Branch Trumpvidians 5: I Can't Believe They Still Worship TFG

[Xan]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

The charge came nearly a year after Trashelle Odom accused Lewandowski of repeatedly touching her, including on her leg and buttocks, and speaking to her in sexually graphic terms.

Trashelle's husband is 6'4".  I'm surprised he didn't track down Lewandowski and pound him into the ground.  What they did do, however, was threaten to ask for the refund of the $100,000 donation that they made to Trump's campaign.  I figure that's what made Lewandowski agree to even this minor punishment.

(And what kind of parents name their kid Trashelle?)

[GreyhoundFan]

6 minutes ago, Xan said:

(And what kind of parents name their kid Trashelle?)

I remember a woman in the news a while back who was named Latrine. She pronounced it La-trina, but still. I can't imagine being in seventh grade with that name.

[GreyhoundFan]

"Dangerous new threats from Trump loyalists require Democrats to act"

Quote

Democrats cannot say they weren’t warned.

Consider these two developments. On one front, a top House Republican is threatening to use future debt-limit fights to force concessions from Democrats. Relatively sane Senate Republicans are taking this seriously, warning of a “nightmare.”

On another front, a very competitive GOP Senate candidate is insisting Republicans must block FBI investigations into Donald Trump. This echoes other GOP demands, which are only growing.

Put all this together, and what do you get? An ugly picture of how a GOP-controlled Congress will stoke governing turmoil, to nefarious ends, including but not limited to placing Trump above the law.

If Democrats don’t use their power to act against this threat, it will be a serious dereliction of duty. Here’s a start: Pass legislation in the lame-duck session that will disable coming GOP threats to default on the nation’s borrowing limit (causing financial havoc), which Republicans will try to use as leverage to force major concessions from Democrats.

Yes, Democrats can do this; more on this below. But first, here’s how real the threat has become: With the nation set to hit the debt limit in early 2023, Axios reports that Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri — a front-runner for Banking Committee chair in a GOP House — is openly declaring that Republicans should use it to “reverse” the Biden administration’s “radical” policies.

Senate Republicans and their business allies, meanwhile, tell Axios they fear exactly this outcome. One ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calls this a “nightmare scenario,” and a GOP aide says McConnell plans to warn House colleagues against pursuing it.

We should treat that with skepticism, as McConnell has his own history of such brinkmanship (though he ultimately tends to cave). Here’s the game: Senate Republicans will say they fear “those crazy House Republicans” could default, to appear responsible to donors, then quietly indicate the House should use threats to get whatever they can without allowing the worst.

But that aside, all this indicates that debt-limit showdowns are almost certain, even if Republicans win only the House.

Meanwhile, note that Nevada Senate candidate Adam Laxalt is threatening that Republicans will “do something” about “political” FBI investigations. After the search of Mar-a-Lago — which was authorized by a judge and successfully produced classified documents hoarded by Trump — Laxalt fumed that after the elections, “this power grab will come to an end.”

This is a clear declaration that a GOP Congress must employ maximal tactics to thwart investigations or prosecutions of Trump. Other Republicans have floated the idea of using obscure House rules to engage in targeted defunding of investigations. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and others are demanding even broader defunding efforts.

The upshot of all this: Republicans could well use the threat of debt-limit breaches as leverage to push for such defunding. That might fail, but if the House majority is narrow, and the MAGA caucus has grown, extreme chaos or a major financial meltdown are plausible.

Do you doubt that Trump, who attacked McConnell for backing down during the last debt-limit fight, will demand such tactics, leading the MAGA caucus to take up the cause? Do you believe a House Speaker Kevin McCarthy would rebuff that caucus? What if Trump is running for president by then?

Democrats can avert this scenario. In the lame-duck, they can use the reconciliation process to pass a 2023 budget outline (with only Democrats and no Republicans), which would allow them to raise the debt limit (again without Republicans) to an amount unlikely to be reached for President Biden’s full term and well beyond.

That’s because the reconciliation process allows measures on spending, taxes, and … the debt limit, notes Georgetown University professor David Super, a specialist in congressional procedure. This is probably doable without setting the debt limit at a hard number that Republicans would attack.

Democrats could set the debt limit at, say, the equivalent of five times the total spending on a particular set of major agencies at that given moment, Super says. The precise language might not pass muster with the parliamentarian, but it’s worth trying, and if necessary, Democrats could revert to a hard number.

The bottom line? Democrats can “use reconciliation procedures that end-run the filibuster,” Super told me. “With everything that’s happening in China and Europe, we don’t need the U.S. in sovereign default. The world economy is going to be hit hard enough.”

This will spook moderate Democrats. But as political scientist Jonathan Bernstein notes, most voters don’t pay close attention to parliamentary procedure. Voters do pay attention to economic conditions, which under default would get really, really bad.

No matter how culpable Republicans are, Biden would likely take the blame for such a meltdown, heading into 2024. Any political price for raising the debt limit would be a pittance compared with that.

Nor can Democrats count on Biden succeeding in using the bully pulpit to force Republicans to back down. Trump’s pull on Republicans might be too strong, and he has said clearly that he expects Republicans to use control of Congress to protect him from accountability and the law. The MAGA caucus sees this as perhaps their highest calling. Threatening default toward that end, no matter how damaging, would be something they relish.

We know what’s likely to happen. Republicans are telling us so themselves. Democrats need to protect the country before it’s too late.

 

[Ozlsn]

2 hours ago, Alisamer said:

I just find it incredibly ironic that this dude who is all over being a conservative Christian is actually best known for playing Hercules, a Greek demigod.

And also being the boringest person in the entire show despite being the title character. ALL the sidekicks and minor recurring characters were more interesting and better acted than Hercules. (Strife was and is my fave though.)

I think he thought it would lead to constant, Tom Hanks level of stardom - when what actually happened was they realised he wasn't that good an actor.

2 hours ago, 47of74 said:

During a meeting with the undercover agent in a Baltimore hotel, according to the indictment, Gabrielian said she was "motivated by patriotism toward Russia" and wanted to provide assistance even if it meant risking jail time.

I am seriously never going to stop being surprised that the Tom Clancy-esque Die Hard Republicans are now supporting Russia.

[fraurosena]

4 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

I am seriously never going to stop being surprised that the Tom Clancy-esque Die Hard Republicans are now supporting Russia.

That’s because you never watch Fox News… 

[Ozlsn]

47 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

That’s because you never watch Fox News… 

Well no. Nor Sky. Nor do I read any of the Murdoch press. 

Seriously though, I did read a lot of Tom Clancy and I still find the mind switch utterly bizarre.

[fraurosena]

1 minute ago, Ozlsn said:

Seriously though, I did read a lot of Tom Clancy and I still find the mind switch utterly bizarre.

It is. It’s scary how effective and fast propaganda works.

[GreyhoundFan]

I don't think so...

 

I wish Misha wouldn't give DerSantis and Abbott ideas:

 

[Ozlsn]

So thinking about it. If, for example, de Santis decides to declare war... against who exactly? Cuba? The Bahamas? Jamaica? Which army does he think he is going to use? The 400 members of the Florida State Guard? (apparently reactivated this year, so probably). The US army is federal, and a unilateral declaration by a state against an existing nation is likely to be taken as that state seceding, or at the very least as something the federal government would prefer not to have happen. If he decides to declare war against California, same thing. Either way I can't see how it wouldn't be cause for the federal government to intervene, although I'm not sure legally how that would work.  Calling up the Florida National Guard (12,000) would certainly be an option, and provide an interesting test of loyalty - America or de Santis?

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

That “Right Stuff” ad- oh my. An Alpha-male with better manners who knows how to treat you like a woman, wants to meet your parents, shares your values, and wants a family? So please do let us know when you find this Rocky meets Danny Tanner meets Wally Cleaver meets Mike Brady meets Adam Webber. And do let us know how it all works out when that mask slips and it turns out he’s a misogynistic asshole who thinks your role is to service him, have his babies, keep his house clean, have dinner on the table, and do it all with a smile while he does whatever the hell he wants. 

[Audrey2]

35 minutes ago, AlmostSavedAtTacoBell said:

That “Right Stuff” ad- oh my. An Alpha-male with better manners who knows how to treat you like a woman, wants to meet your parents, shares your values, and wants a family? So please do let us know when you find this Rocky meets Danny Tanner meets Wally Cleaver meets Mike Brady meets Adam Webber. And do let us know how it all works out when that mask slips and it turns out he’s a misogynistic asshole who thinks your role is to service him, have his babies, keep his house clean, have dinner on the table, and do it all with a smile while he does whatever the hell he wants. 

Sorry Ladies, Natty Darnell is taken. Either Madison Cawthorne or Matt Gaetz is available (I can't remember which), but if it's Matt you might be too old for him.

[Xan]

As far as "The Right Stuff" app -- they didn't have approval to use that title and may be in hot water.  Also, I read that they were having trouble getting women to sign up.  Big surprise.  I wonder how much they had to pay those women to even appear in the commercial.

[Audrey2]

And here is the Lincoln Project's take on the Right Stuff

 

[fraurosena]

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Probably the most honest thing TFG ever said was that he could shoot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not lose supporters. This interview shows how right he was about his idiot supporters:

 

[Xan]

What I hate is that there is so little pushback from the tv talking heads.  Scott's response is just a bunch of words.  "I hope no one is racist."  He is unable to say that Trump said something wildly racist and Dana Bash just thanks him at the end for appearing.  What about just looking at the guy and saying, "You didn't answer my question.  This is a yes or no.  Do you think Trump made a racist statement?"  They need to tie these idiots to Trump or force them to denounce him.

[GreyhoundFan]

 

More under spoiler:

Spoiler

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Boy, they are strange:

 

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

On 10/2/2022 at 2:11 PM, GreyhoundFan said:

 

More under spoiler:

  Hide contents

 

It’s just BEGGING for smartass ne’erdowells to spam it with fake accounts. 
 

January 6 was… the best family reunion me and ma uncle brothers and cousin sisters ever had! Too bad MamaGranny got ten months in the pokey for bringing that tire iron inta the Cap’ta but she owly hit that copper once! Good thing she’ll be out afore ma baby gurl Puddin’ be born cuz I need a babysitter so I can date! No fat chicks! 
 

A shower thought I recently had… if I wash ma butt, am I a homo?

Favorite Librul Lie….Hillary ain’t a man.

Best Twitter Account to Follow… Ernest. You seen his movies? When he goes to camp? Know whut I mean? How does he come up with it all? Or maybe Casey’s. Them’s got good pizza. 
 

Fact about me that surprises people…MamaGranny dropped me on my head when I was a baby. Sebenteen times. Didn’t hurt. 
 

Biggest risk I’ve ever taken…I once put TWO packages of Mentos in a Coke bottle. TWO! YEP! TWWWWWO!

 

Do you agree or disagree that the moon is made outta cheese. 
 

Alexa, change the…. lightbulb? I don’t know what this means. 

[GreyhoundFan]

[GreyhoundFan]

[GreyhoundFan]

I started to laugh because this is so ludicrous and poorly done, but then I realized millions of MAGAts will be foisting this on their children and grandchildren. 
 

 

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

16 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I started to laugh because this is so ludicrous and poorly done, but then I realized millions of MAGAts will be foisting this on their children and grandchildren. 
 

 

@GreyhoundFan, is this real? This can’t be real. This is some kind of Krofft Supershow (shout out to my HR Puff’n’Stuff and Electra Woman & Dyna Girl people! Lidsville represent!), high school D&D cosplay, me when I went through a phase where I wore a lot of Renn Faire inspired clothes, low-rent local community theater production of “Hamlet”, Halloween “spooky” effects from WalMart, and a really cheap “House of Horrors” all mixed in a blender whose blades are dull and so it doesn’t work well so the end result is not very good. 
 

But Land of the Lost WAS very good. Sid & Marty Krofft were geniuses. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by AlmostSavedAtTacoBell

[GreyhoundFan]

7 hours ago, AlmostSavedAtTacoBell said:

@GreyhoundFan, is this real? This can’t be real. This is some kind of Krofft Supershow (shout out to my HR Puff’n’Stuff and Electra Woman & Dyna Girl people! Lidsville represent!), high school D&D cosplay, me when I went through a phase where I wore a lot of Renn Faire inspired clothes, low-rent local community theater production of “Hamlet”, Halloween “spooky” effects from WalMart, and a really cheap “House of Horrors” all mixed in a blender whose blades are dull and so it doesn’t work well so the end result is not very good. 
 

But Land of the Lost WAS very good. Sid & Marty Krofft were geniuses. 

Sadly, it is real. And I definitely got Krofft vibes, even though their stuff is weird in a fun way. Dinesh's crap is weird in an ugly way.

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Sadly, it is real. And I definitely got Krofft vibes, even though their stuff is weird in a fun way. Dinesh's crap is weird in an ugly way.

Wow.  It’s Krofft gone really wrong. Krofft good. Dinesh bad.