No I did not watch the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. (updated!)
Submitted by Cassiodorus on Thu, 09/27/2018 - 8:33pm
My Facebook friends did, though. I really couldn't care less what any of those people said on teevee. Here's my big question: why haven't they confirmed him already? The Republicans in power are the same sort of rapist that he is, and they face no real challenge from the Democrats (as evidenced by the Dem performance under Obama). So why air Kavanaugh's dirty laundry and give him a big opportunity to show all his sh*tty attitudes if all they're going to do afterward is confirm him?
Anyone?
Breaking news! According to my Facebook sources, the WaPo came out with this parody: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/09/27/how-dare-you-... . As the character "Linda Richman" would say, talk among yourselves.
Comments
They may get enough votes to block him
Or they may not, but crawling in a hole and giving up while the country slides deeper into fascism does not accomplish anything.
Dr. Christine Ford is not his only victim. Predators like Kavanaugh don't stop.
@SancheLlewellyn Wow. 18 people agree with
Wow. 18 people agree with this. Interesting.
"Crawling in a hole"=not watching TV
"while the country slides deeper into fascism"=well, maybe, but do I sense the implication that if a Supreme Court nominee were being promoted by a Democratic president, we wouldn't be sliding deeper into fascism?
Anyway, as I said earlier this week in a different context, it's a little late to clutch one's pearls about this country "going far right." At this point, both Democrats and Republicans support extreme right-wing policies. These include: torture, indefinite detention, continual mass surveillance, censorship, perpetual offensive (colonial) warfare, an extraction economy that will eventually make the planet habitable for only about 1/2 billion people (which means around 7 billion will die), slave labor run by privatized prisons, a police force that regularly murders black people, and, depending on where you live, Latinos, wages/salaries that perpetually fall farther behind the cost of living increases, a healthcare system that encourages medical bankruptcy, and a complete lack of legal accountability for the rich and powerful who establish and defend such policies.
Did I forget to mention election fraud? It's not just for Republicans anymore.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
THANK YOU.
@WaterLily You're welcome.
You're welcome.
It sucks, but it's the truth.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
And thank you again
Most of the stuff that gets Democrats' underware in a wad these days is really insignificant in the big picture. We have many huge elephants in the room but Democrats being religiously opposed to making waves and any real progess make huge noises about nearly meaningless crap in order to appear that they are a real party and that you should give them more money to hire more campaign managers.
Global climate change is a crisis requiring massive effort, not just bullshit about being on the right side of the issue. Global War, yes, is coming to a city near you. Expect a bright flash of light, brighter than you have ever imagined, then a loud bang, then a massive fireball and that's it you're done. I look towards Boston often with that expectation. We are playing a very aggressive, dangerous game with the rest of the world, and China and Russia in particular. The Democrats are leading the charge. Our government and the media have completely lost touch with reality. The NYT has for a long time now been publishing propaganda, Pravda on the Hudson. So what was that about a free press being critical to a democracy? So sorry, I don't give a damn about a Republican nominee for the Supreme Court. Elections have consequences and the Democratic insiders tried to force the second worse candidate to ever run for this office down our throats, by deceitful means.
Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.
@The Wizard Yeah. That's about
Yeah. That's about where I'm at.
I assume the second worst candidate is Hillary.
Is the worst one GWB or Trump? Or Pat Buchanan? There are lots of options.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Hey - don’t knock it ~
they’re making up for how badly they treated Anita Hill. Gosh, they were really sorry. Now it’s all even and they can seat the b*tch.
Gawd I love murikka!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Really.
FWIW just saw this via GoogleNews
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/kavanaugh-senate-committee-vote/i...
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
They're normalizing him in the same manner as Trump.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
It should be no secret at this point
why Trump happened. The Democrats put the whole of their efforts behind the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton, a fatally-flawed candidate as revealed by the book "Shattered." Clinton promised everything and looked really disingenuous. Clinton lost because constituencies in the upper Midwest decided not to vote for her even though they voted for Obama twice. Trump, who spent overall half of what Clinton spent, won because he was the default candidate.
It irks me to no end when people, on Facebook or otherwise, imagine Trump to be some sort of real political phenomenon. Trump is a reality TV star, a circus act. He won because the Democrats were the same sort of silly geese they were when they ceded 900 state legislative seats to the Republicans.
Trump is a MERE product of all this. If people don't get this, they're lost.
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
bing! Except they don't.
And tRump has bought
in to the idea that he really is The Bestest president ever, is not afraid of anybody inside the Beltway, least of all the pathetic Dims.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Explain that to the people on DailyKos
I mean that literally.
Am I making a mistake in assuming that everyone here was there first? Did you ever run into "elesares" and/or "Black Max", among others? I would be very interested in seeing how you could have managed arguments with them after a couple I'd had.
I have always envied people who can argue politics. I don't know why I can't do it, and I've been literally self-destructing (or worse - think "Fever Dream" by Ray Bradbury) ever since I became literally obsessed with being able to win political arguments after a couple of traumatic ones in 2003/2004, followed by the day after Election Day 2004, and I've only gotten worse since then.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Understand that the GOS
is likely paid big bucks to toe the DNC line. The centrist sentiments on display there are no accident.
Winning political arguments is easy, just unravel the bullshit on display and then replace it with facts. Keep cool while you're doing it, and think through every statement before you post it.
That's all there is to it.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
I've literally dedicated my life to that, and I STILL can't.
I don't know why. I...just can't do what other people do.
I can't even explain "what it's like", because it's all I know. I've tried everything I can identify, and it still eludes me. It's DESTROYED ME. I'm constantly under siege, I've been losing for 14 years, and I'm finally succumbing. It's a nightmare. EVERYONE BEATS ME. I don't know why. It doesn't matter what I do.
Pointing out bullshit and replacing it with facts doesn't work when there's ALWAYS a counterargument, and no way to make people agree even on basic epistemology or definitions of words.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
I can relate
You're not alone in this. I can relate, and I expect I'm not the only one.
Something that's helped me is to see people like that as members of a dysfunctional family, complete with the gaslighting, crazy-making, circular argumentation, projection and generally personality-disordered and/or sociopathic behavior.
Keep in mind that it's not only families that are dysfunctional. Organizations can be as well. Companies, workplaces, any kind of community, including online. The American political system, the Dem and Repub establishments, the DNC, the US Congress, ShareBlue, the MSM ... all toxic and dysfunctional. Sometimes I think the entire US of A is one big dysfunctional family, headed by a bunch of psychopaths.
Being around individual people like that can be brutal. When it's an entire group, what you have is a self-perpetuating dysfunctional system that's dedicated at all cost to maintaining its dysfunctional way of being, in all its toxic, destructive glory. Anyone who threatens their status quo will be treated like an invading virus. Isolated, gaslighted, smeared, chewed up, and spit out, and told that it's all your fault, because (in their view) there's certainly nothing wrong with them. It can be very challenging to maintain one's own sanity in this kind of environment.
Coming from a dysfunctional family, and having worked in a toxic workplace, I've done a lot of work on myself over the years. I've had many "aha!" moments, but I think the biggest was when I learned to let go of needing to reach people like that.
Most especially, you cannot play their game and expect to "win". They will always beat you. They don't want to relate and interact in good faith, and in fact, they probably can't.
The answer is to remove yourself from their playing field entirely. Have no expectation or desire to have them hear you, understand you, or communicate with you fairly.
Easier said than done, I know from experience. If a person has been in a dysfunctional situation, they may well have some degree of PTSD, which can make it more challenging. But as I said above, for me the biggest key has been learning to let go of the need to be validated and respected by people whose modus operandi and raison d'etre is to disrespect and invalidate other people.
I don't know if what I've said may be helpful to you, but thought I'd throw it out there.
"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi
"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone
Excellent comment! n/t
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
Outstanding comment!
Applicable to life beyond politics.
This is something that most people do not understand and why there is so much frustration and anger in this country.
I am not just thinking this. I believe it. There are very few in DC in the upper levels of power, both elected and appointed, who are there because they want to do the right thing for we the people. At the highest levels of power, most are sociopaths while some are psychopaths.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I agree with Centaurea's comment completely,
That's another issue, you may have to redefine what "winning" is. You aren't going to persuade or convince paid hacks and trolls, they will keep playing their games regardless of what you say or do. The real audience is the readers, most of whom are silent.
Make your points and undermine their toxic narrative, that's about all you can do. Most people can see through the BS.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
There has to be a limit to what they can say, surely?
They can't possibly have unlimited ammunition. There has to be some way to box them in.
Redefining 'winning' isn't as easy as you seem to think; I've been trapped in a literally nonstop cage match with them for about 15 years. I've tried everything. The thing that STILL makes the most sense are the things that everyone else assures me is 'a delusion', 'a fallacy', or 'unhealthy' (the arrogance, other people so certain they know what's 'healthy' for me). Everything I've been told to do and try and change has all only made it worse. People can't fix what's wrong with me, and refuse to listen to my self-diagnosis, so all they've done is systematically break EVERYTHING ELSE.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Literally?
That would be like explaining the Chinese dictatorship to the Chinese over the Chinese Internet. Do you see that?
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
You seem as unflappable as your avatar...but how?
This is the same sort of feeling I have with everyone else: They're rubber, I'm glue. Everyone else's arguments seem like brick walls to me, and even if there is an assailable portion, it's just a bit of spackle - whereas everything I manage to throw up is a Japanese paper wall at best, no matter what I do or how hard I work. I don't understand. The only constant rule I perceive is: I lose.
I just wish I could see the brick wall on one side of me pushing against the brick wall on the other side of me for a change, rather than me being a bit like stuck in the garbage disposal from Star Wars.
Thing is: I didn't used to be this way, not entirely. My inability to win altercations has destroyed everything else about me.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Moonbat you're doing great!
And hopefully you've got a good support system here at c99%!
All I'm suggesting here is that the Internet is, well, not quite a place for proper debate. It's more a collection of echo chambers, of which Daily Kos is one.
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
I do remember when that was conventional wisdom
However, it seems like everyone else has forgotten that. Is the fact that Twitter mobs are taken deadly seriously now not proof?
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Well there's this
"Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience". I believe attributed to Mark Twain.
Think I've never heard that before?
It's not helpful. You don't always have a choice - and if you DON'T argue, they win by default, and then they get their way. That's PRECISELY what's happened to politics. There's nowhere to run anymore.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Win by default?
Not really. I used to really get obsessed with trying to "help" people see reason (trolls and such). It won't happen because they are not listening to your well-reasoned arguments, or to logic or to common sense. They are posting for one reason: to make themselves feel good. If you do not respond, they get no gratification. Try thinking this way: they won't listen but try to make you look or feel small/bad/ignorant/etc., but if you ignore them, you are showing them that they are not worth bothering with. Ergo, you win. = )
Now, I generally will respond once or twice until I realize the person is not listening and from there, I just pass over their remarks as if they were not there (because in reality, they aren't).
PS: It is not about winning. It is about sharing and growing.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
I've heard THAT before, too
It's not helpful either. How do you know that's why they do it? It doesn't seem that way to me.
It doesn't make sense, either: How does that make them "feel good"? If I pop their argument, that WON'T feel good - and since I haven't, isn't that proof that my argument missed the mark? That they know something I don't?
"Stupid/crazy/irrational/Evil" are, IN MOST BUT NOT ALL instances of their use, all just words meaning "I don't understand, and for some reason I don't think I need to" - is that not, itself, the true face of "stupid/Evil"? By being proud of being ignorant of what they think, am I not becoming what I supposedly oppose?
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
No, it is a sign they are not listening...
kind of like your responses have been in this thread. However, one last more...it makes them feel good because it is a power trip...faux power. but they do not know the difference.
bye bye
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
How do I know whether or not I'm listening? Or others?
What does it even mean?
What's the difference between "understanding" and "agreeing"?
How can there be accountability for both parties and not just "the infinitely giving is devoured by the infinitely taking"?
I used to think I knew these things, but somehow it all just...fell apart. Blaming myself just compounds the problem.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, I've had the intelligence, will, and ego that used to define me taught out of me....
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
@The Aspie Corner Yes, and somehow they
Yes, and somehow they manage to normalize him *while* clutching their pearls and improving their own credibility by comparison. It's a neat trick.
Good on you for noticing; a lot of people don't.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I don’t have an answer to your question
about why he may be confirmed.
But airing dirty laundry and creating perpetual drama is what American politics is largely all about. How can one predict the final scene in the theatre of the absurd? I can't, but I wouldn't bet on it either way.
I heard a good portion of Ford’s statement while waiting in the doctor’s office with my mom this morning. Later in the day I heard Kavanaugh’s statement while preparing a meal for the family. From what I heard, Ford seemed very much in control and sincere in her presentation. Kavanaugh seemed sincere (at least initially) in his expression of the hurt he felt about people questioning his integrity. As his address went on and he seemed to melt, unable to regain composure, I began to see him as truly unstable. He appeared to me to be someone whose life has been lived in a bubble of privilege and support from others, incapable of defending himself with confidence when subjected to objections; like a little vulnerable boy who has lost his way and the hand of his parent. Was he truly shaken by the accusations because they are true and he hasn’t the strength or integrity to acknowledge them, or because they are untrue and he feels powerless in proving his innocence? In any case, what came across most strongly to me was his instability. To me, his obvious weakness could determine the result.
Great comment!
I totally admire you for your ability to stomach the hearings.
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
It was all totally unplanned,
and didn't upset anyone's stomach, as far as I'm aware. I think we all enjoyed the meal. It was garlicky and lemony.
OT
But I love your sig line, Cass. Have a feeling I'll be using it leading up to November even if, like Liberal Moonbat, I won't be winning any arguments with it.
Good observation, Janis
Could/should. The vote hinges on Collins, Murksawski, Flake and the 4 blue Dawg democrats who usually vote with the republicans. Flake isn't running again so he can vote his conscience unless it would interfere with his next job as a lobbyist or something. I think it really comes down to Collins and Murkawski from what I'm hearing. If they vote no then he's done. But then there's the twist of the blue dawgs voting yes. Apparently they have to vote with the republicans because if they don't then they don't get elected again. Voting for democrats who vote with the republicans doesn't make any damn sense to me.
I want to say fu*k America
since I’m leaving in a week. But the truth is, it’s still an integral part of me wherever I am.
Lucky you
Sure wish there was a way I could be packed in your luggage and go with you. Hope that you had a good visit with your mum. What type of weather are you returning to? We've been having nice fall days, but stormy weather is moving in this weekend. We sure need it. And a good hard winter.
BTW. You can still say that. I do most days.
Interesting article on the Kavanaugh and Cosby stuff. Others have said that about the democrats here.
Hi snoopy
If you can tolerate a 6 month quarantine I'd happily take you with me.
My visit with my mom and extended family is what makes my leaving difficult. I'm returning to Spring, which will be hopefully drier and warmer than what I left.
xox
I have to be quarantined for 6 months?
Why? I've had my shots.
WOW, that was a DOOZY!
It's basically saying everything I've been afraid to even think, despite everything I learned to earn my Bachelor's degree in mostly-social-studies pointing in that direction.
I really wonder what they'd have to say about "Gamergate," et al. I tried to avoid that the moment I caught wind of it, but it followed me to DailyKos, which...shouldn't make sense. I suppose I wonder what people HERE have to say about it, but I've been afraid to ask. I mean, why am I suddenly REQUIRED to know these names? This feels WORSE than the Bush era, and that BROKE me. I never recovered from that...and now THIS?!?
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Quit giving a damn about winning, DailyKos, & stupid partisans
Anyone who can't get beyond the two-party scam that owns this country is either on the take or too stupid to bother with. People who are objective, reality-based, and seek the truth will collect/absorb it without even trying.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Hi, SD--Flake sounded inclined
to lean toward K's testimony (according to the Cable talking heads). He's on the Committee, but, I don't recall his specific testimony from earlier today. (Flake often makes a lot of noise, then backs down.)
BTW, heard about an hour ago that Manchin looks like he may be a 'yes' vote.
Like I said, earlier, IMO, this procedure is basically a very flawed one. See my comment above about trying to recall facts under oath, after 3 years.
It would have been a better strategy for Dems to have tried to defeat this nomination based on 'policy' concerns, as divided as this country is on many social/cultural issues. Dunno, but, I'm guessing that they thought this would be easier. They must have forgotten that Evangelicals have long bemoaned the emasculation of boys and men by liberal Femi-Nazis (as Limbaugh would say). Which is also the reason that Evangelical leaders recently threatened the Repub Leadership with sitting out the midterm elections, if McConnell couldn't get this candidate pushed through.
Hey, if you should run across a transcript of today's testimony, please let me know. (I've only heard brief snippets of her testimony on a couple of evening cable shows, compared to having heard a good portion of K's testimony.)
Hope the Glucosamine is helping Charlie, by now.
Blue Onyx
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."
~~W. R. Purche
Postscript: For the next couple months, I'll be posting this blurb and photo about O's "Grand Bargain" as my signature line. As a reminder!
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Hope this helps Mollie
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/26/651941113/read-christine-blasey-fords-ope...
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/us/politics/read-brett-kavanaughs-com...
Hi, Janis! Thank you so much
for the links. I've only seen snippets of their opening statements, but heard much of Kavanaugh's testimony on XM Radio. The little bit of audio (of her testimony) that I've heard on Cable News sounded very earnest and credible. I could be wrong, but I figure that the Judicial Committee will post the video online, eventually. Still, I always like to read a transcript when one's available.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your visit with Family. If we stop early enough tomorrow, will catch up with all you Guys at the Photography OT. If not, look forward to seeing Everyone next week.
Take care.
Mollie
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
This is not surprising one bit?
He is a republican that is registered as a democrat.
The NYT link is his statement to congress before he testified. Quite a few things stood out for me. He's upset that democrats say that if he's on the SC that it will put people's lives in danger. I think it will do exactly that if we have a SC whose views are to protect not only the power structure of the country, but also the religious rights' agendas. Not just Roe v Wade, but many other issues that they are against. What are his thoughts on the legality of the ACA? I thought that he and the other right leaning justices were not in favor of it? I posted a link last night to the 5 upcoming hearings on LGBT issues that could be rolled back including same sex marriage that could see states legislate against them.
This is interesting.
Two other NYT articles of interest
Why Brett Kavanaugh Wasn’t Believable: And why Christine Blasey Ford was.
Furious Lindsey Graham Calls Kavanaugh Hearing ‘the Most Unethical Sham’
He's very hypocritical about how the democrats played this so that they could hold the seat open until they get back in power. Seriously, Lindsay? You don't remember that McTurtle did this same thing to Obama and Garland?
Lindsay is very upset about the way that the hearings were conducted. Video included.
Why didn't Feinstein release the letter when she first received it? Waiting until the hearings were over to do so is what made it look like a last ditch effort to derail his confirmation. Was she hoping that Ford's allegations wouldn't come out in order to protect him? Why did she apologize to him because people whose lives might change because of his rulings protested against him?
I don't know who to believe about this, but the democrats should never have made the allegations their Waterloo. There were many other reasons to not want him on the court that they didn't bring up. Pretty sure we know why they didn't.
A longer video of Lindsay
In the video he reads what the American Bar Association said about Kavanaugh. They had recommended him to the SC.
Oops
lol - Manchin may be? Try and stop him.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
when it comes to abusers of women, the Democrats
are the kind in sincere denial -- when the abuse produces some acute consequence, they're surprised because, after all, it's not what they intended.
the Republicans on the other hand -- they're pros. they've studied on the matter. they understand that there are moments when, in order to sustain the relationship, the abuser must feign concern, must appear to be fair-minded, must accommodate the victim.
which is exactly what they're doing.
but hey, it can always backfire. so who knows where this will all go in the end.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
True
And I'm hoping for once it backfires.
[video:https://youtu.be/dRPwFAoQwxc]
bing! This. "He appeared to me
to be someone whose life
has been lived in a bubble of privilege and support from others, incapable of defending himself with confidence when subjected to objections; like a little vulnerable boy who has lost his way... "
I read something very similar on FB earlier, and couldn't agree more.
And not just Kavanaugh.
Much of Capitol Hill and the Beltway crowd are cut from the same cloth, come from the same neighborhoods, attended similar High Schools, live in that same bubble. Have never had a bloody nose in their entire life.
It's about 20 minutes, 15 miles, between Gaithersburg and Bethesda, but it might as well be 1500 miles. I used to stay at the Days Inn on Shady Grove Road in Gaithersburg when visiting D.C. the handful of times I visited. Was about $85 and included breakfast - a real cooked breakfast - which was about $35 or $40 cheaper than closer hotels. A train ride to Dupont Circle about 35 mins. Sure, Bethesda a bit more upscale, but not by leaps and bounds; but I suppose to H.S. kids that lived in Bethesda, Gaithersburg was prolly considered "the other side of the tracks." I hope she cost the bastid a few votes today, wiped that Bethesda smug mug off his face.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Yep
Everyone in that room, except the cops and the janitors are from the same strata, or would sell their soul to fly in it. Mostly this was theater to say "see, we're on your side. Send money and vote for us". This is selective outrage all around, for our benefit. They're with us, feel our pain, at least until the next election when they can forget us like a booze fueled black out.
No matter what the republicans pass or do, the well off dems will be, at most, inconvenienced. Need an abortion, fly off to Mexico, Canada or Europe. If you're well off you'll benefit from tax cuts or business friendly supreme court rulings. They all live in the same bubble. The biggest problem is that we sympathize with the actors, and they could give a shit about us.
bing! n/t
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Great comment!
It appears to me to be the same thing. That Kavanaugh has led a life in which every path was greased for him and every door automatically opened.
I have posted here several times that a red flag for me was how he could not manage his finances and had incurred heavy debts well beyond his means. A little over one year ago, Kavanaugh had huge debts including credit card debts and a mortgage on a house that was beyond his ability to buy. Suddenly prior to being nominated for the Supreme Court, those debts all magically disappeared even though Kavanaugh did not have the income to do so. In his testimony before the judiciary committee, Kavanaugh indicated that he had help from his parents, in laws or other family members in paying off his debts.
This is a 53 year old man who has been a district court of appeals judge and he has shown that he does not have the temperament to manage his own finances. This 53 year old adult who earns a decent salary as a judge but spends well beyond his means so much so that his parents are still bailing him out now wants to sit on the highest court in the land?
It is not the only disqualifier or the most important, but it gives a huge quantifiable glimpse into his inability to temper himself.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Bread and circus, Cassiodorrus.
Mostly circus.
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Have you noticed that Trump’s pending Declassification Order
has dropped off the radar screen lately? Hard to resist not switching channels with a juicy sex scandal on the tube and inter tubes 24/7. BTW, were you aware Lindsay Graham had asked Kavenaugh about his opinion about using military tribunals earlier in the hearings? I’d include a link to the YouTube video for you, but it’s been deleted. There may be much more at stake here than just the prospect of a right wing swing vote on the Supreme Court.
[Edited to add found YouTube link]
[video:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3_gmOsnjrZw]
“ …and when we destroy nature, we diminish our capacity to sense the divine,and understand who God is, and what our own potential is and duties are as human beings.- RFK jr. 8/26/2024
Not to mention
finding that Trump can pardon himself and his gang members for any or all crimes they commit.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Is this true?
Can a President pardon himself for future acts and do so secretly? If so, then Obama may have already pardoned himself, Hillary and all the others from his administration who have committed acts of treason and we just do not know it yet.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
It's not true yet,
but might be in the future, with a right-wing SCOTUS.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
Collaborating with the enemy
Hell his good dead friend McCain did that by working with members of AQ and ISIS. Then add in the Nazis in Ukraine. John Boy wasn't the only one that did that. There are photos of other congress members with known terrorists. Interesting line of questioning. Too bad that McCain is in no position to meet justice for his actions. Of course this country has a long history of pumping up terrorists to do their work for them. I don't understand why he is doing this now.
Today's hearing
was little more than political theater, partly, because of the way it was conducted. (IMO)
Drawing from my own experience:
While under oath, I recall my reticence to answer a particular question [directed to me by the Judge in my federal law suit], only because I was fearful that I could possibly answer 'mistakenly'--since the question related to a particular's person's precise wardrobe almost three years prior.
Apparently, the Judge fully understood that I was not attempting to be cagey, much less, evasive. I remember like it was yesterday, when he said, "Mrs X, the "truth" is what you can remember--to the very best of your ability." As soon as he said that, I became fully relaxed, and answered him--never to falter, again. But, it's not to say that it wasn't incredibly difficult, and stressful. And, at the time, I actually had a pretty decent memory--compared to today!
My point being that it is difficult--and, intimidating (and, yes, I was very young)--to give accurate testimony under oath about incidents that occurred just several years earlier.
So, how on earth, with any certainty to speak of, can 'anyone' be expected to give credible testimony, more than three decades after the fact? No matter how honest, or well-intentioned, which I know that I was, and expect that Blasey-Ford is/was, as well.
There should be another process--although, I'm not sure what it should be--for handling accusations of crimes, or even just inappropriate behavior, that occurs many, many years ago.
I'm mostly interested in this hearing, because of the similarity (not in subject matter) to my own federal suit. Otherwise, I've had absolutely no expectation that today's hearing possibly could, or would, resolve any of the problematic issues/accusations, at hand. Sadly.
Blue Onyx
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."
~~W. R. Purche
Postscript: For the next couple months, I'll be posting this blurb and photo about O's "Grand Bargain" as my signature line. As a reminder!
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
What I saw happening with Ford's testimony
was that her memory was more accurate when it revolved around the feelings she had at the time. The sudden push into the bedroom, his hand over her mouth, his weight on her and their laughter were centered on her fears of being killed and/or raped. This makes sense to me. Her not remembering how she got home or some of the other minor details were probably because she was in some shock over what happened. And when she talked about certain events her demeanor and voice changed. I wish I had seen some of Kavanaugh's testimony to see how he did.
Listening to Savage on
the radio, he wasn't
at all optimistic that Kavanaugh would be confirmed, instead thought he was "toast."
Sounded really concerned that "the Democrats" had gotten the best of him - "those tears!" - and that tRump would end up getting the worst of it. "The Repubs are going to lose their ass in November - Not One Woman that isn't a Repub will vote for a Repub in November. Not one."
We can only hope.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Is there an analysis of the House
and which seats could be vulnerable in this election? I did one of the Senate and found it difficult to see how the Democrats can gain a majority in the Senate. I have seen some general posts that indicate the Dems may be able to take the House. I am not sure what good that will do since they both work for the same masters, but it would be interesting to see an analysis.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I have none. Just relaying
what I heard Savage
whining about. He might be half right about Nov.
Looks like a lot of Dim women on FB, at least, are pissed off enough, outraged enough to get to the polls. If they do - and especially if new voters 18-34 show up - there Could be that blue wave they talk about. Otherwise won't be. Graham comes up for reelection in 2020. Looks like he's toast.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I sure hope so . . .
He is on top of my list of those who have to really go. Hatch was there, but he is disposing of himself. Second on that list is Kennedy.
Okay, the list is long and includes some with a D after their name also.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
I can think of at least 90 or so
that I'd like to see gone.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
Interesting point. Next week, I'll try
to draw a few correlations between my own suit/award, and the 'standard of proof' that I was required to meet, compared to the one for this hearing. (I had to produce hard, indisputable, and corroborating evidence.)
Which is the crux of the problem regarding the Judicial Committee being used as the vehicle for pursuing justice in this matter. From what I've read, the folks hosting this farce--Republican and Democratic Senators--didn't even agree on what the 'goal' of the hearing was, much less, the standard of proof, if any. IOW, it was doomed to fail.
Have a good one . . .
Mollie
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
That's a good point
If they really wanted to get to the truth then both parties would have called for other witnesses and or an investigation by an outside party. The woman that the republicans invited to question her was nullified by Grassley's silly 5 minutes ruling. There should have been no time limit or at least 15-20 minutes. But by interrupting her questioning made it look like the farce it was. Did you see the look on her face the first time she was interrupted? "WTF dude. I'm just getting started."
Here's an interesting tweet. First off why were there mostly women sitting behind him? Geez. Nothing like stacking the background.
Apparently Kavanaugh was very vocal when he was denying that anything happened. The women took notice of his outbursts. Hope you had a chance to read the opinion piece on this that I posted.
Charlie has only had 3 doses of glucosamine so I can't tell if it's working yet. She seems to have hit a wall in her recovery.
It's been reported that those were former
and/or current female friends, colleagues, and law clerks. So, it was definitely a deliberate show of support.
Blue Onyx
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."
~~W. R. Purche
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Except for the most part, it wasn't
Dr Ford's two attorneys were there (third row). Aylssa Milano (not sure of spelling, I believe in the fourth row) was there with a notebook that said on the bottom Vote No on Kavanaugh (I couldn't read the top). There were a couple of other's I recognized, but there weren't all that many of his women supporters there (at least not like he made it out to be).
Edit: And the inevitable Zina Bash. Those two seem to be joined at the hip.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
@Unabashed Liberal This is supposed to
This is supposed to be like a job interview. If the nominee is turned down he goes back to whatever he was doing beforehand: he doesn't go of to jail or writea big check, etc., if he loses. As such the standard of proof ought to be reasonably low, especially since SC nominee appear to be in no shortage: if a candidate seems dodgy, just go on to the next one.
Hi, MM! Problem is, that's not the view
of all Parties concerned.
Sorta rushed, so will try to come back to this thread week after next, when we're back.
One thing, though, I cannot agree with the suggestion that this is only a 'job interview,' so, there's no responsibility to produce hard and/or corroborated evidence. BTW, not intended to be contentious--only to reflect the 'seriousness' of the charges that are being levied. Hey, we're not talking jaywalking, here.
In a nutshell--it's not at all beyond the realm of possibility that a negative outcome regarding this hearing (for K) could result in him being forced to resign from his current judgeship, or, that impeachment proceedings could be lodged against him, resulting in the loss of his current position.
Having said that, even that would be 'just'--as long as, there's indisputable evidence to back up the allegations/charges.
Have a good one!
Blue Onyx
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."
~~W. R. Purche
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Except for one small issue...
K was not on the original short list that the Federalist Society drew up for the T. He was added later as it became clearer that the T could be indicted. K has written quite a bit on the fact that presidents can NOT be indited.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
@Unabashed Liberal OK, I'm gonna get a
OK, I'm gonna get a little more heretical than usual.
Why do we assume the purpose of this hearing is anything other than spectacle?
As for putting harassers and rapists and sexists on the Supreme Court, we already have one--well, one we definitely know about (I hear he sleeps a lot on the job). There's no point in acting like putting Kavanaugh in is going to make the Supreme Court into something bad. The Supreme Court is already something bad, in exactly the way people are objecting to, and since nobody's ever going to impeach Clarence Thomas, in fact, nobody's even calling for that, including those most upset about Kavanaugh, what exactly is the furor over? Is Clarence Thomas' history as a sexist and a sexual harasser OK because he's black? Is it OK because it's yesterday's news? Is it OK because sexism on the Supreme Court works like carbon in the atmosphere, and only becomes toxic when it reaches a certain number of parts per million? In other words, Thomas is OK, but Kavanaugh puts it over the top?
Morally objecting to Kavanaugh and telling the truth about who he is is one thing; investing significance in these legal proceedings is another. One persistent characteristic of the anti-Trump movement, which can no longer be called an anti-Republican movement, since it has so heartily embraced members of the Bush administration as allies, is its obstinate portrayal of this country as something on the verge of being horribly corrupted. In fact, the primary effect of the anti-Trump movement is to prop up the idea that the status quo is actually OK.
Sorry. That all just sort of flooded out.
I'm not mad at you, btw.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I can imagine one outcome of all this.
1. Congress confirms Kavanaugh
2. Roe v. Wade is overturned, with Kavanaugh the deciding vote.
3. The Democratic Party desperately attempts to put down the revolt as half the states pass fresh new laws against the possibility of abortion.
It could go two ways -- either the liberals wake up, or they don't.
In sum, there are degrees of bad. So, for instance, for Germany in the Thirties, rule by Kurt von Schleicher, Paul von Hindenburg, and Franz von Papen was bad. Rule by Hitler was also bad. Now, Donald Trump is not Hitler. He's more like a von Papen without a Hitler, or a second-rate Ludendorff. But, as Alex Ross said, "What is worth pondering is how a demagogue of Hitler’s malign skill might more effectively exploit flaws in American democracy."
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
The theater will stop when the money is all gone.
With Nation Transfixed By Kavanaugh Monstrosity, House GOP Votes to Give Rich Another $3 Trillion in Tax Cuts
"This is yet another shameful tax law that would swindle working families and siphon even more funding from the programs that help our communities thrive."
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
IMHO
The abortion issue should be voted on directly by the American people by way of a referendum. I don't understand why a referendum isn't on the agenda. Here's some polling data: Public Opinion on Abortion
Excerpt:
Maybe because . . .
people do not vote. A referendum could leave us in worse shape than when we first started.
The first step to making changes is getting progressive governors throughout the country. Currently, Rs hold enough governorships to call a Constitutional Convention to overturn pretty much anything they want. That and the Court have been long term goals for the Rs.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
Ireland's referendum may be illustrative
Abortion referendum turn-out is third-highest ever for a referendum in Ireland
snip
.
The US is not Ireland
The US is not nearly as cohesive as Ireland.
Ireland also has free health care and has ruled that having a minimum of 30 Mbps Internet is a Right. The yearly tuition at a top university is $8716. In the US, the average for in-state students for a public four-year college is $25,629 and for a four-year private $32,410 (Note for the US these are averages).
Life expectancy is increasing in Ireland vs decreasing in the US and it was already higher (as of 2016, Ireland's life expectancy was 81.80 years and the US 78.69 years). Ireland's ranking on the World Happiness Index is going up while that of the US is going down.
Currently Ireland is the only country that is totally divesting in fossil fuels (that passed with all-party support).
My point is just because it worked in Ireland that is no predictor of how a referendum on this issue will work in the US where more people do not vote than do.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
those are not the numbers for american tuition,
they are the numbers for tuition/room/board/expenses.
tuition/fees at most public universities in the US are under 15K, and under 10K at a large fraction (possibly most). top-flight public schools (Berkeley, UIUC, etc) are the more expensive ones. it's still a fuckload of money, any way you look at it.
i have no idea what sort of non-indebting financial aid is available to Irish college students (e.g. student grants/stipends), nor whether the number given represents just the tuition, or the full cost of a year in residence.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
@Cassiodorus "It could always
"It could always be worse" is not a valid basis for politics.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
They could always try Canada's way
In other words DON'T have any laws about it, just leave it up to the woman, her doctor, and anyone else she chooses to confide in or ask advice from. Seems to work OK Oop North.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
@TheOtherMaven I like that
I like that idea. It only became a legal issue b/c it was criminalized in the first place; since we all agree (I think?) that that was a mistake, seems like a good idea to take it out of the realm of law altogether.
After all, there aren't laws about when I can or cannot have an appendectomy.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Or a vasectomy for that matter . . .n/t
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
The leader of the KPD in the Thirties --
-- Ernst Thälmann -- was reputed to have coined the slogan "Nach Hitler, kommen Wir," translated as "after Hitler, our turn." Historical memory of this slogan was used in the 2016 election to whip votes for Hillary Clinton. We were all supposed join a "united front" to insure Clinton's victory so as to keep Trump-Hitler from being elected.
There were two problems with such an argument, the first one being that Trump isn't Hitler, and the second being that Hillary Clinton wasn't anything like an SPD social democrat. In the end Hitler was appointed by the "united front" candidate, Paul von Hindenburg. United fronts can be good things, though not all united fronts are good things. A KPD-SPD united front might have been a good thing, and had Thälmann an original thought in his head, it might have happened and Hitler might have been prevented. The united front behind von Hindenburg was not a good thing.
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
Hear, hear, CStMS! Couldn't agree more,
so, I must have somewhat misstated my positions.
Seriously, you're preaching to the choir, regarding many of your points.
Hey, have a nice weekend!
Blue Onyx
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."
~~W. R. Purche
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
@Unabashed Liberal Like I said, it
Like I said, it all sort of flooded out, and I realized at the end, that, um, I wasn't exactly responding to *you*. Sorry about that!
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Now I see something
that I thought I would never see.
Cassiodorus being completely un-factual...you calling repubs the "same sort of rapist" that K is.
There is not a single charge against K that has been corroborated by the individuals who were named by the accusers as witnesses - not a single person named by the accusers have corroborated the incidents.
dfarrah
No idea what you mean here.
The nice Republican white men all have the same attitudes toward women, and the women are all covering for them because they're powerful. This is the default truth.
The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.
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