Feb 28, 2016
And Now We Know
Thinking about Trump's famous bit about "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK?"
Now in the last coupla days:
Now in the last coupla days:
I've been saying for a while that Trump wants out, and that all the weird shit he says is an attempt to find the exit. In that light, the decoded version of the quote sounded like this to me: "What do I have to do to get you idiots to let me go?"
But maybe I've been wrong (now there's a shocker, eh?). Being wrong is part of the game - I'll prob'ly get over it.
Anyway, if this is a real thing, then we've got a pretty simple equation: Voter = Customer. To Trump, it doesn't matter what the customer thinks or says or does, as long as that customer shows up and spends - nobody's money (ie: vote) is worth more or less than anybody else's money (ie: vote). So his ridiculously blatant pandering is just something he does because he's a good salesman who understands that his business is to grow his business.
What matters is that you make your numbers - plan your work and work your plan - the strategic goal is to achieve the strategic goals, and your tactics are of no great concern to executive management. Just get me those results.
Putting it tritely - Trump is all about the end justifying the means. At the very least, he's exploiting an opportunity to upend what's left of a process that was intended to protect us from people like Donald Trump. It's not like he doesn't know that. Why would a good Rentier pass on a golden opportunity to own a controlling interest in USAmerica Inc?
There's a lot to look at concerning Process, and Lord knows the process has been getting bent up and fucked over for quite a while, and is long overdue for some serious refit, but we're supposed to be all about The Process here in USAmerica, and an awful lot of that process has been pimp-slapped in the usual way by people with the power to ignore the consequences of the law.
So we need to get back to caring about - and caring for - the process. And here's the short-cut version of it all: In a democracy, the death of process is nothing less that the death of the democracy itself.
Stay together. Work together. Get shit done.
Feb 27, 2016
Today's Bernie
Bernie really gets it sometimes. We've allowed ourselves to be suckered into thinking that a kind of selective (if not arbitrary) authoritarian crap is what our Justice System is supposed to be about.
And BTW - it's a pretty simple parlay to connect the fucked-up-edness of our legal system with the total FUBAR of the Corporate Prisons Industry.
Stay in line or they'll fuck you up - just because they can.
Be honest, @BernieSanders hated the Crime Bill. Spoke against it passionately & repeatedly.— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 27, 2016
Watch this.
POWERFULhttps://t.co/69F4R7IQkI
And BTW - it's a pretty simple parlay to connect the fucked-up-edness of our legal system with the total FUBAR of the Corporate Prisons Industry.
Stay in line or they'll fuck you up - just because they can.
Feb 26, 2016
Feb 25, 2016
One Last Shot
Conventional wisdom has it that tonight's shit fight at the monkey house GOP Debate could be the last time we see what's left of that ol' gang of our'n.
And in keeping with the best of all possible traditions, Matt Taibbi has issued the following update on the rules of the game:
TAKE A SHOT:
1. The first time (and first time only) one of the candidates compares himself to St. Ronald Reagan.
2. When Ben Carson complains that nobody's calling on him.
3. At the phrases "Great state of Texas," "Don't mess with Texas," or "Everything's bigger in Texas." Double if that last one comes from Trump in a suggestive tone. Triple-shot if Trump says "Everything except Marco is bigger in Texas."
4. If Cruz mentions he's from Texas more than five times. Take an additional shot for each time after that.
5. Every time someone jokes about Jeb Bush no longer being there. Double if the essence of the joke is that it's hard to tell the difference.
6. When Kasich makes a speech or comment whose essence is, "Well, excuse me for being sane, but…" Drink also if a moderator calls Kasich a "moderate."
7. When anyone calls anyone else a "liar."
8. Whenever any of the non-Trump candidates calls him a "closet Democrat" or "not a conservative."
9. Whenever anyone mentions Cruz's "dirty tricks."
10. When Carson recites lines from the Bible or the Constitution.
11. When any candidate mentions being the son/grandson of a hardworking bartender/mail carrier/housecleaner/etc. and therefore is not just a believer in the American Dream, but a product of it.
12. Whenever Trump mocks someone's poll numbers.
BONUS DRINK:
Players may want to make side-bets as to what happens more often: Cruz reminding the audience that he's Texan, or Trump reminding them that Cruz is from Canada. We can have a bonus shot if Cruz mentions his Texan-ness only to have Trump immediately call him a Canadian Texan.
Lastly, I propose we create a toast in honor of the recently fallen. Instead of saying "Cheers" or "Prost," we might say, before drinking, "Chris Christie was a federal prosecutor."
(Read more: Rolling Stone)
And in keeping with the best of all possible traditions, Matt Taibbi has issued the following update on the rules of the game:
TAKE A SHOT:
1. The first time (and first time only) one of the candidates compares himself to St. Ronald Reagan.
2. When Ben Carson complains that nobody's calling on him.
3. At the phrases "Great state of Texas," "Don't mess with Texas," or "Everything's bigger in Texas." Double if that last one comes from Trump in a suggestive tone. Triple-shot if Trump says "Everything except Marco is bigger in Texas."
4. If Cruz mentions he's from Texas more than five times. Take an additional shot for each time after that.
5. Every time someone jokes about Jeb Bush no longer being there. Double if the essence of the joke is that it's hard to tell the difference.
6. When Kasich makes a speech or comment whose essence is, "Well, excuse me for being sane, but…" Drink also if a moderator calls Kasich a "moderate."
7. When anyone calls anyone else a "liar."
8. Whenever any of the non-Trump candidates calls him a "closet Democrat" or "not a conservative."
9. Whenever anyone mentions Cruz's "dirty tricks."
10. When Carson recites lines from the Bible or the Constitution.
11. When any candidate mentions being the son/grandson of a hardworking bartender/mail carrier/housecleaner/etc. and therefore is not just a believer in the American Dream, but a product of it.
12. Whenever Trump mocks someone's poll numbers.
BONUS DRINK:
Players may want to make side-bets as to what happens more often: Cruz reminding the audience that he's Texan, or Trump reminding them that Cruz is from Canada. We can have a bonus shot if Cruz mentions his Texan-ness only to have Trump immediately call him a Canadian Texan.
Lastly, I propose we create a toast in honor of the recently fallen. Instead of saying "Cheers" or "Prost," we might say, before drinking, "Chris Christie was a federal prosecutor."
(Read more: Rolling Stone)
Take It, Charlie
The inestimable national treasure that is Charles Pierce:
This is the essence of what he's about. He, Trump will tame the beast of government. He, Trump personally will bring back jobs. He, Trump personally will solve the immigration problem by building a wall and making other people pay for it. He, Trump personally will intimidate China and outmaneuver Russia into accepting American leadership in the world. And all we have to do to gain these little bits of paradise is to bestir our stumps in November, vote for He, Trump, and then sit back and watch the show. Jesus H. Christ on a white grand piano, and people say Bernie Sanders is offering "free stuff."
Feb 24, 2016
Oh Those Obamas
I'm running dangerously close to the edge of a warm fuzzy feeling for POTUS and FLOTUS.
.@POTUS nominates the first woman and first African-American to be Librarian of Congress: https://t.co/5zQhYVj74jhttps://t.co/vkWq9IfqcU— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 24, 2016
Today marks the launch of @OpenEBks, bringing access to free books for students across the country. #ReachHigherhttps://t.co/1fRsZ9tFXv— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) February 24, 2016
Book-learnin', bitches. Git some.
Today's Quote
Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles. Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances. Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it. Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency ask the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular?
But, conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.” -- Dr Martin Luther King Jr
Feb 23, 2016
Today's Tweet
The last GOP "debate" was almost universally characterized as a train wreck, so I guess Las Vegas just couldn't stand to be outdone in the Nevada Caucus thingie so...yeah.
EXCLUSIVE: This is the scene of the Nevada GOP caucus. pic.twitter.com/ZNwB8Ns8im— Sweet Meteor O'Death (@smod2016) February 24, 2016
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