them from their own self-inflicted harm. From now on, when they metaphorically point a gun at their own heads and make demands, I'm having my snipers take the shot.Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-40023736240317712082018-09-01T05:40:33.373-07:002018-09-01T05:40:33.373-07:00@Donald Gisslebeck,
While Trump outrages us daily...@Donald Gisslebeck,<br /><br />While Trump outrages us daily, nothing he does is a <i>surprise</i> in the sense of "Who could have guessed he'd be like that?" His outrageousness was obvious to some of us from the outset.<br /><br />Likewise, that of institutionalized religion.<br /><br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-5859901404785964192018-09-01T05:37:04.816-07:002018-09-01T05:37:04.816-07:00Duncan Carincross:
But the dems would not take to...Duncan Carincross:<br /><i><br />But the dems would not take to the streets and burn half of the USA to the ground.<br /></i><br /><br />So we should give in to hostage takers?<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-72771737108129904832018-08-31T21:38:25.565-07:002018-08-31T21:38:25.565-07:00One of my go to quotes on religion seems more true...One of my go to quotes on religion seems more true every day. "The tritest of maxims, that religion being the best of things, its corruptions must be the worst." - Jonathan Swift Don Gisselbeckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05770961482198971383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-57939188708960854752018-08-31T20:02:35.786-07:002018-08-31T20:02:35.786-07:00Hi Larry
They would NOT do the same!
But the dem...Hi Larry<br /><br />They would NOT do the same!<br /><br />But the dems would not take to the streets and burn half of the USA to the groundduncan cairncrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14153725128216947145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-52210635709771257472018-08-31T20:02:26.781-07:002018-08-31T20:02:26.781-07:00Matthew, I get you. And you are offensively nuts w...Matthew, I get you. And you are offensively nuts with the "milquetoast." I am trying to do judo, here, not sumo, which they... are... better... at.<br /><br />Right now, we need to not only crush the mid-terms, but catch the cheaters red-handed trying to prevent the crush. That's smoking-gun treason and it will be the red-line (at last) for ten million RASRs. And if THAT happens, no impeachment will be necessary. The oligarchs will scramble for salvage and DT will resign, yowling martyrdom all the way. Or they'll beale him. God forbid.<br /><br />But for that to happen. We need the one million RASRs who've already defected. We need them more that anything else.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-40480637387067194042018-08-31T19:59:23.958-07:002018-08-31T19:59:23.958-07:00Duncan Cairncross:
I would have said that in that...Duncan Cairncross:<br /><i><br />I would have said that in that situation it would be essential to have somehow the likes of Pelosi stand aside until there is a Republican in the line of succession.<br /></i><br /><br />I might agree if there was a chance in Hell that Republicans would do likewise were the roles reversed.Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-48861252601886663362018-08-31T19:17:14.102-07:002018-08-31T19:17:14.102-07:00Hi Dr Brin
I just don't see an "acceptab...Hi Dr Brin<br /><br />I just don't see an "acceptable dem" being in the republican vocabulary - I would even worry about violence if the successor was too moderate a Republican<br /><br />The deplorables would object to anybody they could call a RINO - and so would a lot of the rest<br /><br />If I was in the USA I would be pushing for Democrat House and Senate majorities - investigate the hell out of ALL senior GOP party members<br /><br />But don't impeach - block old bone spurs from doing anything but leave him hanging - and after 2020 THEN slap his sorry ass in jailduncan cairncrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14153725128216947145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8866315123326430562018-08-31T19:07:21.580-07:002018-08-31T19:07:21.580-07:00David I know we arguing tactics. That's what I...David I know we arguing tactics. That's what I was doing - arguing that our tactics need to change in relation to the scale of the threat. Yep, you do a lot to try and make the world better- that's why I'm here. I like your stories a bunch but The Transparent Society is your biggest legacy.<br /><br />But I'm sorry that you don't see the threat the same as I do. Promising impeachment is the only way for the Democrats to show their break from cautious policymaking based on poll after poll. The Dems need to rally the nation and milquetoast ain't gonna cut it. Think of the liberal stereotypes so prevalent in low information voters. Being cautious in the face of a hostile nation controlling all branches of the federal government is not going to get millions in the street when it's needed. Liberal messaging cannot be "Trust us, we're boring." There needs to be inspiration not caution. <br /><br /> <br />matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-36115268546690548882018-08-31T18:40:15.975-07:002018-08-31T18:40:15.975-07:00Duncan. A peace offering choosing an acceptable de...Duncan. A peace offering choosing an acceptable dem to be Speaker just before convicting Pence MIGHT work///David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-1042740316045247032018-08-31T18:31:34.031-07:002018-08-31T18:31:34.031-07:00Hi Guys
The 10,000 deaths would not be from impeac...Hi Guys<br />The 10,000 deaths would not be from impeaching old bone spurs or Pence<br /><br />But I think you WOULD have problems if they were replaced with a Democrat like Pelosi <br /><br />In that situation it would not just be Trump's deplorables but most "normal" Republicans who would get their knickers in a twist<br /><br />I would have said that in that situation it would be essential to have somehow the likes of Pelosi stand aside until there is a Republican in the line of successionduncan cairncrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14153725128216947145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-6455400205615456802018-08-31T18:16:17.620-07:002018-08-31T18:16:17.620-07:00Something with a sane and 100% true explanation is...Something with a sane and 100% true explanation is not a "scintilla of support" for a mad alternative.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-5613730931232155772018-08-31T17:39:18.911-07:002018-08-31T17:39:18.911-07:00One with even a scintilla? Well, let's see - t...One with even a scintilla? Well, let's see - there was that thing with the supposed "FEMA coffins", seen in an aerial photograph, which actually was a real photo. It was a photo of the liners which are by law required to be placed in graves in the US in order to prevent leaching of corpse fluids into the water table and surrounding environment, not "coffins", but the photo was a real thing...<br /><br />(The manufacturer stores them in a nearby field because they're designed to be pretty well impervious to the elements. Bad news for zombie-apocalypse fans.)Jon S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13585842845661267920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-61233107998654365582018-08-31T15:03:28.626-07:002018-08-31T15:03:28.626-07:00One. Show us one raving spittled howl at Obama -- ...One. Show us one raving spittled howl at Obama -- black UN helicopters, gun seizures, Detention camps for Christians, pedophile rings underneath pizza joints... one... that ever merged even a scintilla out of fevered bile into objective reality. One. Ever. No wonder they wage all-out war on all fact professions... and run screaming away from wagers.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-52372512599637278682018-08-31T13:15:33.344-07:002018-08-31T13:15:33.344-07:00Riiight. It’s a “war on Christmas” when we ask for...Riiight. It’s a “war on Christmas” when we ask for the incessant clamor of cultural domination to wait until December 1st. Or Thanksgiving. Or maybe Halloween?<br /><br />And when a fanatical cult declares openly that they pray daily for — and work daily for — an apocalypse that will sear 99% of humanity, end all human ambition, end all children and end the USA, WE are the oppressors and bigots for noticing it? <br /><br />Hide behind the flag. When we have the nerve to notice BoR cultists are preparing to end the world, it’s an attack on all Christians! When Jimmy Carter exemplifies the Christian majority, who actually read and heed the red-lettered words of that bearded, beaded socialist hippie Nazarene. <br /><br />When dominionists howl gleefully “we’re gonna get all your stuff, after you’ve been snuffed!” I think it’s safe to respond: “Okay guys, we’ve turned the cheek to your drooling-homicidal madness long enough.”<br /><br />===<br />Jesus, Matthew, seriously? “This centrist, cautious approach you are selling here will end up with all of us here dead or fled…” Um, find any resister more vigorous and effective than I am. Chill dude. We’re arguing tactics here. And the left’s standard tactics are too rigid and predictable. They know judo, man.<br /><br />==<br />Jon S The amazing thing no one discusses. GOP presidential candidates - INCLUDING Eisenhower, always choose a horror as their running mate. Except once. Reagan chose a man who was on paper spectacularly qualifies, and later turned into the worst president of the 20th Century. A true horror… but qualified.<br /><br />Dem candidates always choose a boring person who is qualified. Often way too boring.<br /><br />==<br />“Did the Russians put something in the water supply that is contaminating peoples' precious mental fluids and making them concoct ever more fevered conspiracy theories?”<br /><br />Oh! Oh! The cultist lectures about conspiracy raving! I weep with ironic hilarity.<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-88920356933916380912018-08-31T12:36:25.843-07:002018-08-31T12:36:25.843-07:00Dr. Brin, 100,000 might die in rioting if Trump is...Dr. Brin, 100,000 might die in rioting if Trump is removed from office.<br /><br />10,000,000 might die if the Nazis seize control. Trump is already erasing the citizenship of Hispanic Americans by refusing their passports and saying "their birth certificates are suspect because they probably stole identities." He doesn't consider Native Americans to be Americans. He detests the LGBT+ population. He considers "liberals" to be race traitors. <br /><br />If the Nazis get control, I'll be put in a camp as will hundreds of thousands of other people. And I doubt we'll see the United States emerge intact after Russian hackers turn off our infrastructure so that we lose access to electricity and water in the cities and towns, our transformers blow and can't be rebuilt within the U.S., and rural America starts stockpiling food and refusing to allow urban centers to get access to food. <br /><br />Rob H. Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-75603188462485255902018-08-31T12:27:51.012-07:002018-08-31T12:27:51.012-07:00Really matthew? I don't recall doing any of th...Really matthew? I don't recall doing any of that. Are you one of those who mistake words and ideas for actions? "By their fruits ye shall know them", not their words. If you take words this seriously, you are making yourself an easy target for trolls. Focus on action; be Zen; empty your mind of useless mental chatter and demons; that's a reminder to myself, but it's also advice for you and other people here with crazy memes running around in your heads, if you want it.Treebeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13769796990019460695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-12424466815199657832018-08-31T12:19:06.932-07:002018-08-31T12:19:06.932-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Treebeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13769796990019460695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-42454389084957097142018-08-31T11:56:46.138-07:002018-08-31T11:56:46.138-07:00Ent, I know you are trying to get folks here to fo...Ent, I know you are trying to get folks here to forget that you have advocated for white nationalism, genocide, and violence against LBGTQ folks. Guess what? It isn't going to work. <br /><br />We know you are a blowhard Nazi. Fuck off. matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-69036955171693214432018-08-31T11:46:12.538-07:002018-08-31T11:46:12.538-07:00The New York Times tells us what we already know.
...The New York Times tells us what we already know.<br /><br />(emphasis mine)<br /><br />https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/30/opinion/trump-assault-google-facebook.html?imp_id=852054215<br /><i><br />On Tuesday, in the course of his morning rage-tweeting, Donald Trump denounced Google for having news results “RIGGED” against him, “so that almost all stories & news is BAD.” It was part of an escalating right-wing assault on various technology platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which conservatives are accusing, in timeworn fashion, of liberal bias.<br /><br />Trump appears to have gotten his information from the Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs, who in turn was relying on a blog post from PJ Media titled, “96 Percent of Google Search Results for ‘Trump’ News Are From Liberal Media Outlets.” The rub, here, is how the post defines “liberal.” It includes a chart in which almost every mainstream, credible news organization is on the left — not just The New York Times and The Washington Post, but Bloomberg, USA Today and The Associated Press. The chart puts Infowars, Alex Jones’s conspiracy website, closer to the center than Time magazine.<br /><br />Essentially, <b>conservatives want to create a world where objective information and right-wing disinformation are treated equally</b>. They’re running the same playbook on tech that they ran, for decades, on media, caterwauling about bias so that defensive editors would treat them with kid gloves. Only now, these howls about viewpoint discrimination have the force of the United States government behind them.<br /><br />...<br /></i>Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-63830159047714138172018-08-31T11:07:09.104-07:002018-08-31T11:07:09.104-07:00Jon S:
In the one case of which I'm aware whe...Jon S:<br /><i><br />In the one case of which I'm aware when a US vice-president left office during his term, ... the selection of a new VP would then lie with Congress. (I don't know if current law jumps straight to the Speaker of the House, which is the general impression...<br /></i><br /><br />No, I can tell you right now that that doesn't happen.<br /><br />The Speaker is next in line if something happens to both the president and the VP before they are replaced. If Nixon had resigned <b>without</b> a replacement VP for Agnew (for example) then the Speaker would have ascended to the role. That's never happened yet, BTW.<br /><br />Once the VP office is vacated, though, a replacement is installed, and then the Speaker goes back to being third in line. As far as I know, the ascension to the office of President is the only one that happens automatically upon a vacancy.<br /><br />* * * <br /><br />This just occurred to me as I typed that above. If Democrats take back the House, we'll doubtless hear Republican arguments about how Nancy Pelosi has a conflict of interest trying to impeach Trump and Pence to take the presidency for herself. I look forward to hearing why this is different from Trump appointing justices to the supreme court who will then rule on the legality of impeachment and obstruction of justice.<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.com