Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[iam416]

Commiting perjury and giving a speech. I mean, honestly, LOL@incitement.

[iam416]

In actual news outside the political theatre nonsense...

Biden has fully reverse PDJT sensible "Stay in Mexico" policy -- if you're seeking asylum then you stay in Mexico until the US adjudicates your claim. Now, it's Welcome to the US! And in 5 years there will be howls of protest to grant all of these illegals citizenship (assuming Chairman Joe denies their asylum claims which, I guess, is laughable now that I say it).

This issue really does break down to Open Borders or Not Open Borders. I'd rather the Ds just argue for Open Borders instead of brazenly ignoring and breaking the law in the own personal game of Calvinball.

[iam416]

Also of great importance -- how much longer will Chairman Joe #IgnoreScience and advocate keeping schools closed? How much long will Chairman Joe #IgnoreScience and side with teachers' unions over students?

[iam416]

Finally, this is a little more macro, but Ezra Klein wrote an opinion piece noting what bad shape California is in. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/o...o-schools.html

I think it's worth reading because (a) even progressives are being forced to acknowledge that California is, at a minimum, "trending down", but (b) mostly because it really gets to the heart of the Progressive mindset -- California is failing not because of actual progressive policies but because Californians aren't acting progressive enough -- or, as Klein has the cajones to argue -- they're talk progressive and act conservative.

Kevin Williamson spit roasts a lot of this nonsense -- https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/...nias-problems/

It's almost unfathomable to me that Progressives can't own the failures of State that they control entirely and have for some time -- but, the Left's mantra is never that the policy is wrong, just that we didn't do it enough!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Witnesses! Yay!

[Dr. Strangelove]

For people who don't know how this works (that includes Trump's lawyers) the two sides can't call anyone they want. The Senate has to vote on each individual witness. Simple majority wins.Kamala Harris is NOT a part of this process so every witness would need at least one Republican or one Democrat. A 50-50 tie means the vote failed.

[lineygoblue]

For people who don't know how this works (that includes Trump's lawyers) the two sides can't call anyone they want. The Senate has to vote on each individual witness. Simple majority wins.Kamala Harris is NOT a part of this process so every witness would need at least one Republican or one Democrat. A 50-50 tie means the vote failed.

Well, five Repubs voted to HAVE witnesses, so I'm not sure why they'd decline witnesses, after voting to have witnesses. But none of this makes any sense to begin with, so I guess they could vote to not have witnesses, after voting to have witnesses.

So, this dog and pony show could go on for a while. Which is silly, when you consider that minds were made up on this weeks ago.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Well, five Repubs voted to HAVE witnesses, so I'm not sure why they'd decline witnesses, after voting to have witnesses. But none of this makes any sense to begin with, so I guess they could vote to not have witnesses, after voting to have witnesses.

So, this dog and pony show could go on for a while. Which is silly, when you consider that minds were made up on this weeks ago.

They will probably work out a deal where each side gets 2 or 3. Probably no more than that. When Lindsay Graham and Trump's lawyers were threatening to call 100 witnesses if the House requests even one, it was always a noisy bluff. It doesn't work that way. This isn't a normal civil or criminal trial. The rules are pretty much whatever the Senate wants them to be. And Trump's side will be restricted only calling relevant witnesses.

At a minimum the Congresswoman from Washingon (a Republican) will probably be coming. I have been reading quite a bit in the last 24 hours that people around Mike Pence are pushing back hard on how Trump's lawyers described the events of the day. Marc Short was Pence's Chief of Staff and has been a lot more outspoken than his boss.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Also, one way or another, he's going to be acquitted. If Mike Pence had been torn to pieces by the mob, Trump would still be acquitted. But the more testimony there is from Republicans attesting to Trump's bad behavior or dereliction of duty, the more awkward and difficult a vote that becomes.

I guess there can still be surprised in politics!

[lineygoblue]

The rules are pretty much whatever the Senate wants them to be. And Trump's side will be restricted only calling relevant witnesses.

LOL @ Trump being restricted to calling "relevant" witnesses. The "judge" in the proceeding is Pat Leahy (D) from Vermont. So, I guess we know that no "relevant" witnesses will be tolerated or allowed from the Trump side.

No wonder Chief Justice John Roberts wanted no part of this.

Nothing, and I mean nothing about this 'trial" is "relevant".

But, I can see why Dems want to continue to drag it out. When this is over, they have nothing. Trump? Gone. Convicted/acquitted, .. whatever .. he's gone. Now, they have to run the country. They are/will be The Party, with no opposition. Time to address real issues. Stuff like Covid, .. unemployment, .. unfettered immigration, ... China ... Middle East .... that stuff.

[Dr. Strangelove]

LOL @ Trump being restricted to calling "relevant" witnesses. The "judge" in the proceeding is Pat Leahy (D) from Vermont. So, I guess we know that no "relevant" witnesses will be tolerated or allowed from the Trump side.

No wonder Chief Justice John Roberts wanted no part of this.

Nothing, and I mean nothing about this 'trial" is "relevant".

But, I can see why Dems want to continue to drag it out. When this is over, they have nothing. Trump? Gone. Convicted/acquitted, .. whatever .. he's gone. Now, they have to run the country. They are/will be The Party, with no opposition. Time to address real issues. Stuff like Covid, .. unemployment, .. unfettered immigration, ... China ... Middle East .... that stuff.

Leahy doesn’t get any more say in any of this than any other Senator.

Like I said, every witness requires 51 votes. They will likely agree to a deal where each side gets a one to one match on witnesses. Trump and his hired morons can bluster about calling Hillary to ask her questions about Benghazi if they want, but it ain’t happening.

[lineygoblue]

Everyone has a price for the million dollar man.

The Dems have their money people, and so do the Repubs.

Nobody is innocent when it comes to the grubbing of money.

Nobody.

[THE_WIZARD_]

These charges are as bogus as Sysop Mike's (CNNSI) against THE_WIZARD_ circa 1998...

[Jeff Buchanan]

Time to address real issues. Stuff like Covid, .. unemployment, .. unfettered immigration, ... China ... Middle East .... that stuff.

So far:

COVID: A- ........ but Biden got a lot of help from PDJT. Unconditionally rejoining WHO is a screaming F on that quiz.

Immigration: F ....... Trump had the right idea. He just fucked that good idea up. Biden is caving to progressive thought on this. Yes, there needs to be reform. No, don't need to let the hordes of asylum seekers in or ignore illegals that gain access. Asylum seekers notoriously arrive, get processed and are never seen again thanks to Left Coast sanctuary cities ..... and we know how those states and cities are failing because of the stupid shit they do.

Unemployment: C ...... I'm opposed to untargeted helicopter money and, to a certain extent, additional unemployment benefits. Here is S. FL I'm seeing a ton of help wanted signs. Unless the job pays more than the UE checks folks are getting, they aren't gonna bite. Sitting home and watching TV on the government dole beats actually working. It's interesting that former FL Governor now Senator Scott, reformed FL's unemployment system by drastically reducing benefits and making it harder to get them. Of course, D's screamed bloody murder and blamed the early Desantis troubled roll-out of UEBs during the pandemic on the "tattered" system Scott left him. Massive claims back-logs we're present after the Feds pushed increased benefits down FL's throat with a skeleton crew to handle them because, surprise, very few Floridians were unemployed and on the dole pre-pandemic.

China: B+ ...... continuing the Trump policy without Trump's nonsense Bro-love with XI. That gets him the +

ME: B - ....... not caving to Iran's ridiculous demands to cease sanctions before talking. Fuck them. Minus for talking about opening dialogue. Like I said, Fuck the Ayatollahs. There's been no real policy changes, so far, with Israel. PDJT, I should say his Son-In Law - did some good work here building a bulwark of Gulf States + Israel aligned against Iran and their support of Hezbollah among other pains in the ass disruptors.

So far, Biden is treading water between a D and a C. A C - sounds about right. Eeeking out a 1.95. He's erased the A - he got on COVID by the F he got on immigrations. Besides COVID, maybe the most important issue facing the country. The economy is going to be fine at some point in the not too distant future. But, man, he's not going to get any love from me with what looks like some bad advice he's getting from progressives on immigration.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Never mind...no witnesses after all. Dems caved