Aug 3, 2016

Today's GIF

We take you now to live coverage as our intrepid cadre of Press Poodles continue to strive gallantly to make Donald Trump seem like a viable candidate.

Today's Tweets



Today's Political Leverage

Lotsa people have been wondering what's up with Paul Ryan.  Why does he blast Trump for saying stoopidly shitty things while still supporting the nominee?  
Ryan said Trump's criticism of Judge Curiel was "the textbook definition of a racist comment".
Ryan kept quiet when Trump went after Khizr Khan, and was rewarded by  Trump coming out in support of Ryan's primary challenger.
Now, Ryan's in a tight spot because he's trying hard to take his Party-Uber-Alles duties seriously, but at this point, he's trying to stand up for Party Unity in a GOP that split badly several years ago, and is in the process of splintering into smaller and smaller factions, heading rapidly for the Logical Extreme of becoming 20 million Parties Of One - which in a bit of sweet irony, is exactly what Ayn Rand's philosophy requires.  Unity means there has to be a bit of sublimation of the individual in order to work in concert with as many others as possible (ie: making a collective effort, which is absolute anathema to The Randian Way).

So it comes down to "damned if ya do and damned if ya don't", and that's how Trump always plays it. Everybody's fucked but him, which is a pretty good way to sum up the GOP Platform over the last 30 years, and also a plain-spoken interpretation of Ayn Rand's outlook, which means Trump is doing nothing but beating Ryan et al at their own game, which (hoping now) points up why you don't build a healthy society on the beliefs of a bitterly aggrieved former bourgeois fantasy hack whose life turned out to be exactly the kind of contradiction she railed against for 50 years.

So how 'bout it, Mr Speaker - will you tough it out and be the rugged individual St Ayn requires you to be? Or are you going to wuss out and ask somebody for a little help; a little teamwork; a little collective action?

You helped build that shit house - stop bitchin' about the stink and do something about it.

Aug 2, 2016

Cracks In The Facade

US Rep Richard Hanna (R-NY22), and characterized as "Liberal Republican", via HuffPo - endorsing Hillary because he just can't stand to think of Trump as POTUS.
“I trust she can lead. All Republicans may not like the direction, but they can live to win or lose another day with a real candidate,” he wrote. “Our response to the public’s anger and the need to rebuild requires complex solutions, experience, knowledge and balance. Not bumper sticker slogans that pander to our disappointment, fear and hate.”
I don't know much about New York's 22nd district, so I can't make a good guess as to the Gerrymandering effect, but in 2012, Mr Hanna ran unopposed and managed to get just 74% of the vote. Maybe 74% is a lot, but it seems like you're not exactly Mr Popularity when 45,500 people show up at the polls and still won't vote for you even though you're the only one in your race.

And BTW, Mr Hanna has chosen not to stand for re-election this time around, so while I think he's doing the right thing voting against his party's obviously bad choice of POTUS nominee, I'm not handing him any medals for political courage either.

The race for NY22 is called a toss-up right now, but shades towards a pickup for the Dems.

Today's Quote

“People who treat other people as less than human must not be surprised when the bread they have cast on the waters comes floating back to them, poisoned.” --James Baldwin

Rhetorical Cues

When somebody starts by saying, "I'm not racist, but...", you know what follows will make you wish they'd die in a tragically embarrassing bathroom accident.

A close second is when (usually) a "conservative" starts a comment with, "The fact of the matter is...". You can then expect a pile of spun-up bullshit and anything-but-facts intended to deflect and obscure.

Here endeth today's lesson.

Today's GIF

Today's Tweet(s)



Aug 1, 2016

Today's Chart

Logic Like A Pretzel

Grampy McDumfuck tried to throw some shade by taking exception to Trump's frat-boy slap at Khizr Khan:
“In recent days, Donald Trump disparaged a fallen soldier’s parents. He has suggested that the likes of their son should not be allowed in the United States — to say nothing of entering its service. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump’s statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates.
That last bit, Sen McCain - that's bullshit.  Trump absolutely represents the party. He is the lead messenger for the party. The party officers are lined up behind him, propping him up.

You get one tiny atta-boy for that one time at that one event in 2008 when you took the mic back from that idiot lady who tried to say Obama's a Muslim.  That's it, pal.  If you had anywhere near the balls your daughter's got, you'd be out front on this one, trying to re-assure the country that your GOP buddies aren't really as fucking stoopid as they seem to be right now. He doesn't speak for the GOP?  Your guys nominated this polished turd - Donald Trump is the GOP now.  Your farm - your pig.