I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

Cruz for AG. Great. Just great.

Although, every. single. person. in the Senate loathes him. That'll be a fun conformation hearing.

Don't you think they'd be excited to get him out of the Senate?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

AON, who knew this was a thing?

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Don't you think they'd be excited to get him out of the Senate?

It occurs to me that this may not be the worst thing that ever happened. With low turnout in special elections and very pissed off and quickly organizing left, we maybe could try to push as hard as possible for that seat in the special election (the last time this happened Lloyd Bensten's seat was taken in the special by KBH, which was the beginning of the end of the Democratic rule in Texas).

The question is finding an appealing statewide Dem in a very short time period. I'm thinking the recently retired chief of police in Dallas, David Brown--who handled the cop massacre there pretty well, I thought--though I'm sure that the Castro brothers are chatting this through.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

It occurs to me that this may not be the worst thing that ever happened. With low turnout in special elections and very pissed off and quickly organizing left, we maybe could try to push as hard as possible for that seat in the special election (the last time this happened Lloyd Bensten's seat was taken in the special by KBH, which was the beginning of the end of the Democratic rule in Texas).

The question is finding an appealing statewide Dem in a very short time period. I'm thinking the recently retired chief of police in Dallas, David Brown--who handled the cop massacre there pretty well, I thought--though I'm sure that the Castro brothers are chatting this through.

Special elections are weird, so maybe we have a chance.

The Scott Brown election in Mass. was a really good example of how strange they can get. His towns had turnout at about 60% of a normal election, the Dem. towns had turnout at something like 40% of normal, just a completely different electorate than normal.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

It occurs to me that this may not be the worst thing that ever happened.

Given their history and Cruz's righteousness, it's hard for me to see Trump making him the chief law enforcement officer. I would think that's a job where Trump would want a real loyalist. But not for the Christie/Kushner history, I would think he would be the guy. Or Giuliani, but he seems to want something else.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

So when Trump hangs out on his personal, unsecured cell phone line chatting with foreign leaders, think he complains about Hillary's emails?

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

So when Trump hangs out on his personal, unsecured cell phone line chatting with foreign leaders, think he complains about Hillary's emails?

Yes. So, it's James Brown Thursday on the Daily Dose. This little number is called Licking Stick, which sounds dirty, but it's not. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNwPDLl4eak

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Given their history and Cruz's righteousness, it's hard for me to see Trump making him the chief law enforcement officer. I would think that's a job where Trump would want a real loyalist. But not for the Christie/Kushner history, I would think he would be the guy. Or Giuliani, but he seems to want something else.

With the selection of an apparent KKK apologist for attorney general at a time when mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color is at an all time high, it is time for Sebastian to stop the contorted rationalizations and give us the apology he has owed us for a long time. He is too obstinate/delusional to do so, so he has asked me to pen something for him:

Ahem . . . well, this latest appointment is a bit of a stunner and I'm sure you all remember me repeating over and over with absolute certainty that Trump (if elected, which was not going to happen) would surround himself with moderate dullards who would blunt the sharp edges of Trump's extremism and ensure our country would maintain an almost completely unchanged status quo for the next four years, at least in terms of substantive policies. It is time for me to concede that I was and am completely full of shit. Despite being repeatedly told that nobody could predict what Trump would do, I pretended that I held some magical knowledge of the future, and that the chicken littles clucking around me were alarmist kooks. It turns out that I was the crazy one. I said many things that, at best, had no basis and, at worst, were either internally contradictory or in complete opposition to common sense. I did so for a number of reasons. One, I am argumentative, and I am desperate to create myself as some sort of irreverent Hunter Thompson/P.J. O'Rourke character, but I lacked the political insight to do so effectively. Two, I cannot concede any argument, so I would paint myself into corners with increasingly-improbable pronouncements in order to defend my earlier, somewhat-less-improbable pronouncements. Three, I felt attacked all the time by the seemingly monolithic opinions on Trump and these attacks were personal and so I attacked back, more for the point of attacking back then for the purpose of making a substantive political point. Finally, I admit it -- I completely underestimated how completely unhinged and horrible a person Trump is. They say his attackers took him literally but not seriously, and his supporters took him seriously but not literally. Now I realize we will all pay dearly for the mistakes of both sides. I am sorry for my conduct on this board.

Sebastian, it's Flower as Flower again. I for one accept your apology and implore you to leave this vile place and come back to the FB where GWNC, NotBob and I await you with open arms.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

http://futurism.com/obama-in-the-age...r-our-debates/

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower

With the selection of an apparent KKK apologist for attorney general at a time when mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color is at an all time high, it is time for Sebastian to stop the contorted rationalizations and give us the apology he has owed us for a long time. He is too obstinate/delusional to do so, so he has asked me to pen something for him:

Ahem . . . well, this latest appointment is a bit of a stunner and I'm sure you all remember me repeating over and over with absolute certainty that Trump (if elected, which was not going to happen) would surround himself with moderate dullards who would blunt the sharp edges of Trump's extremism and ensure our country would maintain an almost completely unchanged status quo for the next four years, at least in terms of substantive policies. It is time for me to concede that I was and am completely full of shit. Despite being repeatedly told that nobody could predict what Trump would do, I pretended that I held some magical knowledge of the future, and that the chicken littles clucking around me were alarmist kooks. It turns out that I was the crazy one. I said many things that, at best, had no basis and, at worst, were either internally contradictory or in complete opposition to common sense. I did so for a number of reasons. One, I am argumentative, and I am desperate to create myself as some sort of irreverent Hunter Thompson/P.J. O'Rourke character, but I lacked the political insight to do so effectively. Two, I cannot concede any argument, so I would paint myself into corners with increasingly-improbable pronouncements in order to defend my earlier, somewhat-less-improbable pronouncements. Three, I felt attacked all the time by the seemingly monolithic opinions on Trump and these attacks were personal and so I attacked back, more for the point of attacking back then for the purpose of making a substantive political point. Finally, I admit it -- I completely underestimated how completely unhinged and horrible a person Trump is. They say his attackers took him literally but not seriously, and his supporters took him seriously but not literally. Now I realize we will all pay dearly for the mistakes of both sides. I am sorry for my conduct on this board.

Sebastian, it's Flower as Flower again. I for one accept your apology and implore you to leave this vile place and come back to the FB where GWNC, NotBob and I await you with open arms.

I'd like to move the following:

RESOLVED: That the Politics Board be and hereby is renamed the Board of Funk, and that the officers, directors, mods, factotums, honchos, chiefs, poobahs, nabobs and enchiladas of Lawtalkers be authorized and directed to take all such further actions as may be necessary to effectuate the foregoing.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower

With the selection of an apparent KKK apologist for attorney general at a time when mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color is at an all time high, it is time for Sebastian to stop the contorted rationalizations and give us the apology he has owed us for a long time. He is too obstinate/delusional to do so, so he has asked me to pen something for him:

Ahem . . . well, this latest appointment is a bit of a stunner and I'm sure you all remember me repeating over and over with absolute certainty that Trump (if elected, which was not going to happen) would surround himself with moderate dullards who would blunt the sharp edges of Trump's extremism and ensure our country would maintain an almost completely unchanged status quo for the next four years, at least in terms of substantive policies. It is time for me to concede that I was and am completely full of shit. Despite being repeatedly told that nobody could predict what Trump would do, I pretended that I held some magical knowledge of the future, and that the chicken littles clucking around me were alarmist kooks. It turns out that I was the crazy one. I said many things that, at best, had no basis and, at worst, were either internally contradictory or in complete opposition to common sense. I did so for a number of reasons. One, I am argumentative, and I am desperate to create myself as some sort of irreverent Hunter Thompson/P.J. O'Rourke character, but I lacked the political insight to do so effectively. Two, I cannot concede any argument, so I would paint myself into corners with increasingly-improbable pronouncements in order to defend my earlier, somewhat-less-improbable pronouncements. Three, I felt attacked all the time by the seemingly monolithic opinions on Trump and these attacks were personal and so I attacked back, more for the point of attacking back then for the purpose of making a substantive political point. Finally, I admit it -- I completely underestimated how completely unhinged and horrible a person Trump is. They say his attackers took him literally but not seriously, and his supporters took him seriously but not literally. Now I realize we will all pay dearly for the mistakes of both sides. I am sorry for my conduct on this board.

Sebastian, it's Flower as Flower again. I for one accept your apology and implore you to leave this vile place and come back to the FB where GWNC, NotBob and I await you with open arms.

Couple of things...

First, O'Rourke voted for and endorsed Hillary

Second, I'm not apologizing for anything. But I will concede when I'm wrong about something. And while I still hold my assessment that Trump is himself a moderate, his cabinet sure as fuck isn't. He owes Sessions "big league" for backing him early, but man -- this motherfucker cannot be Atty. General. This is a wet kiss to the private prison industry, and sets up a civil war over marijuana legalization.

However, that's a civil war I welcome. Because the Feds aren't going to win it. And it's going to rip the GOP in half, pitting libertarian and socially-liberal traditional republicans against regressive authoritarian sorts.

This lazy fuck is pissing me off. He's clearly just doling out positions to back benchers who supported him. Everyone I know who's spent time with Trump (it's hard not to know someone who hasn't played golf with the guy) likes him, says he's a moderate, and advises this whole campaign was shtick. I still think he's what's been sold to me. But he's clearly also incredibly lazy, and he's too loyal. People like Sessions deserve favors, but not things like the Atty. General position. I agree -- this is just fucked up, and distressing.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

http://futurism.com/obama-in-the-age...r-our-debates/

There's nothing there I disagree with.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Adder

There's nothing there I disagree with.

I didn't offer it suggesting there would be. I offered it because it's a good piece, and everyone should be discussing that issue. A PSA, if you will.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

And while I still hold my assessment that Trump is himself a moderate, his cabinet sure as fuck isn't.

Is someone else picking his cabinet? I don't understand how you separate his views from his actions. As you go on to say, there are other rewards he could give these people.

He owes Sessions "big league" for backing him early, but man -- this motherfucker cannot be Atty. General. This is a wet kiss to the private prison industry, and sets up a civil war over marijuana legalization.

Jeff Sessions was rejected for the federal bench by a GOP(!) Congress in the 1980s(!) for being racist. Why doesn't race appear on your list of reasons Sessions can't be AG?

Not that yours are not valid objections too. They are. But I don't know how the very first thing that Sessions as AG brings to mind isn't, "this is going to be terrible for black people, who will face emboldened racist policing, escalated voter suppression, and discrimination unchecked by an effective Civil Rights Division."

However, that's a civil war I welcome. Because the Feds aren't going to win it. And it's going to rip the GOP in half, pitting libertarian and socially-liberal traditional republicans against regressive authoritarian sorts.

I'm less confident that our side wins this one, not least because of the power these fuckers are going to have to keep people from voting.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

I didn't offer it suggesting there would be. I offered it because it's a good piece, and everyone should be discussing that issue. A PSA, if you will.

I do mildly disagree with the implication that the case for UBI lies in the future, given where we already are in income inequality.