All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!(Part II)

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2014, 2015, 2016, as well as 2017, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day posted profiles of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a man who we have to work up all of our energy to not just post, “F*** you, Mitch” in our update once a year, because he’s an utter dips*** who completely has broken the legislative branch of our government. And loathing this putrid husk pretending to be a human is hardly a partisan thing, as he was even booed when he took the stage to give a speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention by members of his own party. He is, for us, one of the most infuriating politicians in modern history, for his hyper-partisan tactics, and his apparent desire to bring all government action to a grinding halt in the name of simply obstructing the other side from being able to govern, as well. McConnell is a six term senator (Jesus, really?) who has risen from unlikely beginnings as an ordinary turtle to being covered in radioactive ooze and forgoing a "teenage mutant ninja" stage to instead become a fixture in Washington, D.C. He has an extremely conservative voting record, which he does his best to misrepresent (y'know lie) about every six years to try and ensure his re-election while he airs some of the weirdest ads on his own behalf. McConnell boldly stated his primary goal as Senate Minority Leader was to "make Barack Obama a one term president", so based on his own expectations, he's a complete failure. Under his leadership in the Senate from 2010-2016, McConnell led Republicans to double the usage of invoking cloture to filibuster laws, triple the number of filibustered nominees of any previous presidency, and has seen the GOP push back against confirming judges so that only 43% of judges nominated by President Obama for the bench were confirmed within 14 months of their nomination. Sen. McConnell’s filibustering ways were so out of control that he literally filibustered bills THAT HE HIMSELF WROTE. Mitch McConnell refused to hold confirmation hearings for Merrick Garland Supreme Court Justice for ELEVEN F***ING MONTHS after the death of Antonin Scalia.

So what happened when the 2016 elections got stolen by help from the Russians hacking American social media feeds, and widespread voter suppression of traditionally Democratic voters by Republicans in swing states? Well, guess what, Mitch McConnell got all lathered up and almost immediately changed the rules for the filibuster so that Democrats couldn’t prevent the Trump administration from stacking the courts full of conservatives even if they had a rampant history of racial bias or homophobic statements that clearly showed they had no business serving as a judge, let alone a FEDERAL judge. And it was all so they could get people like Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court, who, for the record, is so much of a conservative f*** face that even John Roberts is getting sick of his s*** already, and even worse, a drunken fratboy accused of multiple sexual assaults with a habit of multiple perjury by the name of Brett Kavanaugh. Hell, upon learning of the accusations, McConnell moved the Senate to try and confirm Kavanaugh FASTER rather than have the FBI investigate the attack. And McConnell sees zero hypocrisy for that. Hell, only two years after insisting it would be wrong to confirm a Supreme Court Justice in the last year of a presidential term, inventing that “rule” on the spot, now this miserable, bloated tortoise has conveniently forgotten that it’s a rule, and is ready to confirm any Justices if needed in 2020.

So perhaps then, it’s at least satisfying to know that Mitch McConnell, who has orchestrated Kentucky politics to sustain his own four decade long political career and ensure no serious challengers can rise out of the state to cut his career short, is currently watching an incompetent he helped get elected to the White House and handed the reins of power to when he had never held any office turn on him for every perceived failure, and instead serve him a heaping helping of ridicule and humiliation casserole. People have noticed that when Sen. McConnell is forced into joint press conferences with Trump, he looks like he’s being held hostage and would rather be anywhere else. But maybe that’s because he only has the courage to say he’s “upset” even when Trump can’t bring himself to criticize Neo-Nazis after they murdered an innocent woman in Charlottesville, Virginia. McConnell’s next Senate term is up in 2020, and we’re wondering that if McConnell is Dr. Frankenstein whole political maneuvering helped create a monster like Trump that he’ll get some kind of poetic justice for his part in that creation. Sometimes, it already has worked out for Democrats, as evidenced when the president was forced into a debt ceiling deal by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Hell, Mitch McConnell is such an ***hole that Sen. John McCain flew in from Arizona to deliver a huge “f*** you” to the old tortoise back in July of 2017 with a dramatic thumbs down vote on a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. This would be a repeal attempt that McConnell knew he would only be able to pull off with a simple 50 vote majority (Mike Pence being his tie-breaker) to destroy the ACA after promising to do so for SEVEN YEARS. And NOPE, John McCain hates McConnell more than he loves conservative dogma, and that’s saying something.

This man is enough of a loathsome twit that he can push for the biggest tax break for the wealthy in a century, and then feign concern about the federal deficit it created, but blame that shortfall on Medicaid and Social Security. (Just a quick reminder, older voters elected Mitch McConnell, and he’s going to f*** them over if he gets his way).

So after McConnell has been Majority leader now for about four years of abject failure, people continue to call for him to step down from his position on both sides of the aisle. Commentators also have spread the meme that McConnell’s tombstone will read, “He Broke America”, and he and his wife Elaine Chao are getting shouted out of restaurants when they try to dine out in public back in Louisville, he’s so loathed. They’ve been chased out of establishments at least three times in the past year. We’re hoping that these moments are a sign that in 2020, the residents of Kentucky finally realize that this old bastard doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and uses their power to vote to metaphorically grab him by his neck waddle and throw him out of office on his arse by it.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

So perhaps then, it’s at least satisfying to know that Mitch McConnell, who has orchestrated Kentucky politics to sustain his own four decade long political career and ensure no serious challengers can rise out of the state to cut his career short, is currently watching an incompetent he helped get elected to the White House and handed the reins of power to when he had never held any office turn on him for every perceived failure, and instead serve him a heaping helping of ridicule and humiliation casserole. People have noticed that when Sen. McConnell is forced into joint press conferences with Trump, he looks like he’s being held hostage and would rather be anywhere else. But maybe that’s because he only has the courage to say he’s “upset” even when Trump can’t bring himself to criticize Neo-Nazis after they murdered an innocent woman in Charlottesville, Virginia. McConnell’s next Senate term is up in 2020, and we’re wondering that if McConnell is Dr. Frankenstein whole political maneuvering helped create a monster like Trump that he’ll get some kind of poetic justice for his part in that creation. Sometimes, it already has worked out for Democrats, as evidenced when the president was forced into a debt ceiling deal by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Hell, Mitch McConnell is such an ***hole that Sen. John McCain flew in from Arizona to deliver a huge “f*** you” to the old tortoise back in July of 2017 with a dramatic thumbs down vote on a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. This would be a repeal attempt that McConnell knew he would only be able to pull off with a simple 50 vote majority (Mike Pence being his tie-breaker) to destroy the ACA after promising to do so for SEVEN YEARS. And NOPE, John McCain hates McConnell more than he loves conservative dogma, and that’s saying something.

This man is enough of a loathsome twit that he can push for the biggest tax break for the wealthy in a century, and then feign concern about the federal deficit it created, but blame that shortfall on Medicaid and Social Security. (Just a quick reminder, older voters elected Mitch McConnell, and he’s going to f*** them over if he gets his way).

So after McConnell has been Majority leader now for about four years of abject failure, people continue to call for him to step down from his position on both sides of the aisle. Commentators also have spread the meme that McConnell’s tombstone will read, “He Broke America”, and he and his wife Elaine Chao are getting shouted out of restaurants when they try to dine out in public back in Louisville, he’s so loathed. They’ve been chased out of establishments at least three times in the past year. We’re hoping that these moments are a sign that in 2020, the residents of Kentucky finally realize that this old bastard doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and uses their power to vote to metaphorically grab him by his neck waddle and throw him out of office on his arse by it.

I've said this about Trump, and I'll repeat same for Turtle Boy: I'd have a modicum more respect for the man if he'd only stop lying and publicly reveal his true motivations. That's he's beholden to billionaire puppet masters and is out to further fatten their coffers at the expense of the middle class and the poor whom it's clear he hates. That McDonnell doesn't give so much as half a rat's ass about sick people whom he'd gleefully strip any semblance of healthcare from for no other reason than because he can. That he's all too willing, and eager to make a mockery of the Constitution and democracy itself by allowing a racist, incompetent, knuckledragging bully to run roughshod over everything good America stands for because his presence in the Oval Office keeps his repugnant party in power. Unrepentant scum like McDonnell represent everything that is evil and callous about politics today, and the sooner he's put out to pasture, the better.

[MindofShadow]

Kanyes a piece of shit who uses anyone and thing to get attention on himself. When he noticed Trump seemed to get attention 24/7 he tried to hitch himself to the Trump Train only to suddenly realise how ludicrous it made him look.

He is only backing out now trying to get people to jump back on his new album.

F that dude

[ed2962]

So Kanye had nothing to do with the design for Owens' hats or t-shirts? Figures. Remember she supports someone who doesn't create things himself, he just slaps his name on stuff other people created.

Case in point, Trump tries to take credit for a bill that Obama passed...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tms-x5AoXks

[zinderel]

With regards to 'Rabbi' Loren Jacobs...

Messianic Jews, aka 'Jews for Jesus', are a particularly wierd strain of fundamentalist Christian. See, among the hard core elite fundamentalists, 'winning' a Jew to Jesus is like...a guaranteed golden ticket to Heaven. And those Jewish folks who become Messianic Jews turn their backs on their faith, but try to retain some of the cultural identity...never mind that said cultural identity is rooted in said faith.

Every Jewish person I've met laughs when asked if they consider Messianic Jews to be Jews or Christians. Every one has said, 'Yeah, no. They're Christian. They might be ethnically Hebrew, but they aren't Jewish anymore, once they call Jesus the Messiah.' Because, according to the Jewish faith, the Messiah will fulfill a number of prophecies...Christians say Jesus did so, but Jews say he didn't...and that's kind of an important distinction...

So, yeah. Pence peddling a Messianic 'rabbi' after a tragedy struck actual Jewish faithful? Tone deaf, at BEST...callous, deliberate dickery, at worst. Maybe Pence and 'Rabbi' Jacobs thought that Jewish faithful grieving a horrific tragedy would be a good opportunity to 'win souls to Christ', since fundamentalist Christians are like vultures, that way...preying on the weak and vulnerable to fatten themselves up...just like Jesus taught...

[WestPhillyPunisher]

With regards to 'Rabbi' Loren Jacobs...

Messianic Jews, aka 'Jews for Jesus', are a particularly wierd strain of fundamentalist Christian. See, among the hard core elite fundamentalists, 'winning' a Jew to Jesus is like...a guaranteed golden ticket to Heaven. And those Jewish folks who become Messianic Jews turn their backs on their faith, but try to retain some of the cultural identity...never mind that said cultural identity is rooted in said faith.

Every Jewish person I've met laughs when asked if they consider Messianic Jews to be Jews or Christians. Every one has said, 'Yeah, no. They're Christian. They might be ethnically Hebrew, but they aren't Jewish anymore, once they call Jesus the Messiah.' Because, according to the Jewish faith, the Messiah will fulfill a number of prophecies...Christians say Jesus did so, but Jews say he didn't...and that's kind of an important distinction...

So, yeah. Pence peddling a Messianic 'rabbi' after a tragedy struck actual Jewish faithful? Tone deaf, at BEST...callous, deliberate dickery, at worst. Maybe Pence and 'Rabbi' Jacobs thought that Jewish faithful grieving a horrific tragedy would be a good opportunity to 'win souls to Christ', since fundamentalist Christians are like vultures, that way...preying on the weak and vulnerable to fatten themselves up...just like Jesus taught...

Well, deliberate dickery is what Red Grant specializes in. After all, he had the hots for that abominable gay "conversion" therapy in his home state, and that was Grade-A quackery at it's worst.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Well, deliberate dickery is what Red Grant specializes in. After all, he had the hots for that abominable gay "conversion" therapy in his home state, and that was Grade-A quackery at it's worst.

Brother I really really like James Bond. Please please please don’t ruin one of his greatest villains like that for me. Please

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Brother I really really like James Bond. Please please please don’t ruin one of his greatest villains like that for me. Please

Hey, don't blame the messenger if Mike Pence looks a lot like Robert Shaw's character who stalked Bond in From Russia With Love.

[Tami]

Hey, don't blame the messenger if Mike Pence looks a lot like Robert Shaw's character who stalked Bond in From Russia With Love.

Stephen Colbert has a new, and holiday appropriate, nickname for Trump - "The Great Pumpkin"

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Hey, don't blame the messenger if Mike Pence looks a lot like Robert Shaw's character who stalked Bond in From Russia With Love.

He doesn’t. Robert Shaw looked cool and like he could beat up Sean Connery. Pence is neither and he’s at the age he should look like Quint from Jaws

[InformationGeek]

Before he becomes irrelevant, Mark Sanford has one last thing to do before he leaves. He's gotta be a huge square and a ruin a kid's Halloween night.

Happy Halloween. Accordingly, Pocket Constitutions are at the ready for today’s trick-or-treaters.

[Tami]

Pentagon Wants to Predict Anti-Trump Protests Using Social Media Surveillance

The United States government is accelerating efforts to monitor social media to preempt major anti-government protests in the US, according to scientific research, official government documents, and patent filings reviewed by Motherboard. The social media posts of American citizens who don’t like President Donald Trump are the focus of the latest US military-funded research. The research, funded by the US Army and co-authored by a researcher based at the West Point Military Academy, is part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to consolidate the US military’s role and influence on domestic intelligence.

The vast scale of this effort is reflected in a number of government social media surveillance patents granted this year, which relate to a spy program that the Trump administration outsourced to a private company last year. Experts interviewed by Motherboard say that the Pentagon’s new technology research may have played a role in amendments this April to the Joint Chiefs of Staff homeland defense doctrine, which widen the Pentagon’s role in providing intelligence for domestic “emergencies,” including an “insurrection.”

[Ragged Maw]

Pentagon Wants to Predict Anti-Trump Protests Using Social Media Surveillance

Well, if it only goes so far as to help detour traffic better and quicker (since frequency of protests could go up), I won’t ring any alarm bells just yet. Still, best to keep an eye on our Pentagon pals.

[Malvolio]

Before he becomes irrelevant, Mark Sanford has one last thing to do before he leaves. He's gotta be a huge square and a ruin a kid's Halloween night.

This is why Bill Maher hates the fact that Halloween is always so close to Election Day.

[Malvolio]

Well, if it only goes so far as to help detour traffic better and quicker (since frequency of protests could go up), I won’t ring any alarm bells just yet. Still, best to keep an eye on our Pentagon pals.

It's not really necessary, as any protest has to get a permit, so local law enforcement will know about it ahead of time.