All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[4saken1]

So much for transparency!

In final-hour order, court rules that Alabama can destroy digital voting records after all

[numberthirty]

So the idea is no matter how nasty, corrupt and dangerous the GOP is, if a Dem isn't pure and completely progressive, without a blemish, they don't deserve a vote.
Is that about right?

Actually, not even close.

Read the article Nomiki penned and watch that video.

We are talking more in terms of "Would it be to much to ask for basic competency?"

[Malvolio]

Roy Moore just did an election day cowboy photo shoot.

Here come the Brokeback memes!

What is it with guys from the South and this cowboy fetish they all seem to have? Is it similar to all the guys from New Jersey who like to pretend to be mobsters?

[numberthirty]

What is it with guys from the South and this cowboy fetish they all seem to have? Is it similar to all the guys from New Jersey who like to pretend to be mobsters?

Seriously, I don't even feel like that is an "Alabama"-wide thing.

They guy is playing that up big time.

[Kal-El Summers]

Toxic masculinity.

[Dalak]

What is it with guys from the South and this cowboy fetish they all seem to have? Is it similar to all the guys from New Jersey who like to pretend to be mobsters?

I live in Texas and I still don't really get it. Maybe it's one of the few truly American cultures that can be celebrated even if it's just as Mexican if you really look at it (Just like Texas ). Maybe it's because every Cowboy was allowed to carry a gun, thought the Old West had far more strict gun controls than are allowed nowadays. Or it could just be the screwed up power of Nostalgia that has people willing to overlook everything bad about something in order to celebrate the teeny bit that might be good, like Neo-Confederates.

[worstblogever]

Oh look, someone is running for Trent Franks' sear and oh boy... this is problematic.

Uh oh. Arizona's stupid enough and has enough militia goons and anti-tax loons to do it, too.

[TheInvisibleMan]

Reports of voter suppression in Alabama

- Double and Triple ID Checks in predominantly black precincts
- 90 min + wait times in those precincts
- Police checking warrants / presence at polling places

[Tendrin]

Uh oh. Arizona's stupid enough and has enough militia goons and anti-tax loons to do it, too.

*hands WBE booze*

[Tendrin]

I live in Texas and I still don't really get it. Maybe it's one of the few truly American cultures that can be celebrated even if it's just as Mexican if you really look at it (Just like Texas ). Maybe it's because every Cowboy was allowed to carry a gun, thought the Old West had far more strict gun controls than are allowed nowadays. Or it could just be the screwed up power of Nostalgia that has people willing to overlook everything bad about something in order to celebrate the teeny bit that might be good, like Neo-Confederates.

'the West' is our national mythology. How many voters grew up on Bonanza, Gunsmoke, the Rifleman, and countless westerns? It's our mythical, foundational past more so than the revolution.

[Kal-El Summers]

Reports of voter suppression in Alabama

- Double and Triple ID Checks in predominantly black precincts
- 90 min + wait times in those precincts
- Police checking warrants / presence at polling places

Saw a couple of people on Twitter complain about police stopping people at a Montgomery high school and holding their licenses for over an hour. They are pulling every single underhanded trick in the book now.

[Jackalope89]

Saw a couple of people on Twitter complain about police stopping people at a Montgomery high school and holding their licenses for over an hour. They are pulling every single underhanded trick in the book now.

Not surprised. Only surprised they're keeping themselves from burning crosses in certain places.

[worstblogever]

On this date, in 2014, in 2015, and in 2016, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" published profiles of Jim Hagedorn, who has twice failed to get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota's 1st District. His credentials are being a former CEO for Miracle Gro and... well, the classic GOP nepotism of being the son of a former Congressman himself. The problem with Hagedorn was he had a habit of writing to the "Bluestern Prairie", where he offered a variety of politically incorrect thoughts about gays, minorities, and Democrats. Things like calling Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell "undeserving bimbos in tennis shoes", calling former Congressman Herb Kohl a "switch-hitter" and "packer", echoing John Wayne's sentiment that "the only good Indian is a dead Indian", and discussing an election between Mike Taylor and Max Baucus by using imagery about fisting and lubication. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Hagedorn was too controversial to get elected to the House in 2014 against Democrat Tim Walz, and in 2016, Hagedorn actually wanted a rematch, hoping people would just forget about all his controversial remarks if he kept his nose clean for two more years. Hagedorn was wrong, and still lost, this time at least in a much closer affair by only about 2500 votes. This had a lot to do with Hagedorn accusing Walz of “letting terrorists in”, because he supports refugees being settled in the United States who might just be Muslim. That takes some balls, given that Walz has served in National Guard for 25 years. But hey, we’re talking about Jim Hagedorn here, who took time to deride Black Lives Matter in the debate between the two for virtually no reason other than race-baiting. We'll set aside Hagedorn’s profile at this time to go ahead and take a look at a different wacky Republican today instead. (Current crazy/stupid scoreboard, is now 629-25, since this was established in July 2014.)


Dan Johnson
Welcome to the 629th original “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” profile, where we’ll be talking about Dan Johnson, a church bishop who in 2016, won election to the Kentucky House of Representatives by beating Linda Belcher (no relation to the cartoon character) by 156 votes. This was in spite of the fact that Johnson is an extreme enough bigot that the head of the Kentucky GOP even condemned him. How bad are we talking?

Well, over several Facebook posts, Johnson had the delightful habit of comparing the Obama family to apes. Well, there also was the part where Johnson called for a ban of the religion of Islam in the United States (Heard of the First Amendment, Dan?), or the numerous times that he posted images of the Confederate flag. Johnson cites the fact that a sign hangs outside his church that says, “Jesus and this church are not politically correct,” while insisting he’s not racist because as he puts it, “I love America. I love people. I believe red, yellow, black and white, all are precious in God's sight. I'm not a racist. I'd like to know first off, what images that are being considered offensive. It wasn't meant to be racist. I can tell you that. My history's good there. I can see how people would be offended in that. I wasn't trying to offend anybody, but, I think Facebook's entertaining.”

Someone should have the bishop review the 9th Commandment, about bearing false witness. Then again, for whatever reason, he mixes a lot of pro-gun messaging into the Gospels of Jesus, so maybe he’s not up on his scripture.

We’re hoping this bigot has a one-and-done career, and gets sent packing in 2018.

[BeastieRunner]

Even if Jones loses, the amount of blue on the map already is insane.

It's gonna be super close in a GOP stronghold state.

That is good news for Ds.

[Kirby101]

Even if Jones loses, the amount of blue on the map already is insane.

It's gonna be super close in a GOP stronghold state.

That is good news for Ds.

I am sorry, there is nothing about electing a child molester that is good news.