All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[Tami]

Trump is 'a bit of an imbecile' and thinks of Hitler as just another 'celebrity': historian

Former President Donald Trump reportedly had to be advised against praising mass-murdering German dictator Adolf Hitler -- and one presidential historian has an explanation about why Trump needed this warning.

Appearing on CNN Thursday, historian Douglas Brinkley speculated that Trump's total ignorance of history and obsession with being a celebrity may have led him to believe that it's a good thing to be mentioned frequently in history books, no matter whether it's positive or negative.

"Donald Trump... is a bit of an imbecile and has no sense of history," Brinkley explained. "The late writer Norman Mailer used to tell me that, in history, only a few names get known. So, you know, Andy Warhol would paint Mao Tse Tung or Elvis Presley. I think Trump always wanted to be in that class of a known name."

"He never took the time to notice that you don't want to be considered with Mao or Mussolini or Hitler in any way, shape, or form," he said. "He saw them more as celebrities."

[Mister Mets]

I have a thought and a question. Since you know what is going on in the Republican Party, at least from the base level, do you have any insight as to why Republicans are going full force over 'voter fraud' and creating voter restricting laws in the name of that voter fraud belief....yet, they didn't seem all that interested in doing so after 2016. Yet, we know, the article about the Putin document that was recently posted confirms it, that there may have been issues with the 2016 election.

So, what is the rationalization for claiming voter fraud now, and not claiming voter fraud four years ago?

Fair question. To be clear, my personal views have not changed.

There is a natural inclination to be suspicious of outcomes where you don't come out ahead. The left complained about 2000, 2004 and 2016, but not outcomes where they win. So that's going to be part of it.

It is quite easy to have confirmation bias. Due to sorting, Republicans have out more with other Republicans and Trump did pretty well in those districts. So you'll have people wondering how Trump could have lost Pennsylvania when the people they know in the outer suburbs were excited about him ( the answer is voters in the cities and inner suburbs.) At the same time, partisan national media sells Republicans the news they want to hear. Trump fans would also figure that given how he ran as an outsider, the establishment, media and deep state would not cheat to help him win, so that's a reason they would assume 2016 was earned.

And there are some specifics in 2020. One bit is that Trump came close. A national swing of half a percent gets him to 270 electoral votes. It was also an unusual political environment due to Covid, which meant there were emergency regulations about who can vote or how. Some were sketchy. For example, Pennsylvania allowed ballots with smudged postmarks several days after the election (they kept records and this was not enough to change the outcome.) There were changes in poll watching procedures which led to conspiracy theories, especially when combined with inexperienced observers. This is not unique to Republicans as evident by concerns about similar stuff during the NYC Democratic mayoral primary.

A further issue is that it is easy to be misinformed. I'm guessing people on this thread follow politics much more closely than the average voter but every now and then during meetings something debunked by Politifact or the like.

[Tami]

Fair question. To be clear, my personal views have not changed.

There is a natural inclination to be suspicious of outcomes where you don't come out ahead. The left complained about 2000, 2004 and 2016, but not outcomes where they win. So that's going to be part of it.

It is quite easy to have confirmation bias. Due to sorting, Republicans have out more with other Republicans and Trump did pretty well in those districts. So you'll have people wondering how Trump could have lost Pennsylvania when the people they know in the outer suburbs were excited about him ( the answer is voters in the cities and inner suburbs.) At the same time, partisan national media sells Republicans the news they want to hear. Trump fans would also figure that given how he ran as an outsider, the establishment, media and deep state would not cheat to help him win, so that's a reason they would assume 2016 was earned.

And there are some specifics in 2020. One bit is that Trump came close. A national swing of half a percent gets him to 270 electoral votes. It was also an unusual political environment due to Covid, which meant there were emergency regulations about who can vote or how. Some were sketchy. For example, Pennsylvania allowed ballots with smudged postmarks several days after the election (they kept records and this was not enough to change the outcome.) There were changes in poll watching procedures which led to conspiracy theories, especially when combined with inexperienced observers. This is not unique to Republicans as evident by concerns about similar stuff during the NYC Democratic mayoral primary.

A further issue is that it is easy to be misinformed. I'm guessing people on this thread follow politics much more closely than the average voter but every now and then during meetings something debunked by Politifact or the like.

One thing I want to emphasize is that, even if the Left questioned, discussed, and even complained about the 2016 elections...no one on the Left seriously talked about declaring that Trump was illegitimate, that he wasn't President, and more importantly they did not act on that in any way. No post-election 'auditing' of ballots, or anything liek that.

There was a March the day after, but for the most part it was peaceful and definitely did not try to stop the certification of Trump's win.

Also, there have been plenty of close elections, the Bush/Gore race was the best most recent example. Yet there was no widespread passage of voter restriction laws afterwards.

Democrats lose an election they say we have to figure out why and try harder next time. Republicans lose an election and they seem to be saying by their actions we need to make it harder to vote, the fewer people who vote the better.

[numberthirty]

Really 30? Are they really ignoring it?

Schumer and Senate Democrats unveil proposal to federally decriminalize marijuana

Since taking the most "When is this guy going to actually grow a spine?..." approach is clearly what they are doing?

Yes. Yes, they are missing multiple opportunities.

First opportunity?

Actually being able to frame it as "Legalization..." Shouldn't even have to explain this one.

Second opportunity?

Take all of the time that one needs, and tell me exactly where he mentioned that a practically unassailable conservative Supreme Court Justice has already weighed in on that it is past time to deal with this issue like reasonable people.

If you are not taking an obvious opportunity to move the lawmakers that you are saying will be a roadblock any moves closer to "Checkmate..." by doing so?

You are not seizing an incredibly obvious opportunity.

[numberthirty]

When are folks in Illinois going to get that the Feds are probably going to catch you attempting whatever it is you brilliant hustle winds up being?

https://enewspf.com/latest-news/form...-overtime-pay/

Former Chicago Public Schools Principal Indicted in Scheme To Fraudulently Obtain Overtime Pay

A ten-count indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that SARAH JACKSON ABEDELAL carried out the fraud scheme from 2012 to 2019 while serving as Principal of Brennemann Elementary School on the North Side of Chicago. Abedelal told certain school employees that she would authorize overtime pay for hours the employees would not be required to work, and she directed them to then deliver the proceeds of the unearned overtime to Abedelal or another individual, the indictment states. Abedelal told the employees who received the overtime that the money would be used to pay legitimate school expenses incurred by Brennemann Elementary, when, in fact, Abedelal intended to convert the money to her own personal use, the indictment states. The charges allege that Abedelal fraudulently obtained at least $200,000 in CPS money through the scheme.

[Kirby101]

Since taking the most "When is this guy going to actually grow a spine?..." approach is clearly what they are doing?

Yes. Yes, they are missing multiple opportunities.

First opportunity?

Actually being able to frame it as "Legalization..." Shouldn't even have to explain this one.

Second opportunity?

Take all of the time that one needs, and tell me exactly where he mentioned that a practically unassailable conservative Supreme Court Justice has already weighed in on that it is past time to deal with this issue like reasonable people.

If you are not taking an obvious opportunity to move the lawmakers that you are saying will be a roadblock any moves closer to "Checkmate..." by doing so?

You are not seizing an incredibly obvious opportunity.

Yeah, Clarence Thomas is the first to "weigh in". No Demacrat has said a thing. They are the worst.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Trump is 'a bit of an imbecile' and thinks of Hitler as just another 'celebrity': historian

A "bit of an imbecile"? Hell, that's like saying the Grand Canyon is a deep hole in the ground. But then, it was no secret Trump admired Hitler. Wasn't it said he used to have a copy of 'Mein Kampf' on his nightstand?

[numberthirty]

Yeah, Clarence Thomas is the first to "weigh in". No Demacrat has said a thing. They are the worst.

Luckily?

Nobody ever said "The First..." Check the post quoted. It won't be found anywhere in it.

All that sorted...

He certainly weighed in before Dems actually could be bothered with taking a half hearted run at not really putting much in the way of pressure on Republicans even though Thomas handed them a crow bar to hit Republicans with.

You don't really have to actually provably be "The Worst..." to be flubbing "Gimmes..." L/R/C.

[InformationGeek]

Ron Johnson being super racist again.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): “Wouldn’t you say a 15-, 16-, 17-year-old immigrant male would certainly fit the profile of somebody who might be in a gang …?

Biden ICE nominee Ed Gonzalez: “I’m always mindful of not profiling … so I try to look at the facts.” https://t.co/6a98BZBHOq

[WestPhillyPunisher]

L.A. County To Require Masks Indoors For All As Delta Strain Of COVID-19 Surges

“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment,” the county’s health officer said. Even vaccinated residents are required to mask up indoors again. Meanwhile....

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Canada May Reopen Borders To Vaccinated Americans In August, PM Justin Trudeau Says

Trudeau says Canada should also be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September. With the Delta variant running rampant in the lower 48, I wonder if Trudeau might be having second thoughts?

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Minnesota Gov. Restricts ‘Conversion Therapy’ By Executive Order

Twenty other states currently prohibit the practice that psychologists say is harmful to young people. Restrict? It should be eliminated.

**********

‘Get A Grip’: Lindsey Graham Gets Smoked For Declaring He’d Go To War For Chick-Fil-A

“He wouldn’t lift a finger to stop a violent insurrection, but he could kill for a chicken sandwich,” one critic noted. Hell of a hill for Linds to die on. But hey, the chain is anti-LGTBQ, so that's the appeal for homophobic Qpublicans like Graham.

**********

‘I’m Here, Mom!’: FBI Arrests Man Who Wore Roman Gladiator Costume To Capitol Riot

Nathan Wayne Entrekin was talking to his mother during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Play stupid games (in stupid costumes), win a stay in jail. I'm sure mom would bitchslap that knucklehead into next week if he were in reach.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Can Abbott really have the dems who went to DC arrested when they go back to Texas?

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I think that technically he can have them arrested in DC by sending Texas police and such there, not sure that he has to wait till they get back to Texas...though I don't see the Dems walking out doing anything in Texas outside of pushing the two sides further apart...

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Can Abbott really have the dems who went to DC arrested when they go back to Texas?

I don't think Abbott has that authority, but, I could be wrong. I suspect he's just talking out his ass to sound tough. Besides, even if he were to pull such a stunt, that would turn those Democrats into national, if not international martyrs, resulting in unwanted attention I'm sure the Texas GQP doesn't want. That's not a hill worth dying on, not for pushing what's clearly a voter suppression bill.

[Tendrin]

I think that technically he can have them arrested in DC by sending Texas police and such there, not sure that he has to wait till they get back to Texas...though I don't see the Dems walking out doing anything in Texas outside of pushing the two sides further apart...

He definitely can't. Texas Rangers aren't a federal branch of law enforcement and have no authority outside the state of Texas to detain or arrest anyone.

[Tendrin]

DeSantis is, of course, a fascist.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-...m_npd_ms_tw_ma

As we discussed in April, under the law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), if someone feels intimidated by three people, that may constitute "mob intimidation," which can be punished by up to a year behind bars. Those who topple monuments now face up to 15 years in prison.

And if protesters block a road, the Republican law not only makes that a felony, it also extends civil liability protections to Florida drivers who plow into them, claiming self-defense.

"Just think about it, you're driving home from work and, all of a sudden, you have people out there shutting down a highway," the governor said at the bill signing. "And we worked hard to make sure that didn't happen in Florida."

Except, it did happen in Florida, just this week. The Washington Post reported:

Scores of people crowded a major Miami-area highway Tuesday, chanting in support of rare protests that erupted days earlier in Cuba against the country's communist government. The rally caused an hours-long closure on part of the Palmetto Expressway in Miami-Dade County.

For now, let's put aside the question of what these protesters hoped to accomplish by shutting down a major highway. Instead, with DeSantis' anti-riot law in mind, the more obvious question is how these protesters were punished under the new Florida statute -- designed specifically to "make sure" people can't shut down highways.

I mean, who's surprsied?

Asked for some kind of explanation, the GOP governor said those who blocked the highway were "going out and peacefully assembling." He added that protests in support of Cubans are "much different" from the Black Lives Matter protests that inspired the state Republican law.

I suppose there's some truth to that: Black voters in Florida tend to vote Democratic, while Cuban-American voters in Florida tend to vote Republican. As such, they're "much different."

Gee, unequal treatment for conservative protestors over left-leaning ones for the same acts. A key component of fascism and authoritarian behavior.