Trump's Shutdown

[running_coach]

@Railer13

About 2.6 million, but I see your point. They could just stop screening passengers and quit checking luggage, and just wave everybody through. But you know, if it comes to this, and there are no incidents, maybe it would prove that we could get by with less airport security?

Trump would never allow that. It would endanger [del]hundreds of thousands of American citizens[/del] fuck up his job numbers.

[kaylasdad99]

@Uncle_Jocko

I’m no expert in employment law, but for all “essential” employees I think the deal is you’re still employed, but your compensation is deferred. The controllers, TSA agents, Border Patrol, Coast Guard, etc, who are required to stay on the job have always known they’d get paid for the time worked eventually. That doesn’t make any of this any better - it’s hard to square how any employer can get away with skipping regular paychecks for employees, even with a promise to make it up “sometime.”

The bill that recently passed (and was signed by Trump) promised back pay for all furloughed employees, whether they’ve been called in to work or not. That always was the case in past shutdowns, to be honest, but it was never guaranteed and always required Congressional action. Contractors, though, are still out of luck; they get paid only for services provided, and if they’re not actually performing work, they’re not getting paid, period (and one must admit it would be a logical stretch to refer to a service the government has contracted out to be “essential”).

Which is why privately operated detention facilities of any type have NO business existing.

[Euphonious_Polemic]

@Railer13

About 2.6 million, but I see your point. They could just stop screening passengers and quit checking luggage, and just wave everybody through. But you know, if it comes to this, and there are no incidents, maybe it would prove that we could get by with less airport security?

Until the one time that we can’t. Then hundreds die in a fiery explosion. And then it will be the fault of … someone else.

[asahi]

@Railer13

About 2.6 million, but I see your point. They could just stop screening passengers and quit checking luggage, and just wave everybody through. But you know, if it comes to this, and there are no incidents, maybe it would prove that we could get by with less airport security?

And we probably could – for a while. Over the longer term, however, a less effective TSA puts passengers at greater risk. TSA is part of a larger apparatus that, say what you want, has kept Al Qaida-like terrorism mostly in check. At least in airports.

[Broomstick]

@carnivorousplant

I don’t think any Trump supporters use SNAP.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Thanks for the laugh.

Sure they do - poor, rural whites are the largest demographic on food stamps. They also are the largest demographic that voted for Trump.

[DesertDog]

@Monty

It really does not matter how much the trumpeter suffers, he will never ever ever blame the actual cause of his problems. And that’s what the country has come to today.

“Lookit what you made our Dear Leader, do!”

@carnivorousplant

Perhaps the clip of his saying he will own the shutdown should be played on TV.

One of those advertising screen blimps like in Blade Runner.

As I have said a couple times now, Trump’s base has eroded as much as it is going to. Even if he is impeached, convicted, thrown out of office then convicted again to sit in prison for a while, they’ll just believe the Deep State had it out for him and defiantly vote for the best Trump-clone they can find.

Not Pence because he’s not Trumpish enough for them.

[Bryan_Ekers]

Heard in the skies over Washington DC, after Donald Trump’s second inauguration:

Sovereign Pilot: I don’t recognize your authority to control my travel! I am a Freeman-in-the-air!

[gytalf2000]

@carnivorousplant

Perhaps the clip of his saying he will own the shutdown should be played on TV.

Definitely!

[Steve_MB]

@asahi

And we probably could – for a while. Over the longer term, however, a less effective TSA puts passengers at greater risk. TSA is part of a larger apparatus that, say what you want, has kept Al Qaida-like terrorism mostly in check. At least in airports.

Ultimately, what has prevented a repetition of the 9-11 attack is that it’s a trick that only works once* – it depends on the default assumption “hijacking = clown who wants a soapbox and a free ride to Cuba; just sit tight and you’ll almost certainly be OK”. With the new default assumption “hijacking = you’ll die anyway; might as well go down fighting”, you’d need more terrorists than normal passengers to make it work.

Of course, that doesn’t affect somebody who just wants to blow up a lot of people, but airport security only removes one of a plethora of options for doing that in any case (and actually creates a replacement option of blowing up the concentration of people waiting in line).

*Actually, in view of Flight 93, this should be amended to “only works 3/4 of once”

[romansperson]

Only 7 percent of voters say they support constructing a wall along the southern border if it’s the only way to reopen the federal government, according to a new poll published on Wednesday.

In the new Politico–Morning Consult poll, 72 percent of voters said they oppose putting funding toward a wall even if it’s the only way to end the government shutdown.

Note in the article that the percentage of people who generally support building a wall at some point stays about the same as it has been (43 percent - I wonder how many of them only agree if Mexico pays for it??). But not too many people agree with the strong-arming going on here. Are you listening, Mitch??

[Randolph]

No, he’s not.

[Euphonious_Polemic]

@Randolph

No, he’s not.

Mitch is listening to Putin at the moment. I am becoming more convinced that most of the leaders of the GOP are following orders from overseas, due to compromat, or because they don’t want anyone to know where their re-election cash is coming from.

[Monty]

@Broomstick

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Thanks for the laugh.

Sure they do - poor, rural whites are the largest demographic on food stamps. They also are the largest demographic that voted for Trump.

There are military families on food stamps. The base commissary accepts food stamps. Guess which way the political winds blow among the military.

[carnivorousplant]

@Monty

There are military families on food stamps. The base commissary accepts food stamps. Guess which way the political winds blow among the military.

That’s a good point. I didn’t know that, I thought they had good prices at base commissaries.

[Johnny_L.A]

@carnivorousplant

That’s a good point. I didn’t know that, I thought they had good prices at base commissaries.

When I was a kid, my mom volunteered at Navy Relief (Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)), which was founded in 1904. Our military personnel (primarily enlisted) have been underpaid for a very long time.

[elucidator]

I just heard about this, that Minnesota is giving out February’s SNAP benefits early, this month for fear they won’t be able to next month. I tremble to think about that minority of recipients who will have spent next month’s allotment before next month arrives. Lood sing Goddam!

[Johnny_L.A]

@elucidator

I tremble to think about that minority of recipients who will have spent next month’s allotment before next month arrives.

Many people are not equipped to handle money. My sister is on a fixed income. I send her money every month – but less than she deserves because she has to pay property taxes at the end of the year. If I gave her the money, she’d spend it and not be able to pay her taxes. So I keep it and pay her property tax for her.

[Folacin]

@carnivorousplant

That’s a good point. I didn’t know that, I thought they had good prices at base commissaries.

Good prices just means the benefit goes farther.

[JohnT]

AP Poll: Trump approval rating slumps to 34%, as people are getting tired that Grandpa is ruining Thanksgiving dinner by insisting they watch a Fox News segment on how minorities are ruining Thanksgiving dinner.

AP-NORC poll: 6 in 10 Americans blame Trump for shutdown

[JKellyMap]

@elucidator

I just heard about this, that Minnesota is giving out February’s SNAP benefits early, this month for fear they won’t be able to next month. I tremble to think about that minority of recipients who will have spent next month’s allotment before next month arrives. Lood sing Goddam!

I thought this was Peter Schickele, but it’s Ezra Pound. I have been elucidated.