Political Randomness

[Moliere]

Trump isn't going to be Hitler or Mussolini . He'll be Neville Chamberlain.

Trump will be the best Neville Chamberlain in the history of Neville Chamberlains. It will be fantastic. All foreign threats will be based on their impact to Trump properties around the world.

[Isgrimnur]

Trump isn't going to be Hitler or Mussolini . He'll be Neville Chamberlain.

Trump will be the best Neville Chamberlain in the history of Neville Chamberlains. It will be fantastic. All foreign threats will be based on their impact to Trump properties around the world.

I look forward to television coverage of civilians being evacuated from the roof of Trump hotels.

[Holman]

Trump isn't going to be Hitler or Mussolini . He'll be Neville Chamberlain.

Trump will be the best Neville Chamberlain in the history of Neville Chamberlains. It will be fantastic. All foreign threats will be based on their impact to Trump properties around the world.

I look forward to television coverage of civilians being evacuated from the roof of Trump hotels.

As long as they can pay top-floor Executive Suite rates, sure.

Lower-floor losers can take the bus.

[Pyperkub]

"I know that he's a self-serving egomaniac who puts himself first, who has a chip on his shoulder, and thinks that he should be president of the United States,"

No. This member of the House is not talking about Trump...

[LordMortis]

Read a bumpersticker quote, I actually liked.

"Hindsight is 2020"

[Isgrimnur]

Obama's visits to Walter Reed.

[Pyperkub]

Obama's visits to Walter Reed.

How big of a dick do you have to be to do this?

Not every severely wounded patient at Walter Reed meets the president. Some miss him by chance. A few refuse because they disagree with the president’s politics.

[Laura]

Obama's visits to Walter Reed.

Nice article. I try to read things like this about Obama since he will soon be gone as our president. I need to stoke up on goodness against what is coming. I usually say don't read the comments, but this time I say...definitely do!

[Rip]

#DumpKelloggs

[hepcat]

#dumpbreitbart

[LordMortis]

Nothing is wrong with picture (The state gets (or rebates) the same taxes) and yet something feels very off.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/politic ... /94597156/

LANSING -- Fifteen Michigan companies would be able to keep up to $250 million in state taxes they withhold from employees' paychecks rather than turn it over to the Michigan Treasury Department under bills approved by the Senate on Tuesday with bipartisan support.

I think I just like a simpler tax code. We keep making things more and more obtuse and it always seems to somehow hit the laborer to "attract jobs"

[Isgrimnur]

Which pushes more of the tax burden onto the laborers.

[LordMortis]

[Defiant]

[LordMortis]

I'm getting close to needing to step away and hide my head in the sand again

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... /95085868/

The hell is wrong with so many of us? Is it in the water? Is it in the way we raise children? Does humanity have a propensity to this sort of insanity?

A Florida woman who believes the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting is a hoax was arrested Monday on charges she threatened the parent of a child killed in the 2012 school shooting.

Richards is accused of telling the parent “you gonna die, death is coming to you real soon," according to federal court documents. The statements were made in January. She also wrote, "Look behind you it's death," according to the documents.

[Paingod]

Crazy's gonna crazy, but it sucks damn hard when they zero in on a tragedy that took so many young lives. I wish I knew what compelled them to think it's all a lie - like Holocaust deniers. Maybe some really deep misguided belief that there's no way a person can be that vile, so it must all be a lie, a hoax, and a conspiracy. Probably just the crazy, though.

[Unagi]

No, these are not people that deny Sandy Hook because they don't think a person would ever commit Sandy Hook. They are fucked up minds capable of thinking Sandy Hook was 'staged' by a world that conspires to do 'organized evil'.

I hope she goes to Jail for all 20 of those years.

[Rip]

I would like to thank the NRA for sending me a nice Hunter's Safety Orange postcard to make sure I didn't forget to go vote against that gassbag loser Foster Campbell this weekend.

I would also like to thank his out of state supporters for pumping some money into the Louisiana economy however.

[Enough]

Some of the most impactful photojournalism I've seen in a long while (NSFL, gore, careful where you read this).

I have worked in 60 countries, covered wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and spent much of 2014 living inside West Africa’s Ebola zone, a place gripped by fear and death. What I experienced in the Philippines felt like a new level of ruthlessness: police officers’ summarily shooting anyone suspected of dealing or even using drugs, vigilantes’ taking seriously Mr. Duterte’s call to “slaughter them all.”

He said in October, “You can expect 20,000 or 30,000 more.”

On Saturday, Mr. Duterte said that, in a telephone call the day before, President-elect Donald J. Trump had endorsed the brutal antidrug campaign and invited him to visit New York and Washington. “He said that, well, we are doing it as a sovereign nation, the right way,” Mr. Duterte said in a summary of the call released by his office.

Beyond those killed in official drug operations, the Philippine National Police have counted more than 3,500 unsolved homicides since July 1, turning much of the country into a macabre house of mourning.

[Holman]

I'm getting close to needing to step away and hide my head in the sand again

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... /95085868/

The hell is wrong with so many of us? Is it in the water? Is it in the way we raise children? Does humanity have a propensity to this sort of insanity?

Thank Alex Jones, one of the only "journalists" praised by Donald Trump.

Jones’s amazing reputation arises mainly from his high-volume insistence that national tragedies such as the September 11th terror attacks, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Sandy Hook elementary-school shooting, and the Boston Marathon bombing were all inside jobs, “false flag” ops secretly perpetrated by the government to increase its tyrannical power (and, in some cases, seize guns). Jones believes that no one was actually hurt at Sandy Hook—those were actors—and that the Apollo 11 moon-landing footage was faked. Etcetera.

[Skinypupy]

Some of the most impactful photojournalism I've seen in a long while (NSFL, gore, careful where you read this).

I have worked in 60 countries, covered wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and spent much of 2014 living inside West Africa’s Ebola zone, a place gripped by fear and death. What I experienced in the Philippines felt like a new level of ruthlessness: police officers’ summarily shooting anyone suspected of dealing or even using drugs, vigilantes’ taking seriously Mr. Duterte’s call to “slaughter them all.”

He said in October, “You can expect 20,000 or 30,000 more.”

On Saturday, Mr. Duterte said that, in a telephone call the day before, President-elect Donald J. Trump had endorsed the brutal antidrug campaign and invited him to visit New York and Washington. “He said that, well, we are doing it as a sovereign nation, the right way,” Mr. Duterte said in a summary of the call released by his office.

Beyond those killed in official drug operations, the Philippine National Police have counted more than 3,500 unsolved homicides since July 1, turning much of the country into a macabre house of mourning.

As horrific as that was, I'm glad I read it. Thanks for the link.

[Jeff V]

My wife talked to her brother last week. It is not just drug dealers Duterte is targeting, but users as well. Anyone connected to drugs is subject to summary execution without trial.

Her brother is afraid to go back home. A few years ago, he was mixed up with the wrong crowd doing some weed. Everyone in that crowd has been executed by the government.

[malchior]

They are talking something like 4000 unsolved homicides - meaning the vigilante activity - since July! And the extrajudicial ones aren't even in that count. That is brutal and disgusting. This is a human rights disaster and the world is just shrugging.

[Isgrimnur]

Eddie Izzard said it best about mass murderers.

[Defiant]

Since the Election, More Than 4,500 Women Have Registered to Run for Office

[Max Peck]

No biggie, it's just alt-justice...

Philippines' Duterte admits personally killing suspects

Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted he personally killed criminal suspects as mayor of Davao.

It is the first such admission he has made since becoming president in June, but echoes comments he made in 2015.

He ran the southern city for two decades, earning a reputation for cutting crime, and criticism for allegedly supporting death squads.

Mr Duterte was speaking to business leaders at the presidential palace on Monday, before an overseas trip.

It is the latest in a series of controversial and sometimes contradictory comments by Mr Duterte.

"In Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show to the guys [police] that if I can do it why can't you," he said.

"And I'd go around in Davao with a motorcycle, with a big bike around, and I would just patrol the streets, looking for trouble also. I was really looking for a confrontation so I could kill."

It echoed comments he made in 2015, when he admitted killing at least three men suspected of kidnapping and rape in Davao.

But just hours before his latest remarks, he insisted "I am not a killer", in a speech for The Outstanding Filipino Awards 2016. He has also previously both acknowledged and denied being involved with death squads.

[Defiant]

Bill Would Bar Presidential Candidates From Appearing On Mass. Ballot Unless They Release Tax Returns

[Isgrimnur]

I'm sure the check will be in the mail in another month:

The US government has said a major aid package to the Philippines worth hundreds of millions of dollars may not be renewed, due to concerns over the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The US embassy to the Philippines said there were “significant concerns” about civil liberties infringements in the country and confirmed a board of experts had deferred its renewal of the Millennium Challenge Grant for a further five years.

The grant, said to be worth over $430 million, is open to nations that "demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, investments in its people, and economic freedom”. It is aimed at reducing poverty in deprived areas.
...
The Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) meanwhile announced new grants had been given to Burkina Faso, Sri Lanka and Tunisia, with the Philippines still eligible for consideration in the future.

[malchior]

Bill Would Bar Presidential Candidates From Appearing On Mass. Ballot Unless They Release Tax Returns

This is a brilliant idea - it really punishes people down ticket in Trump's case since these are fairly solid blue states - but maybe it would set a standard.

[El Guapo]

Bill Would Bar Presidential Candidates From Appearing On Mass. Ballot Unless They Release Tax Returns

This is a brilliant idea - it really punishes people down ticket in Trump's case since these are fairly solid blue states - but maybe it would set a standard.

Yeah, it's a good idea, although as you suggest it would have to spread beyond Mass to have much impact on Trumpian candidates.

I do wonder what the constitutional limit is on states adding required conduct before you are allowed to appear on the state's ballot.

[Max Peck]

Bill Would Bar Presidential Candidates From Appearing On Mass. Ballot Unless They Release Tax Returns

This is a brilliant idea - it really punishes people down ticket in Trump's case since these are fairly solid blue states - but maybe it would set a standard.

Yeah, it's a good idea, although as you suggest it would have to spread beyond Mass to have much impact on Trumpian candidates.

I do wonder what the constitutional limit is on states adding required conduct before you are allowed to appear on the state's ballot.

As best I understand it, the US Constitution has nothing to say on the matter. It doesn't even mandate popular elections, just that the States shall select a number of Electors equal their number of Senators and Congressional Representives, in whatever manner the State legislatures see fit. I would assume that the States have the power to put whatever conditions they choose on the process (with, perhaps, limits imposed by state constitutions), but I are not a law-speaker.

[malchior]

So we have these tweets from Eichenwald today

It goes on...for awhile.

[Zarathud]

Terrible. Hopefully twitter adds a fix to allow him to block jpgs and pix in response.

[Sepiche]

Terrible and deplorable don't even begin to describe that. I hope they throw the book at the dipshit behind it.

Terrible. Hopefully twitter adds a fix to allow him to block jpgs and pix in response.

I don't have much experience with twitter and how it pushes images around, but it should be pretty trivial for them to at least detect a strobing GIF and block them from being uploaded. Linking would be slightly trickier, but given the liability it would be in Twitter's best interest to do something about it.

[Max Peck]

Main Kremlin party, Austria's right-wing party sign deal

The main Kremlin party has signed a cooperation agreement with Austria's right-wing populist Freedom Party.

Sergei Zheleznyak, the deputy head of the United Russia party that has 343 seats in the 450-seat lower house of the Russian parliament, said Monday before signing the deal that a closer dialogue could help find solutions to problems such as security challenges and the migration crisis.

Zheleznyak noted a high level of support for the Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer in Austria's presidential election, who was defeated by left-leaning Alexander Van der Bellen in a presidential vote earlier this month.

Another leading United Russia member, deputy parliamentary speaker Pyotr Tolstoy, said a "sincere dialogue is important ... in today's world of political correctness where everyone is concealing true thoughts and feelings."

Huh, I wonder why the Russians feel emboldened to meddle openly in European politics in this way...

[LordMortis]

Main Kremlin party, Austria's right-wing party sign deal

The main Kremlin party has signed a cooperation agreement with Austria's right-wing populist Freedom Party.

Sergei Zheleznyak, the deputy head of the United Russia party that has 343 seats in the 450-seat lower house of the Russian parliament, said Monday before signing the deal that a closer dialogue could help find solutions to problems such as security challenges and the migration crisis.

Zheleznyak noted a high level of support for the Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer in Austria's presidential election, who was defeated by left-leaning Alexander Van der Bellen in a presidential vote earlier this month.

Another leading United Russia member, deputy parliamentary speaker Pyotr Tolstoy, said a "sincere dialogue is important ... in today's world of political correctness where everyone is concealing true thoughts and feelings."

Huh, I wonder why the Russians feel emboldened to meddle openly in European politics in this way...

This might deserve its own thread, which scares me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/world ... d=fb-share

BERLIN — The leader of the Austrian far-right Freedom Party has signed what he called a cooperation agreement with Russia’s ruling party and recently met with Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, the designated national security adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump of the United States.

[Grifman]

Bill Would Bar Presidential Candidates From Appearing On Mass. Ballot Unless They Release Tax Returns

This is a brilliant idea - it really punishes people down ticket in Trump's case since these are fairly solid blue states - but maybe it would set a standard.

Yeah, it's a good idea, although as you suggest it would have to spread beyond Mass to have much impact on Trumpian candidates.

I do wonder what the constitutional limit is on states adding required conduct before you are allowed to appear on the state's ballot.

As best I understand it, the US Constitution has nothing to say on the matter. It doesn't even mandate popular elections, just that the States shall select a number of Electors equal their number of Senators and Congressional Representives, in whatever manner the State legislatures see fit. I would assume that the States have the power to put whatever conditions they choose on the process (with, perhaps, limits imposed by state constitutions), but I are not a law-speaker.

I suspect this would found unconstitutional.

[Holman]

This might deserve its own thread, which scares me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/world ... d=fb-share

BERLIN — The leader of the Austrian far-right Freedom Party has signed what he called a cooperation agreement with Russia’s ruling party and recently met with Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, the designated national security adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump of the United States.

Terrifying.

It's hard to shake the sense that a Trump-Putin paradise is a civilization where oligarchs oligarch freely while the masses are busied with the threat or the promise of race war.

Jesus Christ.

[gilraen]

Perhaps I'm the only one who is just now learning of this book: Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman. These days it's quoted a lot...everywhere. But the realization that this was originally written in 1985 makes it chillingly prophetic.

“We were keeping our eye on 1984. When the year came and the prophecy didn't, thoughtful Americans sang softly in praise of themselves. The roots of liberal democracy had held. Wherever else the terror had happened, we, at least, had not been visited by Orwellian nightmares.

But we had forgotten that alongside Orwell's dark vision, there was another - slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions". In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

This book is about the possibility that Huxley, not Orwell, was right.”

[Smoove_B]

Indeed.

It is all rather creepy.