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

I was just talking about this in the office. Sometimes it's both a fact and a travesty. Of course he should not look at it solely from the viewpoint of his hide; that itself ought to frighten people. I wouldn't say "must" at all - but I would say they often do look at it this way.

The point I was making in our discussion here was that in my experience government is filled with good people who put their country first - in the second, third, and fourth positions down in an agency. Then there is the person on top, the political appointee. And there people's motives are much more mixed.

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

Screw that. Reid ought to go full out on their ass - the "they" being both Comey and the Republicans in the House. They play the game this way, it is entirely appropriate to respond in kind. Reid, as a lame duck, is the best available guy on our side to do the dirty work.

Hillary should stay above it. But if I were Reid, at the end of my career, I'd pull out the biggest bat in my closet and start swinging. I want him to make the topic of discussion here Comey's idiocy and Comey's conflict and Comey's desire to cover his ass at the expense of the Presidency. And the message to the Rs ought to be that we are perfectly willing to investigate and air their shenanigans, even though we know that mud-wrestling with pigs is dangerous business, we're going to point out to everyone that they're pigs in the mud.

Go Harry!

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

Pressure like this makes the case for why he needs to resign. They'll say it anyway, but without it, the right will be all over the White House saying that asking for his resignation is just political payback.

Mind you Obama might not really care, but still.

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

Political payback is a necessity for our system to function. Without payback, people will take advantage.

But the payback we need isn't against Comey or the FBI, it is against Ryan, Chaffetz, and the other Republiclan deplorables in Congress.

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

I realize that you're just engaging in an analysis of what you think happened based on his actions. I've seen this all over the place. I've also seen discussions about McCain trying to save his 2008 campaign by choosing Palin or trying to hold on to his Senate seat by endorsing Trump or feeding his red meat base the promise of rejecting any Supreme Court nominee Hillary puts forth.

I think we've gotten to a place where we are analyzing politics like it's a sport. Strategy is what people are focused on and that's understandable on a board like this, of course. The problem is, no one is talking about the most basic function of any of these assholes is to serve this country not to survive politically so you can retain (or grab more) power. Every decision I listed above, including Comey's is blatantly irresponsible and it's done so that whoever is making it benefits. That. is. insane.

TM

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

I was just dealing with the asshole in front of me. You'll get no defense of Chaffetz from me. He's a fucking idiot. His tap dancing on Trump demonstrates his level of stupidity.

"I'm not endorsing him. I can't look my daughter in the eye after supporting him... But I'm still voting for him."

I get it, Chaffy. Really, I do. But guess what? You're playing to an idiot audience. All they hear is "flip flopper." Ya know what might've been a tad bit smarter? Shutting your mouth.

At least Reid can plead senility. Chaffetz is just a stone cold moron.

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

Those considerations are miles back down the river. We've been in Captain Kurtz's territory for a long time now.

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

I hear you. But when you're winning, why bother? Brush Comey off your shoulder, like Barrack and Hillary are doing.

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

He made a hard decision. In fact, he made two. I don't like this one because it's too easy to be seen as trying to have it both ways given his other one (and because it;s too late), but you can't say this guy didn't make some hard decisions. Imagine the inside heat he took on this one.

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

For Sebby:

Mencken, of course.

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

There was nothing hard about this decision. He protected himself, at the expense of others.

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

I've no doubt there's institutional groupthink at work here. You know how folks get when they collaborate on a deal for a long enough. The thing's closing, no matter how fucked up and counter to its original intent it's become along the way.

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

Good point. Hadn't considered that.

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

Govt is 70% people concerned with little more than CYA'ing themselves through life. Another 20% are the people who do all the work. The last 10% monetize it.

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

There must be consequences.

Yes, the election itself may be consequences for some. But the only way the Republicans are ever going to stop being obstructionists is if they get punished for it.