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Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#190701: May 26th 2017 at 8:54:16 AM

The more they fail at delivering a budget, the more they undermine the narrative of the Republican Party as the party of responsible, fiscally sound government. This can only benefit us in the end, save for them having an abrupt change of heart and passing sensible legislation, of course.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#190702: May 26th 2017 at 8:54:50 AM

[up] Fortunately (?) the chances of them passing sensible legislation are very low.

Disgusted, but not surprised
TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#190703: May 26th 2017 at 8:56:15 AM

They make it too crappy and their more moderate members won't vote for it. They're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Their base demands an ACA repeal, but they can't do something better because their more extreme members will reject it, and doing worse as they're trying now is going to blow back on them.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#190704: May 26th 2017 at 8:57:14 AM

The issue to me is whether or not they can lay blame on Democrats. Logically they can't since all the Dems have really done is exercise their essentially symbolic resistance to the Republican majority.

But too many people will unthinkingly believe what their own side tells them without thinking

CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#190705: May 26th 2017 at 8:59:40 AM

New Montana rep apologizes to reporter he allegedly ‘body-slammed’

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Republican Greg Gianforte, the newly-minted representative-elect for Montana’s at-large congressional district, apologized to the reporter he allegedly assaulted here less than 36 hours ago.

In his acceptance speech before several hundred supporters, Gianforte said he “made a mistake” in the way he treated Ben Jacobs, a reporter for The Guardian, ahead of a campaign stop on Wednesday. He apologized to Jacobs by name.

“Last night I made a mistake, and I took an action that I can’t take back,” Gianforte said in his first public appearance since the incident. “I’m not proud of what happened. I should not have responded in the way that I did, and for that I’m sorry.”

Gianforte’s remarks Thursday evening came in stark contrast to the statement his campaign released in the hours after Jacobs alleged that the candidate had “body-slammed” him to the ground after he had asked him questions about the GOP health care bill:

In the hours since then, a Fox News crew that witnessed the hearing backed up Jacobs’ account of the incident and House Speaker Paul Ryan called on Gianforte to apologize. Most significantly, Gianforte was cited by local police for misdemeanor assault, and the Republican now must contend with a June 7 court date.

Gianforte’s supporters shouted words of support as he apologized. “You are forgiven,” one responded. “We love you, Greg,” another said. One man in the crowd joked that Gianforte should have retaliated more against the reporter.

Here are Gianforte’s full remarks about the incident:

“Sometimes hard work is born out of hard lessons. Last night, I learned a lesson. I need to share something from my heart here, and I just ask you to bear with me.

When you make a mistake, you have to own up to it. That’s the Montana way. Last night I made a mistake, and I took an action that I can’t take back. I’m not proud of what happened. I should not have responded in the way that I did, and for that I’m sorry.

I should not have treated that reporter that way, and for that I’m sorry, Mr. Ben Jacobs. I also want to apologize (to) the Fox News team that was there, and I’m sorry to each one of you that we had to go through this. That’s not the person I am and it’s not the way I’ll lead in this state.”

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Robbery Since: Jul, 2012
#190706: May 26th 2017 at 9:05:59 AM

Nice of the folks who he didn't assault to forgive him (that's sarcasm, in case you missed it).

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#190708: May 26th 2017 at 9:12:34 AM

Actually, the Republican base does not want a repeal of ACA by current polling. They've discovered that having affordable health insurance is actually a good thing, even if many are still sore that the darkies and Mexicans can get it too.

Repealing ACA remains a dream of the Republican leadership, partly out of ongoing anger at Democrats successfully passing a social program and partly out of their ideological imperative to deliver tax cuts to the wealthy. There's also the Freedom Caucus that wants all social programs gutted, but they do not represent a majority of GOP constituents by a long shot.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#190710: May 26th 2017 at 9:33:56 AM

It's going to make me so happy if we get to 2018 and all Republicans have achieved is multiple failed attempts at undoing this one policy whose sponsor isn't even around to defend it anymore.

Obamacare is an albatross. The longer they case after it trying to hunt it down, the more misfortune it will bring to their party. There is no way to win this. If they can't repeal it, then every day they work on it is another wasted day spinning their wheels and getting none of their other policies passed. If they do, it will incite the public against them.

The only good option available to the GOP is to just let it be on its way and go do something else, but that would mean conceding defeat, and the Patriarchal Party of Toxic Masculinity cannot condone such weakness in themselves.

edited 26th May '17 9:43:38 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#190711: May 26th 2017 at 9:50:50 AM

sigh* People tell me that I should be hopeful if a Democratic candidate loses slightly less in the special elections. Unfortunately, all I see is a repeat of the 2016 election: Republican candidates doing everything possible to ruin their chances of winning and still getting the seat because no one cares.
Dude, this was a special election in Montana a deeply red state. I understand wanting Quist to win but come on, this was not some earth shaking revelation.

edited 26th May '17 9:51:08 AM by Fourthspartan56

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#190712: May 26th 2017 at 10:02:11 AM

[up][up]This [tup]

Let Obamacare stick in their craw until they choke on it.

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#190713: May 26th 2017 at 10:05:53 AM

"Honest question, but how many people do you think voted for Gianforte because of the assault, due to Republicans trying to demonize media and reporters (that aren't Fox News)? How many Republicans see it as not a scandal, but congratulate Gianforte to being a big tough guy and teaching that lying liberal a lesson?"

For what I see these two reason feed each other: they feel forte is a good guy therefore SOMETHING must happen because they cant see otherwise, some one guy in Twitter said the audio was edited with no basis Beyond "he was liberal"

So its like other guys said, not only there is a "war", but they are the good guys meaning they can explain and do anything because something else made them act that way, Trump and their suporter have a pretty damn case of protagonist central morality.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#190714: May 26th 2017 at 10:07:42 AM

[up] and anyway, we're fighting for them too. Even if they are kicking and screaming all the way. Remember that.

[down] exactly, this isn't partisan. It's just the democrats have proven to be more sane.

edited 26th May '17 10:28:36 AM by megaeliz

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#190715: May 26th 2017 at 10:11:05 AM

[up]kinda and kinda no, let not pretend the Dems are some enlightend party here, is just the republicans really low themselves into a cartoon level.

I recomend orwell notes about nationalism, it really Tell you the though process of Trumpers double estándars

edited 26th May '17 10:11:45 AM by unknowing

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#190716: May 26th 2017 at 10:12:37 AM

CNN reports that Comey knew he was acting on Russian info about Clinton but kept it private to keep the Department from looking bad.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#190717: May 26th 2017 at 10:14:16 AM

[up]He wanted to fall on his sword-I say we oblige him.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#190718: May 26th 2017 at 10:18:09 AM

@unknowing from what I've seen most of the votes were via early voting well before the incident and the incident happened so close to the election itself that the effect was probably minimal

Re: Comey, could this be used as a way to try and taint his testimony?

Also:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/25/politics/pete-souza-donald-trump-instagram/

Ex White House photographer Pete Souza is using his Instagram to post photos of Obama's time in the Oval Office as a comparison to Trump (ex:a pic of the Pope happy to see Obama)

edited 26th May '17 10:35:21 AM by sgamer82

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#190719: May 26th 2017 at 10:56:02 AM

Sources: Comey acted on Russian intelligence he knew was fake

Then-FBI Director James Comey knew that a critical piece of information relating to the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email was fake — created by Russian intelligence — but he feared that if it became public it would undermine the probe and the Justice Department itself, according to multiple officials with knowledge of the process.

As a result, Comey acted unilaterally last summer to publicly declare the investigation over — without consulting then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch — while at the same time stating that Clinton had been "extremely careless" in her handling of classified information. His press conference caused a firestorm of controversy and drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

Comey's actions based on what he knew was Russian disinformation offer a stark example of the way Russian interference impacted the decisions of the highest-level US officials during the 2016 campaign.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that this Russian intelligence was unreliable. US officials now tell CNN that Comey and FBI officials actually knew early on that this intelligence was indeed false.

In fact, acting FBI Director Andrew Mc Cabe went to Capitol Hill Thursday to push back on the notion that the FBI was duped, according to a source familiar with a meeting Mc Cabe had with members of the Senate intelligence committee.

....

In classified sessions with members of Congress several months ago, Comey described those emails in the Russian claim and expressed his concern that this Russian information could "drop" and that would undermine the Clinton investigation and the Justice Department in general, according to one government official.

Still, Comey did not let on to lawmakers that there were doubts about the veracity of the intelligence, according to sources familiar with the briefings. It is unclear why Comey was not more forthcoming in a classified setting.

Sources close to Comey tell CNN he felt that it didn't matter if the information was accurate, because his big fear was that if the Russians released the information publicly, there would be no way for law enforcement and intelligence officials to discredit it without burning intelligence sources and methods.

In at least one classified session, Comey cited that intelligence as the primary reason he took the unusual step of publicly announcing the end of the Clinton email probe.

So, as big as a bombshell as this is, there's something that needs to be pointed out:

If it was fake and the GOP were informed and they continued to push the email narrative along with the right wing media then we have way WAY more questions that need to be asked.

New Survey coming this weekend!
Zennistrad from The Multiverse Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: I don't mind being locked in this eternal maze!
#190720: May 26th 2017 at 11:00:02 AM

It's going to make me so happy if we get to 2018 and all Republicans have achieved is multiple failed attempts at undoing this one policy whose sponsor isn't even around to defend it anymore.

Obamacare is an albatross. The longer they case after it trying to hunt it down, the more misfortune it will bring to their party. There is no way to win this. If they can't repeal it, then every day they work on it is another wasted day spinning their wheels and getting none of their other policies passed. If they do, it will incite the public against them.

This would also be the perfect opportunity for the Democrats to start pushing for single-payer as a partywide platform, which IMO would be more than enough to earn the support needed to start winning elections again.

Granted, I'm severely pessimistic of the chances that they'll actually commit to this, but it could actually be a huge political opportunity if they had the guts to do it.

edited 26th May '17 11:41:11 AM by Zennistrad

carbon-mantis Collector Of Fine Oddities from Trumpland Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Collector Of Fine Oddities
#190721: May 26th 2017 at 11:11:53 AM

On the healthcare note;

At the moment it seems the healthcare system in North Carolina is completely boned whether ACA is kept or not. Insurers are abandoning the state, and Blue Cross (which so far has chosen to remain) is jacking their prices to unsustainable levels.

Had a chat with one of their agents; seems that they're aiming to raise rates on policies most likely to be used by people with chronic illnesses that need continuous medications. People on these policies now face a potential bill of $700+ per month even before copays are factored in; many diabetics and people with heart conditions (just to name a few I can think of at the moment) will be screwed since these are the most basic policies that cover meds that otherwise would cost them thousands of dollars per month (another issue entirely; the manufacturers of these drugs recently have doubled or tripled their prices purely for shits, giggles, and greed).

edit- One amusing thing to note is insurers are now seeing a rise in the number of healthy people getting insured thanks to the looming threat of an ACA repeal. "Oh shit, better get it before it's gone"

edited 26th May '17 11:14:39 AM by carbon-mantis

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#190722: May 26th 2017 at 11:23:01 AM

Some WTF stories not brought up yet

3/ Trump called the Germans “bad, very bad” for selling a lot of cars in the US.

https://t.co/cVHcLhkiYn

4/ The FBI won’t provide Comey’s memos to Congress.

https://t.co/uZCPsaykL1

5/ Senate Republicans are considering a plan to push the Obamacare repeal to 2020.

https://t.co/AQ3Dotg0Bi

7/ John Boehner on Trump: “everything else he’s done has been a complete disaster."

https://t.co/8vaboWbXNd

8/ Even Kushner's own newspaper is asking what the fuck just happened today.

https://t.co/bhqsNiymNn

edited 26th May '17 11:43:24 AM by sgamer82

Zennistrad from The Multiverse Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: I don't mind being locked in this eternal maze!
#190723: May 26th 2017 at 11:43:18 AM

At the moment it seems the healthcare system in North Carolina is completely boned whether ACA is kept or not. Insurers are abandoning the state, and Blue Cross (which so far has chosen to remain) is jacking their prices to unsustainable levels.

Had a chat with one of their agents; seems that they're aiming to raise rates on policies most likely to be used by people with chronic illnesses that need continuous medications. People on these policies now face a potential bill of $700+ per month even before copays are factored in; many diabetics and people with heart conditions (just to name a few I can think of at the moment) will be screwed since these are the most basic policies that cover meds that otherwise would cost them thousands of dollars per month (another issue entirely; the manufacturers of these drugs recently have doubled or tripled their prices purely for shits, giggles, and greed).

At this point I'd say it's unambiguously clear that the GOP is trying to kill people.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#190724: May 26th 2017 at 11:45:38 AM

The GOP believes that people who cannot afford healthcare out of pocket don't deserve to have it. That this kills the people in question is an ancillary benefit — clearly, if they deserved to live, they'd make better life choices so they wouldn't get sick. You know, all those lifestyle diseases like cancer and pregnancy and old age...

edited 26th May '17 11:46:11 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#190725: May 26th 2017 at 11:50:19 AM

So even Alabama isn't compleatly hopeless then.

The Alabama Governor Just Signed a Bill That Will Restore Voting Rights to Thousands of Alabamians.

https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/alabama-governor-just-signed-bill-will-restore-voting-rights-thousands-alabamians

edited 26th May '17 12:50:40 PM by megaeliz


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