US Politics Thread |OT| THE DARKEST TIMELINE

[Shadow Mod]

Just had a JayDubya tier constitution lover argue birthright citizenship should be shitcanned because the constitution is a living document and thus must adapt to changing times; this was a Facebook debate btw. I almost fell out my seat. After years of strict constructionism all it took was Trump (and brown babies) to change his mind.

The people who've been crying bloody murder on "judicial activism" have been pretty quiet about the ACA challenges, affirmative action cases, Shelby County, etc.

It's almost as if nobody gives a shit about judicial philosophy, as long as it delivers the result you want.  See also: states rights.

Is it all that surprising though.

You hear big gov crying until it involves investigating vaginas, the gays and brown people too.

[benjipwns]

I love it when the creator of something popular turns out to be a creep or weirdo. This made my day.

he's been doing dumb stuff since forever, astroturfing about his comic and all sorts of dweeb shit, but he recently wrote a thing about how he could relate to dudes who join ISIS because if he 'wasn't getting any pussy he'd want to kill everyone too' or some such. fun to see it's not a recent schtick I suppose.

I've been fascinated by this Scott Adams stuff over the last year. The Dilbert Newsletter back when he wrote it regularly was basically nothing but this insanity.

The guy's first non-cartoon three books all go from being funny takes on life/workplaces/etc. to delve into intensely serious insane all-things explained by one theory in the final chapters. One of them even includes an "all purpose theory of comedy" and how to be funny.

In one of them he discusses perception extensively, explaining his belief in a separate form of creation where God evolved to create life on Earth or some shit AND that rationally it makes more sense for gravity to be explained as all things in the universe expanding. So when you jump, both you and the Earth expand to close the gap, you aren't actually falling.

He's been through about thirty five thousand diet cults, and once attempted to create and patent a burrito that contained all your daily nutrients and thus was all that you needed to eat. The increase in time saved would lead to massive worldwide efficiency and growth. And he was serious about it.

The Dilbert Future is nothing but nuts.

[benjipwns]

This was a real thing:

[benjipwns]

Mandark,

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/kausfile

[Phoenix Dark]

This was a real thing:
(Image removed from quote.)

The concept is basically something a Dilbert character would come up with. It's as if the walls of engineering parody and reality have fallen down.

[Joe Molotov]

[Rufus]

Cut from the same cloth, adorable.

[Brehvolution]

Cruz flavour

[Phoenix Dark]

Just had a JayDubya tier constitution lover argue birthright citizenship should be shitcanned because the constitution is a living document and thus must adapt to changing times; this was a Facebook debate btw. I almost fell out my seat. After years of strict constructionism all it took was Trump (and brown babies) to change his mind.

The people who've been crying bloody murder on "judicial activism" have been pretty quiet about the ACA challenges, affirmative action cases, Shelby County, etc.

It's almost as if nobody gives a shit about judicial philosophy, as long as it delivers the result you want.  See also: states rights.

I'm used to the argument that the 14h amendment was never intended to provide birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants; while I disagree, at least that's a consistent/understandable argument for a strict constructionist to make. But when I hear someone like that say living document, mere months after disparaging the term in regards to the SC gay marriage ruling (among other examples) I can't help but

I should note this same person agreed with the court's ACA ruling, despite hating the ACA.

[Mandark]

Mandark,

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/kausfile

It's almost impressive how irrelevant Kaus is.  For being one of the first political bloggers and having one of the biggest platforms, he somehow never built an audience or had any sort of influence.  When he quit the Daily Caller, Salon's story on it referred to him as "longtime internet user Mickey Kaus."

Also crazy is what he was getting paid there for a while.

[Phoenix Dark]

Ben Carson, ladies and gentlemen. 

[Joe Molotov]

When we gonna get rid of this liberal RINO cuckservative Paul Ryan?

[Samson Manhug]

Does Ted Cruz really have no idea what "carpet bomb" means, or does he keep misusing it because it polls well?

[Madrun Badrun]

Isn't carpet bombing a war crime?

[Brehvolution]

I'd be surprised if we could carpet bomb given how weak our military is according to theses clowns.

[Joe Molotov]

Carpeting is a little passé, can we not hardwood floor bomb them?

[Madrun Badrun]

Fuck it, might as well just Ikea bomb them.

[Broseidon]

Does Ted Cruz really have no idea what "carpet bomb" means, or does he keep misusing it because it polls well?

Well he seems to think every ISIS fighter lives in one giant tent city out in the desert miles from any civilian population centre so who knows.

[Great Rumbler]

Fuck it, might as well just Ikea bomb them.

You monster.

[Dickie Dee]

Fuck it, might as well just Ikea bomb them.

They'll know they're never safe. The sky may only look cloudy but it comes with the constant chance of meatballs.

[VomKriege]

Isn't carpet bombing a war crime?

It wasn't any of the last times it was used.
Its use probably wouldn't fly with public opinions and western militaries have pretty much dismissed it now.

[benjipwns]

"longtime internet user Mickey Kaus."

[Samson Manhug]

Isn't carpet bombing a war crime?

It wasn't any of the last times it was used.
Its use probably wouldn't fly with public opinions and western militaries have pretty much dismissed it now.

The way he is saying it it isn't. LOAC prohibits targeting of non-combatants, but if you only carpet bomb IS then you're golden!

[VomKriege]

Isn't carpet bombing a war crime?

It wasn't any of the last times it was used.
Its use probably wouldn't fly with public opinions and western militaries have pretty much dismissed it now.

The way he is saying it it isn't. LOAC prohibits targeting of non-combatants, but if you only carpet bomb IS then you're golden!

I really doubt Cruz would force the implementation of a real carpet bombing campaign. He's just one upping everyone with forceful words he doesn't understand or doesn't mean.

[Mandark]

Yeah, it's akin to Romney promising to "double Guantanamo" or measuring naval force by number of boats.  He's telling primary voters that he wants to devote more resources and use more force, but in a way that doesn't involve troops getting shot at, even if it's nonsensical when you parse it.

Part of me wonders how close a Cruz (or whoever on the GOP side) administration would be to their belligerent campaign rhetoric, and how much they'd be constrained by reality once they got into office.  Would rather it remain a hypothetical though.

[benjipwns]

carly i can't hold all these L's.jpg

http://gawker.com/heres-carly-fiorina-bragging-about-a-maybe-classified-r-1748246045

In the midst of an incoherent and incorrect rant on the recent history of mobile technology, failed technology executive Carly Fiorina recounted an apparently true story about how she helped the NSA after 9/11. Actually, it turns out that story may have been classified.

“Soon after 9/11,” Fiorina said during Tuesday’s debate, “I got a phone call from the NSA. They needed help. I gave them help. I stopped a truck load of equipment and I had it turned around. It was escorted by the NSA into headquarters.”

The moral of this story was that the government doesn’t rely on private businesses enough. “We need the private sector’s help because government is not inovating,” Fiorina said. “Technology is running ahead by leaps and bound. The private sector will help, just as I helped after 9/11.”

Last month, Motherboard reported on leaked NSA documents that seemed to indicate this exchange was still under classification, and that the HP computers were put to use in the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping program, codenamed STELLARWIND. “We asked for computers, we got them,” Hayden said. “Were some of them used for STELLARWIND? Yes.”

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/carly-fiorina-may-have-revealed-state-secrets-by-bragging-about-helping-the-nsa


http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/carly-fiorina-digs-claim-generals-retirement-due-obama/story?id=35808113

GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina said she did not misspeak during Tuesday night’s debate when she said that Gen. Jack Keane retired early because he “told President Obama things that he didn’t want to hear.”

But Keane, who served during the Bush administration, retired before Obama became president.

Keane, now a FOX News contributor, came forward to say that Fiorina got the facts wrong surrounding his retirement.

“No, I have never spoken to the president,” Keane said on FOX News. “That's not accurate, and I never served this administration. I served the previous administration.”

When asked Wednesday if she misspoke, Fiorina dug in on the accuracy of her statement.

“No, I didn’t misspeak,” Fiorina told reporters today. “He has been someone of great experience who has been highly critical of the way this administration has not taken threats seriously and unfortunately he hasn't been listened to and I would listen to him.”

Fiorina referenced Keane in Tuesday night’s Republican debate as part of a group of a “warrior class” generals she pledged to bring back if elected as president to aid in the fight against ISIS.

“One of the things I would immediately do in addition to defeating them here at home is bring back the warrior class: Petraeus, McChrystal, Mattis, Keane, Flynn,” Fiorina said in the debate. “Every single one of these generals I know, every one was retired early because they told President Obama things that he didn't want to hear.”

But Keane is not the only general named by Fiorina whose retirement was not a direct result of any disagreements they may have had with the president.

Gen. David Petreaus’ retirement, for instance, followed revelations that he shared classified information with his biographer and alleged mistress.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, on the other hand, retired soon after he was quoted directly criticizing the president and his policies in a “Rolling Stone” article. Though McChrystal did have disagreements with the president, it was the publicity of the discord -- and not the internal disagreements themselves -- that preceded his early retirement.

[Oblivion]

Fiorina's doubling down on her comment on General Keane is the most quintessentially Republican thing I've ever witnessed.

[Brehvolution]

Bald faced lies are prerequisite to run for any GOP nomination. Doubling down on stupid, easily verifiable lies is borderline cliche at this point.

[Brehvolution]

Another attack by fiscal conservatives http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/congress-spending-binge-tax-cuts-budget-deal-216883
Brownback would be proud. 
Cut taxes to zero=infinite revenue

[Phoenix Dark]

Pretty interesting that Fiorina's blatant lies and "gaffes" tend to be pounced on by the media, whereas Trump/Cruz/Rubio pretty much say anything without consequence.

[Joe Molotov]

Pretty interesting that Fiorina's blatant lies and "gaffes" tend to be pounced on by the media, whereas Trump/Cruz/Rubio pretty much say anything without consequence.

Yeah, but Obama lets his dog poop in the WHITE HOUSE and makes Michelle clean it up, so both sides do it.

[Brehvolution]

That's nothing, cheney shit on the whole country.

[Tasty]

[Brehvolution]

[benjipwns]

[Madrun Badrun]

Ron Paul on Rand Paul is a disgusting thought. 

[benjipwns]

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/12/21/negotiating-the-whirlwind

In 2004, when Kerry lost the Presidential race to George W. Bush, who is widely considered the worst President of the modern era, he refused to challenge the results, despite his suspicion that in certain states, particularly Ohio, where the Electoral College count hinged, proxies for Bush had rigged many voting machines.

...

“For a long period, after 2004, every time he even half fell asleep all he saw was voting machines in the state of Ohio,” Mike Barnicle, a close friend of Kerry’s and a former columnist for the Boston Globe, told me.

...

I asked Kerry how long he carried around a sense of anger and resentment.

“I didn’t carry it,” he insisted. “I didn’t. I didn’t. My wife was mad at me that I didn’t carry it longer.”

From across the table, Teresa Heinz said, “I’m still carrying it.”

The Secretary of State looked up from his halibut. An ill wind of panic swept the oblong plain of his face. From the thick thatch of gray hair to the improbably long and thrusting chin, Kerry’s visage is immense and, in its implacable resting expression, resembles one of the monolithic heads that rise from the loam of Easter Island.

“Well, I’m not,” Kerry said.

His gaze turned to his wife, wordlessly imploring her to keep quiet. Heinz is seventy-seven, five years older than her husband, and, in 2013, she suffered a seizure that she has attributed to an earlier concussion “that was not properly treated at all.” It’s not easy for her to get around, and she appears infrequently at public events, but she spoke clearly and ardently throughout the evening, much as she had during the 2004 campaign.

She was not quite done. “I knew from looking at the . . .”

Kerry uses many terms of endearment for his wife; now he called her by the telegraphic “T.”

“T, let’s not go . . .” he said gently.

As she tried to speak again, he shut it down.

“T, T, we’re not . . . I didn’t want to spend time there,” he said. “I just consciously did not spend time there, and I moved on, and I moved on as rapidly as . . . It’s over. It’s behind me. . . . I could have done some things a little bit differently. We didn’t. But I’m not going to feel regret the rest of my life.”

[benjipwns]

Ron Paul on Rand Paul is a disgusting thought.

Maybe not young Ron:

 

houston astros, the gold standard of baseball

[Phoenix Dark]

Diebold 
Kenneth Blackwell 
why do I remember these things 
Blame Benji 

[benjipwns]

When he’s on one of his diplomatic “death marches” through some rarely visited region—recently, it was five Central Asian nations in two days—he likes to bone up with a “crash course.”

“I usually Google a country, find an interesting article or two, read about it, get some history,” he told me. “I want to know where I am. I want to know what made this place like it is. What is it about Samarkand that’s special?”

[Great Rumbler]

Kerry trying to make the Swift Boat idiocy go away by essentially ignoring it was a bigger reason for his loss, most likely.

[Samson Manhug]

He might have lost because his campaign was terrible too.

[benjipwns]

Jeb's Miami debate watching party:

[benjipwns]

[Brehvolution]

When you don't vet immigrants properly, you get people like cruz and rubio in your government.

[Brehvolution]

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/c-span-caller-to-republican-david-brat-can-i-sht-in-your-mouth/

 

Being a calvinist that brat is, would this caller have been sent by god?

[benjipwns]

Carson is supposedly down to 6% in a PPP national poll coming out today.

Let's have a moment of silence.

[benjipwns]

From PPP's Iowa poll:

Code: [Select]

Q44 Who do you have a higher opinion of: the author Stephen King or the Congressman Steve King?
Higher opinion of the author Stephen King ..... 50%
Higher opinion of the Congressman Steve King ..... 26%
Not sure ..... 24%

[benjipwns]

GOP head-to-heads:

Q19 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Jeb Bush and Donald Trump?
Jeb Bush 34% .........................................................
Donald Trump 58% .................................................
Not sure 9% ..........................................................

Q20 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Ben Carson and Ted Cruz?
Ben Carson 26% .....................................................
Ted Cruz 58% .........................................................
Not sure 16% ..........................................................

Q21 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Ben Carson and Marco Rubio?
Ben Carson 39% .....................................................
Marco Rubio 46% ...................................................
Not sure 16% ..........................................................

Q22 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Ben Carson and Donald Trump?
Ben Carson 34% .....................................................
Donald Trump 57% .................................................
Not sure 9% ..........................................................

Q23 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio?
Ted Cruz 48% .........................................................
Marco Rubio 34% ...................................................
Not sure 19% ..........................................................

Q24 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Ted Cruz and Donald Trump?
Ted Cruz 44% .........................................................
Donald Trump 45% .................................................
Not sure 11% ..........................................................

Q25 Who would you prefer as the Republican
candidate if you had to choose between just
Marco Rubio and Donald Trump?
Marco Rubio 38% ...................................................
Donald Trump 54% .................................................
Not sure 8%

Q32 Would you support or oppose banning Muslims
from entering the United States?
54% Support banning Muslims from entering the
United States ..................................................
25% Oppose banning Muslims from entering the
United States ..................................................
Not sure 21%

Q35 Would you support or oppose creating a
national database of Muslims in the United
States?
46% Support a national database of Muslims in
the United States ............................................
37% Oppose a national database of Muslims in
the United States ............................................
Not sure 17% ..........................................................

Q36 Do you think the religion of Islam should be
legal or illegal in the United States?
53% Islam should be legal in the United States ......
26% Islam should be illegal in the United States ....
Not sure 21%

[Great Rumbler]

Carson is supposedly down to 6% in a PPP national poll coming out today.

Let's have a moment of silence.

Not really that surprising. He came across as a Tea Party flavor-of-the-month desperation candidate that won a surge of momentum for one reason or another that was never going to be sustainable long-term. All those negative stories about his shaky backstory didn't help, but they really just sped up the inevitable.

[Phoenix Dark]

Carson reminds me of the 2012 republican candidates. He's finished, not that it matters to him. He'll make dough for the rest of his life giving speeches and writing books.

Sounds like Rubio is running a Gulianni type campaign: no focus on early states, little voter interaction, lots of media appearances as he awaits Florida's primary. Good luck with that.

[Madrun Badrun]

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/263713-poll-30-percent-of-republicans-want-to-bomb-country-from

stupid poll but worth it for the headline

[Dickie Dee]

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/263713-poll-30-percent-of-republicans-want-to-bomb-country-from

stupid poll but worth it for the headline

Is there some 30% deadender/support-whatever-the-fuck rule equivalent to the 80/20 Pareto principle? That was GWB's floor when it seemed the whole country had given up on him.

Think of the cliff the GOP has gone over and what it would take to still support them - lo and behold, ~30% can still swallow it and self-identify as Republicans. Now we see what 30% of that subset think. What would 30% of that further subset support?

[Human Snorenado]

It's 27%

http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2005/10/lunch-discussions-145-crazification.html

[toku]

[Great Rumbler]

Look at that dirty rascal maliciously accessing Hillary's voter information!

[Madrun Badrun]

The firewalls are down!

[Samson Manhug]

It's interesting how Bernie's campaign was punished for VAN's error. They should be taking the hit, but since it's the only game in town for Democrat campaigns, there's nothing anyone can do.

[Rufus]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/12/18/another-clock-kid-family-outraged-as-12-year-old-sikh-boy-arrested-over-alleged-bomb-threat-at-tex-school/

Arrest a 12-year-old without notifying his parents.

“Someone is trying to scare Dallas,” Mayor Mike Rawlings said in a news conference, according to NBC DFW. “And that’s not going to work.”

Seems to work exceedingly well.

[benjipwns]

Rolled-up sleeves are the signal of an computer power user with elite skills.

Look at how he just discarded that mousepad with no cares.