As we wait for the Trumpcare vote to come down, here’s something lovely to look at — our white squirrel, Salt, hanging out in an oak tree:
Open thread!
Florida woman, still rocking a punk rock ethos in the 2020s, which is kind of sad. Betty Cracker has been a Balloon Juice writer since 2012.
This post is in: Nature, Open Threads
As we wait for the Trumpcare vote to come down, here’s something lovely to look at — our white squirrel, Salt, hanging out in an oak tree:
Open thread!
by Betty Cracker| 115 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads, Politics, Republican Stupidity, Assholes, General Stupidity
It was always a small and petty move — the drive to kill Obamacare on the seventh anniversary of its passage. But then again, the edict came down from a small and petty man, who in a Time interview released earlier today, revealed anew just how trifling and narcissistic he is. Money quote:
I can’t be doing so badly, because I’m president, and you’re not.
George W. Bush and his “Decider” blankie are now dismissed from consideration in the “dumbest verbal assertion of authority by a sitting president” sweepstakes.
Anyway, back to healthcare: I don’t know if Ryan and Trump can exert enough pressure on the tiny balls of their caucus to ram the Trumpcare bill through the House, but they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Everyone hates that fucking bill.
Meanwhile, in a parallel universe…
In the morning thread, Anne Laurie alluded to how LBJ phrased his realization that he was toast politically: “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America.” There is no Cronkite in today’s fragmented media. Here’s the pablum Murdoch’s minions were spooning into Fox News viewers’ toothless gobs as more evidence of collusion between Trump campaign operatives and Russian spies came to light:
.@oreillyfactor on potential @POTUS surveillance: "We have to find out what @BarackObama knew and that puts the thing in the stratosphere." pic.twitter.com/5jmvtS0Fr3
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 23, 2017
.@newtgingrich: “This is one of the most incredible breaches that I can think of since World War II.” #Hannity pic.twitter.com/SSdPZdQyyc
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 23, 2017
Devin Nunes doesn’t seem very bright, but whoever wound him up and sent him out to undermine his own committee’s investigation yesterday likely had two goal in mind: 1) deploy shiny object to give cover to Trump’s tweeted lies about wiretapping, and 2) create an alternative narrative about the Russia scandal that is engulfing the Trump administration.
Now, I’m firmly in the “shitlords, not masterminds” camp; I don’t believe Trump’s people (including the ones operating out of Russia) are slick enough to pull this off and escape the consequences if proof emerges that Trump operatives colluded with Russia to rig the election. And in addition to the strong circumstantial evidence of collusion, credible people have alleged the proof goes beyond that.
The only question is, will a sufficient number of Republicans continue to put party over country to prevent action, even if a smoking gun emerges? I can’t imagine a scenario in which they’ll suddenly become patriots, unless it’s clear their jobs are on the line. So, it all comes down to that.
But we have a powerful ally in our fight — Trump himself. At age 70, he’s not going to suddenly discover self-discipline and learn how to play well with others. So, I like our chances. See above.
Trumpcare Going Down? Maybe! Plus: Parallel UniversesPost + Comments (115)
This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Stupidity
This morning, Trump told Republican House members “these crowds” will fizzle if they don’t pass the Trumpcare bill. Via CNN:
In the single biggest political test of his presidency thus far, the President is looking to carry the Obamacare repeal and replace bill across the finish line. In a closed-door meeting with House Republicans, his message was blunt: You could lose re-election if you don’t vote for this legislation.
It was clear, lawmakers said, that Trump was energized by the supporters that had come out for him Monday night in Louisville, Kentucky. But that support may not last, he warned.
“We won’t have these crowds if we don’t get this done,” Trump said, according to a source in the room.
He later added: “I honestly think many of you will lose your seats in 2018 if you don’t get this done.”
What Dollar General off-brand crack is Trump smoking? GOP House members are getting crowds alright — angry, jeering mobs, even in deep red districts. I don’t know if they’ll follow the marmalade hairball over the cliff on this or not, but the crowds they’re worrying about are the irate mobs they’re ducking back home, not Trump’s idiotic Nuremburg reenactments.
Open thread.
by Betty Cracker| 200 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads, Trump Crime Cartel
Good news, friends: I’ve decided to launch an eponymous upscale fashion and jewelry brand!
Those of you who know me in real life might protest, “But Betty, since you’re frequently mistaken for a bag lady, what makes you think you have the fashion cred to pull this off?” Or, “But you have no money, and no one has ever heard of you — why would anyone buy your crappy products?”
Those might have been valid criticisms in 2016, but in Trump’s America, everything has changed — via WaPo:
Although Ivanka Trump lacks a formal White House job, the president’s older daughter is moving into her own West Wing office, an administration representative said — a move that increases her profile as an influential, although unofficial, adviser to her father.
Ivanka Trump will not be on the government payroll or officially bound by its ethics rules, but she said in a statement to Politico that she will “voluntarily” follow those restrictions. She also acknowledged the unusual nature of her emerging role…
President Trump has named Ivanka, 35, the mastermind behind his child-care and maternity- leave plans, the first proposals on such issues from a Republican president. Since the election, she has sat in meetings with world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Politico reported that she is also working to obtain a security clearance and this week will receive government communications.
If the Trump spawn and Mr. Ivanka are qualified to jointly serve as de facto Secretaries of State (and the former as the official handler of “women’s issues”) by dint of their membership in the lucky sperm club, I don’t see why my dearth of fashion sense, relative lack of funds and personal obscurity should be obstacles to my dream of founding a rag-and-bauble empire.
So what role for which you are completely unqualified do you see yourself occupying over the next three years and 10 months (barring impeachment)?
I keed, but seriously, I don’t see how we reestablish standards once this debacle ends. It’s all very decline-and-fallish.
This is an open thread, and feel free to use it to discuss the Gorsuch hearings if you’re so inclined. I don’t give a good goddamn what Gorsuch says about the law since he’s the appointee of a crook and is angling to be the recipient of stolen goods. I’ll confidently assume the worst.
Should the Democrats blow up the filibuster in an almost certainly futile attempt* to block him? I say yes. It’s going to happen eventually anyway. Might as well keep their fingerprints off any Trump-associated enterprise. Anyhoo, open thread.
*Italicized text added for clarification; I think there’s almost zero chance the Democrats can successfully block Gorsuch, but I hope they try.
No Standards = Infinite Possibilities (Open Thread)Post + Comments (200)
by Betty Cracker| 334 Comments
This post is in: Election 2016, Open Threads, Politics, Assholes, General Stupidity
Anyone watching? I can’t — I’m busy, plus I can’t stand the sight of Comey’s puffy-eyed mug, even if he is confirming that the FBI is investigating the Trump campaign’s Russia ties. Comey is a piece of shit. I hope he’s the piece of shit who brings down Trump. But he’ll always be a piece of shit, regardless of present and future actions, for his unforgivable grandstanding in the 2016 election.
I’m also not going to watch the Gorsuch hearings because I have no desire to witness Grand Theft, Supreme Court Seat on live TV. Gorsuch fails the only standard that matters; he is not Merrick Garland.
by Betty Cracker| 126 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads, RIP, Trump Crime Cartel
My favorite twit-pic of the day:
Courtesy of @Yogi47951368, via @bluegal.
Sad news: Chuck Berry has died at age 90. That’s a damn good run. Rock on, Chuck.
Open thread.
by Betty Cracker| 164 Comments
This post is in: Domestic Politics, Open Threads, Politics, Republican Stupidity, Assholes
I used to have a nice, sane Democrat representing me in Congress, but earlier this year, district lines were redrawn, and we ended up with wingnut knob Vern Buchanan.
He had a town hall today. I was there. So were thousands of others. Buchanan had to switch to a larger venue due to the avalanche of RSVPs.
Here’s the line to get in:
Here’s a truly deranged asshole who was waving a Trump flag and screaming at the crowd about John Podesta being a “Satanic pedophile.”
Trumpcare would eliminate coverage for services that man desperately needs, which is one reason I oppose it!
Town Hall ReportPost + Comments (164)
The town hall was in Sarasota, which is both artsy and thirsty:
We couldn’t bring signs in, a restriction with which liberals complied, but Trumpsters snuck campaign yard signs in (sans sticks), probably rolled up in their moth-eaten skivvies.
I’d say the crowd was 80/20 anti-/pro-Trump. The ratio wasn’t lost on the normally very pro-Trump Buchanan, who distanced and hedged in response to every question. He was booed often, and the loudest and most sustained ovation was in response to a citizen who told Buchanan his duty was to impeach Trump because he’s an unfit, lying nutcase.
But the Trumpenproletariat were represented too. One particularly annoying specimen sat behind me and shrieked “UNBORN BAY-BEEEES!” every time healthcare came up, until even fellow Trumpsters told her to shaddup.
Anyway, kudos to Buchanan for showing up, unlike gutless ‘Lil Marco. Buchanan is a dissembling wingnut jackass, but he’s not a complete coward.
I came away from the town hall heartened by the energy and passion of the anti-Trump forces — in a pretty conservative district. We’re still showing up, even on a beautiful day.
I also came away with even more contempt for Trump fans, who squandered their questions to imply opponents are Soros-funded outside agitators and who are actually still screaming “Benghazi” and “Lock her up” even now. They are angry and demented people, at least the ones who show up to events in MAGA hats. In other words, they are who we thought they were.
And in the parking lot traffic jam that followed the event, I couldn’t help but notice that it was the MAGAts who selfishly refused to allow people to merge, thus slowing the process of egress for all. Which is a pretty good metaphor for their function as citizen-millstones of this benighted republic. The end.