Political Randomness

[hepcat]

[YellowKing]

I can’t wait for the Republican outrage over this claim, just as they were outraged by Elizabeth Warren’s claim.

[LordMortis]

In other news, fellow moron Herschel “Babymaker” Walker has recently taken to claiming his grandmother was full blooded Cherokee, making him American Indian.



Oh Herschel, you sweet dumb moron. Cherokee is the go to tribe for people with zero American Indian heritage who want to pretend they’re American Indian. You should have gone with Navajo or something.

[voice of the dead]Ojibwe... but it's more like on of my great grandmothers was 1/4 which I guess makes me 1/32... Or so they say... My mom scrapbooks like mad and I've yet to see evidence that great gramma Burke had an Ojibwe grand parent.[/voice of the dead]

[hepcat]

Why is this ouija board going nuts?

[Jaymann]

Why is this ouija board going nuts?

It got banged on the table a few too many times.

[Kurth]

Herschelhontis!

I feel like I shouldn’t laugh at this. It seems offensive. But. . . .

[LawBeefaroni]

Can't tell if it's his grandmother or his mother's grandmother but either way, if she was "full blooded Cherokee" surely the family would know.


"My mom just told me." Bullshit. That's like his version of "a lot of people say..."

[hepcat]

His mother is denying she ever told him this. I mean, he’s not even a good liar. It really does speak very badly for those supporting him every time he pulls one of these things out of his ass.

[LawBeefaroni]

His mother is denying she ever told him this. I mean, he’s not even a good liar. It really does speak very badly for those supporting him every time he pulls one of these things out of his ass.

Guess what the price is for outright lying like that. Absolutely nothing. So why not do it?

[Smoove_B]

Guess what the price is for outright lying like that. Absolutely nothing. So why not do it?

Seriously. I can't wait to see just how many people actually vote for him and for Oz in PA, simply because of the (R) next to their name on the ballot. None of this matters. None of it.

[Holman]

https://twitter.com/jordanschnyc/status ... 416ClxCvdA

This is quite a thread.

[Zaxxon]

Seems like an overstatement, given the negative ramifications on Americans if the Chinese semiconductor industry was truly in such dire straits. Guess we'll see.

In other news:

https://twitter.com/TheGoodLiars/status ... gi2jA&s=19

[Isgrimnur]

This is quite a thread.

Now it is.

[Kraken]

In other news:

(M-A-G-A dance video)

That's pretty sad. Coincidentally, I watched a submarine comedy starring Kelsey Grammer called "Down Periscope" a few days ago. The credits roll with the Village People singing "In the Navy" while the cast mugs and dances along. It was the best part of the movie.

[Max Peck]

What's with all the Canadian flags at the MAGA dance party?

[Alefroth]

What's with all the Canadian flags at the MAGA dance party?

They probably think Canadians are allies now after the convoy.

[Unagi]

That's a big 10-4.

[LordMortis]

This is quite a thread.

Now it is.

[Alefroth]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2 ... s-records/

Former president Donald Trump’s company charged the Secret Service as much as five times more than the government rate for agents to stay overnight at Trump hotels while protecting him and his family, according to expense records newly obtained by Congress.

Puts to rest a lot of Eric and D Jr's yapping about the SS staying free at Trump properties.

[malchior]

CNN

Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst who was a source for the 2016 dossier of allegations about former President Donald Trump, was arrested and indicted Thursday for allegedly lying to the FBI, as part of Special Counsel John Durham's investigation into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation.

Danchenko was charged with five counts of making false statements to the FBI, according to the indictment that was unsealed Thursday.
...
Durham was appointed special counsel by former Attorney General William Barr in October 2020, but kept it secret so as not to interfere in the 2020 election.

Not guilty. Durham loses again. The politicized DOJ investigation now has two not guilty outcomes on what experts called sham prosecutions.

[url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/us/p ... trump.html[/url]

Igor Danchenko, an analyst who provided much of the research in a notorious dossier of unproven assertions and rumors about former President Donald J. Trump and Russia, was acquitted on Tuesday on four counts of lying to the F.B.I. about one of his sources.

The verdict was another stinging defeat for the special counsel, John H. Durham, who was appointed by Attorney General William P. Barr three years ago to investigate the F.B.I.’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Mr. Trump and his supporters have long insisted the inquiry would prove a “deep state” conspiracy against him, but after pursuing various baseless theories, Mr. Durham never found and charged one. Instead he developed two narrow cases accusing people involved in outside efforts to scrutinize purported links between Mr. Trump and Russia of making false statements.

The first of those cases ended in an acquittal of the defendant, Michael Sussmann, a cybersecurity lawyer with Democratic connections. The trial against Mr. Danchenko is expected to be the last of Mr. Durham’s prosecutions, and the special counsel is expected to submit a final report to the Justice Department this year summarizing his findings.

[Holman]

The trial against Mr. Danchenko is expected to be the last of Mr. Durham’s prosecutions, and the special counsel is expected to submit a final report to the Justice Department this year summarizing his findings.

So, a blank index card?

[Pyperkub]

The trial against Mr. Danchenko is expected to be the last of Mr. Durham’s prosecutions, and the special counsel is expected to submit a final report to the Justice Department this year summarizing his findings.

So, a blank index card?

No, one loaded with Michael Flynn-isms. It's not as if he's going to be under Oath, or face a penalty for essentially including with huge bullet points all the made up bullshit he never even charged and couldn't prove.

It will be a huge dump of PR talking points without any proof besides a Tucker/Hannity clip (or Infowars), and will be somehow! leaked that he was a victim of cancel culture by the deep state, or something.

[Skinypupy]

CNN

Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst who was a source for the 2016 dossier of allegations about former President Donald Trump, was arrested and indicted Thursday for allegedly lying to the FBI, as part of Special Counsel John Durham's investigation into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation.

Danchenko was charged with five counts of making false statements to the FBI, according to the indictment that was unsealed Thursday.
...
Durham was appointed special counsel by former Attorney General William Barr in October 2020, but kept it secret so as not to interfere in the 2020 election.

Not guilty. Durham loses again. The politicized DOJ investigation now has two not guilty outcomes on what experts called sham prosecutions.

[url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/us/p ... trump.html[/url]

Igor Danchenko, an analyst who provided much of the research in a notorious dossier of unproven assertions and rumors about former President Donald J. Trump and Russia, was acquitted on Tuesday on four counts of lying to the F.B.I. about one of his sources.

The verdict was another stinging defeat for the special counsel, John H. Durham, who was appointed by Attorney General William P. Barr three years ago to investigate the F.B.I.’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Mr. Trump and his supporters have long insisted the inquiry would prove a “deep state” conspiracy against him, but after pursuing various baseless theories, Mr. Durham never found and charged one. Instead he developed two narrow cases accusing people involved in outside efforts to scrutinize purported links between Mr. Trump and Russia of making false statements.

The first of those cases ended in an acquittal of the defendant, Michael Sussmann, a cybersecurity lawyer with Democratic connections. The trial against Mr. Danchenko is expected to be the last of Mr. Durham’s prosecutions, and the special counsel is expected to submit a final report to the Justice Department this year summarizing his findings.

The derp-o-sphere has been crowing for months about how this investigation would "take down half of DC". It's not like the MAGA mouthbreathers are going to bother seeing if that actually happened or not...they feel that it did, and that's all that matters. Plus, it removed a valuable Russian intel asset from play and gave the FBI a black eye (in their minds)

I'd say that's a net win for Trump and crew. It's also a preview of what we'll see on the "Revenge Tour" if/when the GOP wins back the house. Investigations based solely on Fox News grievance, not actual evidence of any sort whatsoever.

Conspiracy theories in search of a crime.

[malchior]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

[stessier]

I don't follow any and I'm not seeing any.

[El Guapo]

CNN

Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst who was a source for the 2016 dossier of allegations about former President Donald Trump, was arrested and indicted Thursday for allegedly lying to the FBI, as part of Special Counsel John Durham's investigation into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation.

Danchenko was charged with five counts of making false statements to the FBI, according to the indictment that was unsealed Thursday.
...
Durham was appointed special counsel by former Attorney General William Barr in October 2020, but kept it secret so as not to interfere in the 2020 election.

Not guilty. Durham loses again. The politicized DOJ investigation now has two not guilty outcomes on what experts called sham prosecutions.

[url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/us/p ... trump.html[/url]

Igor Danchenko, an analyst who provided much of the research in a notorious dossier of unproven assertions and rumors about former President Donald J. Trump and Russia, was acquitted on Tuesday on four counts of lying to the F.B.I. about one of his sources.

The verdict was another stinging defeat for the special counsel, John H. Durham, who was appointed by Attorney General William P. Barr three years ago to investigate the F.B.I.’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Mr. Trump and his supporters have long insisted the inquiry would prove a “deep state” conspiracy against him, but after pursuing various baseless theories, Mr. Durham never found and charged one. Instead he developed two narrow cases accusing people involved in outside efforts to scrutinize purported links between Mr. Trump and Russia of making false statements.

The first of those cases ended in an acquittal of the defendant, Michael Sussmann, a cybersecurity lawyer with Democratic connections. The trial against Mr. Danchenko is expected to be the last of Mr. Durham’s prosecutions, and the special counsel is expected to submit a final report to the Justice Department this year summarizing his findings.

The derp-o-sphere has been crowing for months about how this investigation would "take down half of DC". It's not like the MAGA mouthbreathers are going to bother seeing if that actually happened or not...they feel that it did, and that's all that matters. Plus, it removed a valuable Russian intel asset from play and gave the FBI a black eye (in their minds)

I'd say that's a net win for Trump and crew. It's also a preview of what we'll see on the "Revenge Tour" if/when the GOP wins back the house. Investigations based solely on Fox News grievance, not actual evidence of any sort whatsoever.

Conspiracy theories in search of a crime.

It's still useful for Trump, in that every potential whistleblower or witness to Trump crimes now knows that they are putting a target on their back if the talk to the FBI / the media / whomever. In the short term that target means doxing and dealing with online harassment and possible lunatics coming out of the woodwork. But they'll also know that state power will likely be used against them if and when Trump returns to power.

It's good that Durham lost both of the cases. But just having this stuff get to a jury verdict is probably scary enough to deter a lot of witnesses.

[Isgrimnur]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

When you watch the other side, you're suppose to go undercover.

[Skinypupy]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

Mine hasn't changed much, but I only follow about a dozen or so accounts (and none of the lunatic MAGA types, although I see lots of responses to their nonsense). I'm sure my feed is kinda wonky.

[malchior]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

When you watch the other side, you're suppose to go undercover.

Haha. That was the idea at one time. Still I haven't followed anyone new or liked posts. Yet the feed has changed incredibly. I saw a few other people mention it in some Twitter threads so was curious if others were experiencing it. Something changed. Whether Twitter is pushing it or someone figured out how to manipulate it is my question.

[Holman]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

When you watch the other side, you're suppose to go undercover.

Haha. That was the idea at one time. Still I haven't followed anyone new or liked posts. Yet the feed has changed incredibly. I saw a few other people mention it in some Twitter threads so was curious if others were experiencing it. Something changed. Whether Twitter is pushing it or someone figured out how to manipulate it is my question.

I just realized that I follow more that 1,500 accounts. Mine is a mix of journalists, entertainment types, and gaming-related folks. (There are a lot of comedians because this makes Twitter more bearable.)

I haven't noticed an increase in right-wing posts other than those commented upon by my left-leaning media types.

[hepcat]

I still think this whole Twitter thing is just a fad.

[El Guapo]

https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/statu ... 1887480833

I'm already frustrated about this, well before the coming Republican House majority winds up melting down the global economy next year.

[Smoove_B]

When you realize that the GOP is doing everything they can to obstruct or delay any type of legislative relief for anything in an effort to fuel the 2022 and 2024 elections in their favor, what are you going to do?

[El Guapo]

When you realize that the GOP is doing everything they can to obstruct or delay any type of legislative relief for anything in an effort to fuel the 2022 and 2024 elections in their favor, what are you going to do?

I also suppose one possibility is that Biden's people have been told by Sinema or Manchin's people (or someone else) that they won't vote to increase the debt ceiling, so they're spinning this as something that they don't want to do anyway.

BEST case scenario is that they are going to lift the debt ceiling during the lame duck but want to pretend that that they won't until the mid-terms are over.

[stessier]

If I Emailed My Parents Like the Democrats Email Me.

A sample -

SUBJECT: I’m DESPERATE, Mom

Mom, did you see this?!?

FIRST: I got a $300 traffic ticket because I forgot about alternate side parking.

THEN: I saw this really cute shirt and it was $95, but that’s actually a good deal because I’m definitely going to wear it a lot.

NOW: Rent is due, and according to my most recent calculations, we’re about $395 short.

Mom, we don’t have a moment to spare. I’m asking—no, BEGGING—for you to chip in ASAP. If every parent reading this email contributes just $197.50 by midnight, we can defend the shirt I just bought from being returned this November.

**********
SUBJECT: Aunt Shelley does NOT want you to read this

Aunt Shelley is FURIOUS!

She claims she hasn’t been invited to Thanksgiving. But you and I both know that’s blatant misinformation. A quick fact-check confirms: she got a Facebook invite but hasn’t responded yet.

Imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without Aunt Shelley’s cornbread. NOTHING to sop up the gravy. NOTHING for sandwiches the next morning. And we know this is just the beginning: already, she’s threatening not to bring the stocking stuffers at Christmas, even though she’s always the one who brings the stocking stuffers, and she comes up with charming ideas for what to put in there.

Dad, I don’t have to tell you how upsetting this is.

Will you TEXT COUSIN ELIZA and SEE WHAT THE DEAL IS?

[Zaxxon]

[Pyperkub]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

Latest Tweets is definitely the way to go (and use an adblocker).

[malchior]

BTW I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Twitter has to my eyes dramatically altered it's algorithm. I'm seeing non-stop hard right (read strong fascist) voices that I don't follow. I followed a few for visibility and now they dominate my newsfeed. It is sorted by 'Top Tweets' but when I switch to latest Tweets it looks more normalized. They are pushing hard right content all of a sudden.

Latest Tweets is definitely the way to go (and use an adblocker).

I figured it out. It was definitely the 'Top Tweets'. The settings are local and I had done a clean install on my new rig. Still the behavior is almost useful. I can switch to right-wing propaganda mode by changing to 'Top Tweets'. What's head scratching to me is again the same followers, same behaviors since I'm logged in, but I'm being delivered stuff that has maybe 100 likes, low follower counts, but is essentially radical right-wing bullshit. How are those the "Top Tweets"?

[malchior]

Do democracies really fix their mistakes? The recent track record has not ... been super solid either.
https://twitter.com/PostOpinions/status ... 2537458734

[El Guapo]

Do democracies really fix their mistakes? The recent track record has not ... been super solid either.

In general and over time, yes - at least better than the alternative. Plus, part of our problem is that our democratic institutions have been breaking down, impairing our ability to fix mistakes.