Straight Dope Message Board

[Sherrerd]

Originally Posted by k9bfriender

If I wanted that detailed of descriptions of the daily lives of conservative politicians, I wouldn't ask the FBI.

I'd ask Putin.

Smart! 5151

[simster]

Originally Posted by Sherrerd

It's a major talking point for the right that 'Kavanaugh has undergone SIX FBI investigations ALREADY!!!!1!!!'

Anyone who hasn't cut the cord will be seeing pro-Kavanaugh commercials playing in heavy rotation, and this is a line that's prominently featured.

Of course the implication is that any charges against Kavanaugh MUST be bullshit because FBI investigations uncover every single thing the subject has ever said or done throughout their entire lives. Want to know what Kavanaugh was doing at 3:18pm exactly fourteen years ago? Ask the FBI....they can tell you that information for every single minute of Kavanaugh's life!

Not true, of course. But that's what Trump fans are being told, and that's what they duly believe.

Right - so -

how many investigations have the clinton's been in - and zero charges or issues?

and its the SAME people doing both?

you can'[t have it both ways ... 5152

[ThelmaLou]

Originally Posted by k9bfriender

If I wanted that detailed of descriptions of the daily lives of conservative politicians, I wouldn't ask the FBI.

I'd ask Putin.

Originally Posted by Sherrerd

Smart!

With video!!

Originally Posted by simster

Right - so -

how many investigations have the clinton's been in - and zero charges or issues?

and its the SAME people doing both?

you can'[t have it both ways ...

Wrong. Republicans can have it both ways. Or more if they want. 5153

[Sherrerd]

Originally Posted by Sherrerd

It's a major talking point for the right that 'Kavanaugh has undergone SIX FBI investigations ALREADY!!!!1!!!'
Anyone who hasn't cut the cord will be seeing pro-Kavanaugh commercials playing in heavy rotation, and this is a line that's prominently featured.

Of course the implication is that any charges against Kavanaugh MUST be bullshit because FBI investigations uncover every single thing the subject has ever said or done throughout their entire lives. Want to know what Kavanaugh was doing at 3:18pm exactly fourteen years ago? Ask the FBI....they can tell you that information for every single minute of Kavanaugh's life!
Not true, of course. But that's what Trump fans are being told, and that's what they duly believe.

Originally Posted by simster

Right - so -
how many investigations have the clinton's been in - and zero charges or issues?
and its the SAME people doing both?
you can'[t have it both ways ...

Originally Posted by ThelmaLou

... Wrong. Republicans can have it both ways. Or more if they want.

Very true.

Add to that the fact that simster is trying to equate 'FBI background checks for judgeships' with 'Congress and the FBI investigating Hillary vainly hoping to find criminal wrongdoing.' Oh, and 'Congressional and/or FBI investigation of Bill and Hillary during Bill's presidency'---which, again, isn't the same thing as a background check for a judgeship.

So that dog won't hunt. 5154

[Nava]

Originally Posted by Smapti

Sexual predators have to stick together, you know.

Couldn't they just use Loctite? 5155

[SteveG1]

Originally Posted by Sherrerd

Very true.

Add to that the fact that simster is trying to equate 'FBI background checks for judgeships' with 'Congress and the FBI investigating Hillary vainly hoping to find criminal wrongdoing.' Oh, and 'Congressional and/or FBI investigation of Bill and Hillary during Bill's presidency'---which, again, isn't the same thing as a background check for a judgeship.

So that dog won't hunt.

It doesn't matter anymore. Not one bit. They still get anything they want. And the Trumpies love it, 5156

[Ambrosio Spinola]

It's been relatively quiet lately, maybe Trump's decided to calm it down ahead of the midterm elec . . .

Originally Posted by Some Asshole

The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love! #Troublemakers

Oh.

Serious question, is this the first time that Trump has been blaming George Soros specifically for anything? I know he's a common boogeyman for various figures on the right but I can't recall hearing it from the top before. Also, this sort of stuff used to be passed around on mimeographed Birch Society handouts which real officeholders would politely ignore. 5157

[Gus Gusterson]

By his logic, shouldn't his followers make their own MAGA hats "in the basement from love" instead of buying the professionally made, identical ones he sells? 5158

[bobot]

Originally Posted by Gus Gusterson

By his logic, shouldn't his followers make their own MAGA hats "in the basement from love" instead of buying the professionally made, identical ones he sells?

Where are those MAGA hats made? Does anyone have one handy to peek at the tag? 5159

[wguy123]

Originally Posted by Ambrosio Spinola

It's been relatively quiet lately, maybe Trump's decided to calm it down ahead of the midterm elec . . .



Oh.

Serious question, is this the first time that Trump has been blaming George Soros specifically for anything? I know he's a common boogeyman for various figures on the right but I can't recall hearing it from the top before. Also, this sort of stuff used to be passed around on mimeographed Birch Society handouts which real officeholders would politely ignore.

Looks like the Dipshit in Chief is fully caught up on his QAnon dues. 5160

[ThelmaLou]

Originally Posted by Gus Gusterson

By his logic, shouldn't his followers make their own MAGA hats "in the basement from love" instead of buying the professionally made, identical ones he sells?

IOWRDI*

I take exception to the use of the word "logic" when referring to anything the president does.






*It's Okay When Republicans Do It 5161

[Lord Feldon]

Originally Posted by Ambrosio Spinola

Serious question, is this the first time that Trump has been blaming George Soros specifically for anything?

It's the first time he's tweeted about him, and I think it's the first time he's ever shown any personal awareness of him. Soros was shown in one of his 2016 ads, alongside Janet Yellen and Lloyd Blankfein (gosh, I wonder what they all have in common) but Trump never spoke about him. 5162

[Snowboarder Bo]

Originally Posted by Gus Gusterson

By his logic,

That's not logic. 5163

[Rick Kitchen]

Way to dismiss half of the country.
"You don’t hand matches to an arsonist, and you don’t give power to an angry left-wing mob. Democrats have become too EXTREME and TOO DANGEROUS to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law - not the rule of the mob. VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...45061888880640 5164

[k9bfriender]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

Way to dismiss half of the country.
"You don’t hand matches to an arsonist, and you don’t give power to an angry left-wing mob. Democrats have become too EXTREME and TOO DANGEROUS to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law - not the rule of the mob. VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...45061888880640

At least he didn't say "or else."

This time. 5165

[Kamino Neko]

After the 'how DARE Hillary call bigots deplorable' bullshit, you'd think someone would have enough self-awareness to stop him saying stuff like that. 5166

[Mind's Eye, Watering]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

Way to dismiss half of the country.
"You don’t hand matches to an arsonist, and you don’t give power to an angry left-wing mob. Democrats have become too EXTREME and TOO DANGEROUS to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law - not the rule of the mob. VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...45061888880640

Not a president for ALL of America, is he?

What a shitbag. 5167

[ThelmaLou]

Originally Posted by Kamino Neko

After the 'how DARE Hillary call bigots deplorable' bullshit, you'd think someone would have enough self-awareness to stop him saying stuff like that.

IOWRDI*







*It's okay when Republicans do it 5168

[Sherrerd]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

Way to dismiss half of the country.
"You don’t hand matches to an arsonist, and you don’t give power to an angry left-wing mob. Democrats have become too EXTREME and TOO DANGEROUS to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law - not the rule of the mob. VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...45061888880640

It's as though "projection" is the one and only message Trumpublicans are capable of offering. (Trump didn't come up with the ideas in this tweet by himself, obviously.) They see sane people noting that the rule of law is in deadly peril and that the GOP has become extreme and dangerous---and they regurgitate it right back up as an accusation against Democrats. 5169

[jayjay]

DARVO has been brought up several times in the Kavanaugh mess. It's the standard Republican MO now. Deny, Accuse the victim, Reverse Victim and Offender.

The GOP has more projection than a multiplex. 5170

[Kobal2]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

Way to dismiss half of the country.
"You don’t hand matches to an arsonist, and you don’t give power to an angry left-wing mob. Democrats have become too EXTREME and TOO DANGEROUS to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law - not the rule of the mob. VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...45061888880640

At this level of discourse, I don't think anyone sane can retort back to anything filled with this much hypocrisy, mendacity and pure projection with anything besides "fuck youuuuuu" in bold, 46 point letters. Over and over for 15 minutes.
Then of course be tut-tutted because that'd be so very uncivil, for shame. 5171

[Rick Kitchen]

"The paid D.C. protesters are now ready to REALLY protest because they haven’t gotten their checks - in other words, they weren’t paid! Screamers in Congress, and outside, were far too obvious - less professional than anticipated by those paying (or not paying) the bills!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...38803177127936 5172

[tripthicket]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

"The paid D.C. protesters are now ready to REALLY protest because they haven’t gotten their checks - in other words, they weren’t paid! Screamers in Congress, and outside, were far too obvious - less professional than anticipated by those paying (or not paying) the bills!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...38803177127936

And who is famous nowadays for both not paying people contracted to do a job for them AND for projecting? 5173

[manson1972]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

"The paid D.C. protesters are now ready to REALLY protest because they haven’t gotten their checks - in other words, they weren’t paid! Screamers in Congress, and outside, were far too obvious - less professional than anticipated by those paying (or not paying) the bills!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...38803177127936

Is this just made up? Was there some similar story somewhere that he might have seen? 5174

[Fear Itself]

Originally Posted by manson1972

Is this just made up? Was there some similar story somewhere that he might have seen?

Fox & Friends, of course:

Not coincidentally, Fox & Friends this morning discussed a Wall Street Journal op ed that referenced hearing from protesters being hopping mad because they did not get their checks. Turns out, protesters were being sarcastic, which did not deter the F&F gang from using it as proof the women who confronted GOP Sens. Jeff Flake and Orrin Hatch in the halls and elevators of the Senate had been paid by George Soros.

https://deadline.com/2018/10/donald-...ds-1202479102/ 5175

[Sherrerd]

Originally Posted by Fear Itself

Fox & Friends, of course:

https://deadline.com/2018/10/donald-...ds-1202479102/

Sounds as though we may have to give up sarcasm for the duration. 5176

[ThelmaLou]

Originally Posted by Sherrerd

Sounds as though we may have to give up sarcasm for the duration.

We need to remember that the Republicans have no sense of humor. Don't make jokes that will be quoted as fact later. Actually, who cares, 'cause facts don't matter anymore... 5177

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Sherrerd

Sounds as though we may have to give up sarcasm for the duration.

Some of us saw this one coming a long time ago. The Harry Potter Onion article that got passed around at churches as fact was published in 2000. That was really the first salvo. 5178

[Ukulele Ike]

See you at the Abortionplex! Cocktail lounge, six o’clock! 5179

[ThelmaLou]

Originally Posted by Ukulele Ike

See you at the Abortionplex! Cocktail lounge, six o’clock!

And pizza served by immigrant children. 5180

[dasmoocher]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

"The paid D.C. protesters are now ready to REALLY protest because they haven’t gotten their checks - in other words, they weren’t paid! Screamers in Congress, and outside, were far too obvious - less professional than anticipated by those paying (or not paying) the bills!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...38803177127936

The idiocy of this is that there are plenty of people who are happy to protest the Republicans for free. Hell, I'm sure some would even pay for the chance to give it to some of them in person as like Hatch or Flake in the elevator. 5181

[Monty]

Originally Posted by ThelmaLou

And pizza served by immigrant children.

In the basement! 5182

[Siam Sam]

Originally Posted by ThelmaLou

We need to remember that the Republicans have no sense of humor.

Psychology Today agrees. 5183

[Ike Witt]

If Soros is funding all the left wing protests and rallies, who is funding all the right wing ones? Mercer or Koch? 5184

[bobot]

Mexico! Believe me! 5185

[Folacin]

Originally Posted by Ike Witt

If Soros is funding all the left wing protests and rallies, who is funding all the right wing ones? Mercer or Koch?

No one - all of those folks are patriotic American's who want what is best for the country and are willing to sacrifice time and money to show it.

The only way someone would show up to protest for progressive issues is if they were paid. 5186

[dasmoocher]

Originally Posted by ThelmaLou

We need to remember that the Republicans have no sense of humor. Don't make jokes that will be quoted as fact later. Actually, who cares, 'cause facts don't matter anymore...

There's a more serious problem with a lot of Trump supporters. Packman is pretty left, but this is an interesting segment. A phenomenon I've seen with my Trumpster Facebook friends--the ones that post memes that Chelsea Clinton is a Satanist who wears an upside-down cross and that her husband's uncle is George Soros.

Trump Appeals to Cognitively Challenged Voters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ceAmFkCukU

It helps explain why they eat up Trump's bullshit. 5187

[Buck Godot]

Originally Posted by ThelmaLou

And pizza served by immigrant children.

I think you mean with immigrant children 5188

[Skywatcher]

Come to think of it, my writing ability is barely above 8^th Grade level but at least I can string coherent sentences together. Unlike the Chief Twit. 5189

[mhendo]

Originally Posted by Rick Kitchen

Way to dismiss half of the country.
"You don’t hand matches to an arsonist, and you don’t give power to an angry left-wing mob. Democrats have become too EXTREME and TOO DANGEROUS to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law - not the rule of the mob. VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...45061888880640

In preparing to teach a class on Progressive-era politics a couple of weeks ago, I was reading a Teddy Roosevelt speech from 1910, given in Paris, France. It's a really fascinating speech, full of Teddy's masculine individualism, but also of his progressive politics. This section, in particular, stood out to me:

Of one man in especial, beyond any one else, the citizens of a republic should beware, and that is of the man who appeals to them to support him on the ground that he is hostile to other citizens of the republic, that he will secure for those who elect him, in one shape or another, profit at the expense of other citizens of the republic. It makes no difference whether he appeals to class hatred or class interest, to religious or antireligious prejudice. The man who makes such an appeal should always be presumed to make it for the sake of furthering his own interest. The very last thing an intelligent and self-respecting member of a democratic community should do is to reward any public man because that public man says that he will get the private citizen something to which this private citizen is not entitled, or will gratify some emotion or animosity which this private citizen ought not to possess...If a public man tries to get your vote by saying that he will do something wrong in your interest, you can be absolutely certain that if ever it becomes worth his while he will do something wrong against your interest.

5190

[Ukulele Ike]

Don’t you wish T.R. could come back to life for just one hour, to take Trump on in a bout of bare-knuckled fisticuffs? 5191

[Nava]

That's the Roosevelt which did not come up with that list of "bad reasons to discriminate" which has ended up being treated as exclusive, right? The concept of "you won't purposefully screw up your fellow citizens" appears to have been strong in that family. 5192

[jasg]

Originally Posted by mhendo

In preparing to teach a class on Progressive-era politics a couple of weeks ago, I was reading a Teddy Roosevelt speech from 1910, given in Paris, France. It's a really fascinating speech, full of Teddy's masculine individualism, but also of his progressive politics. This section, in particular, stood out to me:

Thank you for sharing that. 5193

[UY Scuti]

Originally Posted by mhendo

In preparing to teach a class on Progressive-era politics a couple of weeks ago, I was reading a Teddy Roosevelt speech from 1910, given in Paris, France. It's a really fascinating speech, full of Teddy's masculine individualism, but also of his progressive politics.

I would have expected someone to be able to express those ideas with such clarity about half a century later. What a longsighted thinker. 5194

[Fiveyearlurker]

Donald Trump:

"For the record, I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia (or Russia, for that matter). Any suggestion that I have is just more FAKE NEWS (of which there is plenty)!"

Also, Donald Trump:

At a 2015 campaign stop, Trump bragged to the crowd about his business dealings with the Saudis. “Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them,” Trump said. “They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.” 5195

[Ambrosio Spinola]

Our President continues his quest to make The Onion superfluous with his insightful legal analysis:

Originally Posted by The Actual President, no shit

“Federal Judge throws out Stormy Danials lawsuit versus Trump. Trump is entitled to full legal fees.” @FoxNews Great, now I can go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer in the Great State of Texas. She will confirm the letter she signed! She knows nothing about me, a total con!

I would note that in addition to calling a US citizen "Horseface", he also misspelled her name. 5196

[Procrustus]

Originally Posted by Fiveyearlurker

Donald Trump:

"For the record, I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia (or Russia, for that matter). Any suggestion that I have is just more FAKE NEWS (of which there is plenty)!"

Also, Donald Trump:

At a 2015 campaign stop, Trump bragged to the crowd about his business dealings with the Saudis. “Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them,” Trump said. “They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.”

He should be banned from Twitter, among other things. 5197

[Defensive Indifference]

Originally Posted by Ambrosio Spinola

Our President continues his quest to make The Onion superfluous with his insightful legal analysis:



I would note that in addition to calling a US citizen "Horseface", he also misspelled her name.

Stormy Daniels isn't really my type, but I think "Horseface" is just a little uncalled for.

Sigh. Remember the Obama years? How, even when we thought he was badly miscalculating or pre-conceding to Republican demands, we could count on him to conduct himself with dignity and integrity? Remember that time when we had a little debate about whether he was checking out that one girl's butt as she walked up the stairs, but really he was probably just offering a hand to help the woman behind him? And that time when, in an unguarded moment, he called Kanye West a jackass and asked the reporters in the room to "give the President a break" over his brief lapse in professionalism? Eight years with the world watching almost every move, and the only things we ever saw the man do that were kinda-sorta undignified were possibly (but probably not) casting a glance at a girl's butt and calling a jackass a jackass.

Man, I miss those days. 5198

[ThelmaLou]

Originally Posted by Defensive Indifference

Stormy Daniels isn't really my type, but I think "Horseface" is just a little uncalled for.

Sigh. Remember the Obama years? How, even when we thought he was badly miscalculating or pre-conceding to Republican demands, we could count on him to conduct himself with dignity and integrity? Remember that time when we had a little debate about whether he was checking out that one girl's butt as she walked up the stairs, but really he was probably just offering a hand to help the woman behind him? And that time when, in an unguarded moment, he called Kanye West a jackass and asked the reporters in the room to "give the President a break" over his brief lapse in professionalism? Eight years with the world watching almost every move, and the only things we ever saw the man do that were kinda-sorta undignified were possibly (but probably not) casting a glance at a girl's butt and calling a jackass a jackass.

Man, I miss those days.

QFT. 5199

[Monty]

Originally Posted by Ambrosio Spinola

Our President continues his quest to make The Onion superfluous with his insightful legal analysis:

Damn. He got one right. He is a total con. Nice of him to admit it in writing, though. 5200