Trump's tweets this morning:
The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead...Cost of the parade that never happens, a rock bottom $0. Political reward: priceless.
....attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date, & go to the Paris parade, celebrating the end of the War, on November 11th. Maybe we will do something next year in D.C. when the cost comes WAY DOWN. Now we can buy some more jet fighters!
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113 comments:
Ah the old bait and switcheroo! That's the difference between an accomplished con man (and Trump is all of that) and the petty would be grifters who run local politics in Washington
D.C.
You should never kid a kidder.
(eaglebeak)
Very deft--combines a slam at DC Dems with a businessman's eye on the budget (not spending YOUR dollars that way, Mr and Mrs Taxpayer) with a strong pro-military message and a remembrance of WWI.
The American public does crazy stuff like this on a daily basis and, rather than address our insanity and the proliferation of fraud, we're arguing over a parade.
It's on FOX News right now.
They mock the real problems this country has.
Trump the builder asked for a bid. It came in way too high so the idea is will be back-burnered indefinitely.
A "conservative" CNN commentator demonstrated yesterday she still doesn't understand Trump or those who voted for him.
Part of the Omarosa story is she was going to be paid $15,000 a month for very little work. The "conservative" wondered out loud how many small donors would have liked their money wasted like that.
You know what donors to candidates want? For them to win. Trump won. However he spent the money doesn't matter. Mission accomplished.
Now he saves us millions and what do you think this "conservative" will say?
Nov 11th would be the end of World War I, "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month." Originally Armistice Day, now Veterans Day. I hope their is a big US Marine contingent in the Paris Parade. The US wasn't in the war long but one of the turning points was the Marine's Bellau Wood Campaign. As far as the US non-parade goes, expect to start seeing comparisons of the costs demanded by DC Government for the military parade versus what they ask for various and sundry anti-Trump, anti-American parades and demonstrations.
My first reaction when Trump proposed this was to laugh. I instantly knew he was trolling. Apparently a lot of people took him seriously. What makes it so difficult for certain people to understand Trump?
Now we can buy some more jet fighters!
This is how you get more Trump!
Trump is the Mohammed Ali of politics.
Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee.
@Crack
What do you expect to be done about snake handling? Yeah, its wacky, but I fail to see what it has to do with a parade. In any event, as others have said before, Trump is fortunate in his enemies.
I don't get this post. Who is he "winning" against?
Is it Trump versus the Pentagon? Planning was done in the Pentagon, right? within the military? How is it a win to communicate to the American people that the Pentagon and the Commander in Chief are at odds?
He's the Commander in Chief. He's the senior leader in charge of the military.
@GRW3 - If you are interested in WWI history, I highly reccy this great book - A More Unbending Battle: The Harlem Hellfighter's Struggle for Freedom in WWI and Equality at Home (https://www.amazon.com/More-Unbending-Battle-Hellfighters-Struggle-ebook/dp/B00850ZUTS).
If Trump were really smart he'd support a recreation of their emergence into WWI and get some reenactment going on.
-XC
What makes it so difficult for certain people to understand Trump?
Their "sophisticates." That is, people who never learned that you should always treat the people who prepare and serve you food with the utmost respect.
@ Crack
I propose a compromise. Let's have a snake-handling preacher parade in the nation's capitol this summer.
I don't get this post. Who is he "winning" against?
Seriously? He proposes a military parade. Leftist politicians and pundits come out decrying such a thing as bad because reasons mostly having to do with not really liking the military. Its an easy PR move for him. He gets to portray himself as the pro-patriotism guy and paint his opposition as anti-patriotism. The smart thing would have been to agree that it was a great idea, but didn't go far enough. But, that would have alienated the far left which actually is anti-patriotism.
@wwww read it slower
Ron Winkleheimer said...
"What do you expect to be done about snake handling?"
We could spend more time without game shows and sports and more time on herd mentality and critical thinking - it's IGNORANCE that's allowing the horror show that is America today - and many seem to thrive off that ignorance. Fraud is now a way of life here.
Does the paranormal HAVE to be the center of our entertainments?
Does someone like Whoopi Goldberg - who admitted she doesn't know if the moon landing happened - HAVE to be the leader of discussions on programs like The View?
Why is the cancellation of a parade newsworthy but another sexual crime in the Mormon cult can't get any airtime on television?
Stupid fucking white people.
He got a lot of people to stake out anti-parade positions, lists of all the entities who "hate parades" (troops, their COs, cities, logistics people) until it seemed like EVERYONE who might potentially be involved absolutely despised the idea. Of course, the idea of a parade is popular with just the sort of people the Elites like to make fun of, small-town folk, "hillbillies" (as numerous Althouse lefties like to call all of us), and pro-military families. It's just a coincidence that these same groups are also accused of being Deplorables. Just. A. Coincidence.
A Democrat Party controlled by sane, moderately intelligent people would have jumped in to proclaim that celebrating the 100th anniversary of the end of "The Great War" should be more than just a parade and would have suggested alternatives, but it seems to be evident that the party's leadership are neither sane nor intelligent. Reflexive opposition to anything and everything Trump proposes is a mistake. Saying that you refuse to normalize him is a mistake. Violence in the street is a mistake.
Bob Boyd said...
"Let's have a snake-handling preacher parade in the nation's capitol this summer."
ROTFLMAO!!!!!
Bob Boyd said...
"Let's have a snake-handling preacher parade in the nation's capitol this summer."
I'm going to be laughing at that image for the rest of the day!
I have long said that if Trump just tweets a few things about the Electoral College, as if he disliked it, he can get the Democrats and the Media (excuse the redundancy) to go all-out to defend the very very important Constitutional principles inherent in the EC. It's political Judo, where he is always using their momentum and their energy against them. They can't help themselves: they are reflexive reactionaries and he is the Piper.
To my memory, this just might be the most incoherent post in the history of the Althouse blog.
Trump, getting credit for proposing an idea that was never feasible and/or worthy of the cost and/or within current military budgeting and/or within current D.C. budgeting.
What Trump's critics said at the outset was that the parade would be all of those things, and they were blandly proven to be correct.
What I think this story reveals more than anything else, is the simplistic way that it exposes (as we have seen time and time again) the inner workings of Donald Trump's personality. I think Althouse likes that; and that by intent or not, we get to see Trump's subconscious in action more than any other president and maybe more than any other public figure we can think of.
Many people think that parades are the epitome of the phony, concocted part of any military. That military parades are a sort of military self-satire. Serving only the glorification of political leaders, usually autocrats, who have little personal military experience. (And that the people with the deepest and most personal military experience are among the people who are least interested in military parades.)
It's pretty clear why Donald Trump likes military parades. He was in an ersatz military parade, as an ersatz military cadet, before he dodged the draft in the late 1960's and avoided the real military.
By history, it stands to reason that military parades are a central function of Trump's Id. For me, that is what this story represents. Not Trump somehow gaming the nation's warring factions in the culture wars to his advantage.
Althouse, for a long time I was willing to take you at your word, that you were neither pro-Trump not anti-Trump but were instead cruelly, coolly neutral and were only interested in (a) Trump's messaging skills and techniques and (b) objecting to the worst excesses of Trump Derangement Syndrome.
No more. To me, you're a Trump fan. There's no other way to explain your twisting this bland story into something that supposedly demonstrates Trump's cleverness.
It really makes me hope that Trump nominees to the Supreme Court play the lead roles in reversing Roe v Wade and Obergefell v Hodges so I can write in an Althouse.blogspot comment, "Get over it. You lost."
They are saving that one for law and order or criminal minds,
hmm. I just read the news report. It's August people how many normal people are watching or reading the news?
If you hear expensive military parade cancelled, who are you gonna think is running up the cost? The military planners. Joe from down the street doesn't have power over the military to decide who & what goes in the parade.
whatever, it's August & Friday! Life is good and there is much that is lovely and decent in the world. It's
only a perpetual outrage machine if you make it that way. have fun at the Lake or pool or BBQ.
Chuck just wrote "Why I am an asshole."
It was spot-on.
How did they decide washed up comics like whoopi, behar, Maher and Colbert were the 'truth tellers'
@Crack
Snake-handlers have been around for a lot longer than game shows and sports. Have you never heard of them before? They also drink strychnine. According to Wikipedia the practice started around 1910. The Biblical justification they use is Mark 16:18. Anyway, not many people do it and the people who do probably aren't watching a lot of TV. I admire your faith in education, but people are weird and some are weirder than others. That's the human condition.
@ Mike
I'll go you one better. Trump should come out against Trump! The media, Democrats and NeverTrumpers would instantly leap to defend him from the unfair attacks.
No more. To me, you're a Trump fan.
So am I! I like how Trump exposes the utter idiocy of both the Left and the Republican Establishment. He's *such* an excellent troller of them, and each time, predictably: Hook, Line and Sinker.
NO ONE expected this parade to occur. And yet the Left/Republican Establishment spent considerable time/energy becoming verklempt about it. Why? Reflexive Anti-Trump Mania, which you yourself Chuck suffer from.
So predictable, and so amusing to watch.
What Trump's critics said at the outset was that the parade would be all of those things, and they were blandly proven to be correct.
And when Schumer and Pelosi say something is "too expensive" they are really really sincerely concerned about the nation's fisc, right Chuck?
Many people think that parades are the epitome of the phony, concocted part of any military. That military parades are a sort of military self-satire.
Do you even know anyone in the military, Chuck? Assembling for review and marching is something they do a lot of when training. It isn't satire or phony at all. There are legitimate reasons for these actions, for all the repetition, the marching, the "parade rest" and the review by their COs.
And of course, Trump raised this issue after visiting Paris during Bastille Day and seeing the French Army on the Champs Elise. He wants Americans to have the same opportunity to see and appreciate our armed forces, and show some love to the gals and guys in uniform. You're a stick-in-the-mud dork. You don't like parades then stay the hell away.
Chuck is still crying over losing the ability to keep gay people from getting married. Ludicrous meanness, paired here with utter flatness in failing to pick up humor. Talk about "bland."
And by the way, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, it won't be a "get over it" situation like when gay marriage became a constitutional right. It will only be the end of the constitutional right, and the pro-abortion crowd will simply refocus on getting legislation passed. It will invigorate pro-choicers in the political arena.
Ron Winkleheimer said...
"Snake-handlers have been around for a lot longer than game shows and sports. Have you never heard of them before?"
Of course. I don't accept them as normal, or acceptable, as the rest of you obviously do - and I don't understand how the rest of you feel I should listen to anyone who DOES think that.
I don't listen to crazy people or their supporters.
Shorter editorial from a professor of linguistics... actual words don't matter.
Version 2: The Trump voices in my head say the most VILE things!
I like it Bob!
If posts about Trump trolling the anti American left upset you, perhaps you should watch youtube videos of cats and laser pointers. Here is a hint: you are the cat. The left still hasn't gotten that yet, and it is hilarious to watch them meltdown. Trump is actually accomplishing a great deal. And the time he spends trolling people like Chuck amounts to seconds a day. But the results are wonderful to watch. I'm sure Althouse is trembling now that Chuck drew a line in the sand.
Trump could, tomorrow, laud the the tastiness of apple pie, and Chuck and his fellow travelers would spend hours writing comments telling us all the reasons Trump is an idiot for encouraging obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Again, Chuck- send the details so I can pay off our bet. My e-mail is twixella@aol.com.
His inaugural parade was a bust due to darkness (whose fault was that?), and of course the cameras were only on him and Pence.
He ought to ask to have one on Fifth Avenue and then appear with a rifle like Charlton Heston.
Sorry for the above. Wrong blog post.....
Crack said: "I'm going to be laughing at that image for the rest of the day!"
Mission accomplished.
The Crack Emcee said...
...rather than address our insanity and the proliferation of fraud...
Darwin might suggest* that we encourage more such people to handle deadly snakes.
While I agree with your opposition to all things cult, I'm not sure how to discourage it, beyond avoiding it myself, teaching my kids to think, and discouraging it when I directly see it in real life amongst people I know.
*Of course, Darwin might not. Maybe we should break out the ouija board and ask...
And by the way, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, it won't be a "get over it" situation like when gay marriage became a constitutional right.
Another instance of Chuck pining for things that are symbolic and mean less than meets the eye, as well as portraying the monocle-wearing guy from Monopoly, the arch stereotype of a "Republican" elite. Dude you are a caricature. GOPe all the way LLR. No wonder the Left thinks all of us hate gays and want abortion made illegal coast to coast.
(eaglebeak)
Snake-handling by no means reflects what's right or wrong with America today--it's been going on in this country, certainly in Appalachia and the South, back to the first years of the 20th century.
Whether it's a productive activity is another story.
Ann Althouse said...
...like when gay marriage became a constitutional right.
I guess I missed that amendment.
I don't accept them as normal, or acceptable, as the rest of you obviously do
No, I don't think anyone here finds snake-handling normal or acceptable. But I'm not particularly shocked by it either. It just is. I just don't see a practice followed by perhaps a few thousand people, at most,in a population of 300 million+ as providing any useful insight on society as a whole. Especially since the people following the practice aren't part of the majority culture.
Lets save even more money and let Omarosa lead a parade of all the people who have left the White House or been fired by tweet from the White House, now that might lift our patriotic spirits.
I don't get this post. Who is he "winning" against?
Is it Trump versus the Pentagon?
We know you don't understand.
This is the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. I went to Waterloo for the 200th anniversary of the battle. Thousands did.
The parade ought to be on November 11 but Paris is probably a better venue. Send a US contingent if the French want it.
Chuck is so predictable.
Lets save even more money and let Omarosa lead a parade of all the people who have left the White House
Another predictable one. R/V why don't you lead a parade of all the people living in your head ?
It will invigorate pro-choicers in the political arena.
In the purple provincial cesspits and assuming they can control their rage. In deep blue states where most pro- live, it's one and done or won't change at all. On the national stage, will there really be much of a difference? Was there much fuss before Roe?
If Omarosa led a parade of Lefties off the Empire State Building, I would bake her a cake.
I don't know any snake handlers, but I like knowing they're out there.
A world without snake-handlers would be a slightly drearier and less interesting place IMHO.
As with slavery and later diversity (i.e. color judgments), abortion rites (i.e. selective-child) will not be overturned short of a civil war, or a moral and scientific epiphany. There is also the possibility of an external intervention to end the practice a la the conclusion of Aztec abortion rites. Then, of course, we must consider a recidivism, which is historically a recurring phenomenon under a layer of privacy and obfuscation.
And by the way, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, it won't be a "get over it" situation like when gay marriage became a constitutional right. It will only be the end of the constitutional right, and the pro-abortion crowd will simply refocus on getting legislation passed. It will invigorate pro-choicers in the political arena.
States rights wher it should have been all along. I would think all 50 already have what they want in place. It’s about the benjamins now. Republicans should offer OTC vending machines.
I don't know any snake handlers
Me either, but I would be willing to bet that most of them don't watch a lot of supernaturally themed popular entertainment. Some of them might watch college football though. I really doubt they are watching "The View."
They sacrificed equal treatment (e.g. civil unions), so that they could celebrate another Pro-Choice moment (#Judgment, #TooManyLabels), the normalization of transgender/homosexual couplets under political congruence ("=") -- pick your politically profitable modulus. Perhaps the next generation will get it right.
Among other things, I don't understood why Chuck gets savaged on this blog every time he posts, it must go back a ways, because here is Ann piling on and calling him a crybaby because of something about his views on abortion.
Ann's been consistent in seeing Trump as an honest, decent man who is moreover a comic genius, and here she's laughing her head off at how funny it is that some people take the president seriously when actually he's lying! Ann finds that hilarious! He lies all the time and it's so funny to see people get upset about that! She and her readers also consistently crack up with glee at the kidnapping and caging of the brown immigrant children, the trolling of the slut and stupid black women, the trade war on farmers, Harley-Davidson and others, and especially his world-historically clever way of dealing with that arch-idiot, Robert Mueller. Hey, they better drop that Manafort case pretty soon, though even if he winds up rotting to death in jail, really nothing can harsh Ann's mellow when it comes to the president, whom she loves. Ann thinks he's a laff-riot!
I think it is a fine idea and worthy of the cost.
The French do this every year (Bastille Day), and it is always fascinating.
There are videos of each annual parade, I think, going back several years.
The 2018 one is around two hours, but worth watching. Its rather thin, in terms of raw numbers, compared to earlier times, but all the bits are there.
The Bastille day parade is interesting because it shows a sample of the org structure of the power of the state, a bit of everything and who runs what, as the senior officers of each command themselves parade at the head of a contingent of their men. It is a presentation to the public of the nature of state power. That the state has some of these, and some of that, and who operates and commands. It is not by coincidence that the President of France heads the parade, escorted by the Garde Republicaine, and takes his place on the reviewing stand.
The French have a great number of quirks, for instance that firemen (sapeurs-pompiers) are national service personnel and paramilitary. So you have fire engines, and ambulances, and firemen bearing automatic rifles. And there are contingents from the empire, this year a detachment of some African army with French officers (yes they still do that), and allies, this year the Spanish Guardia Civil marching with the French Gendarmes. And of course the variety of exotic regiments, from the Spahis to the Chasseurs Alpins.
It is educational, civic, and a great tourist attraction also.
Abortionists (i.e. selective-child) will invariably cling to the right to deny life deemed unworthy, inconvenient, or profitable (e.g. recycled-child, taxable female commodities - GDP inflation) under the Twilight Amendment. The same is true for other policies (e.g. [color] diversity, social justice, elective adventures, redistributive change) under the Pro-Choice doctrine.
I like this topic of snake-handling and I'm glad Crack brought it up.
Now your snake-handler is, in the big picture, a fairly benign species of oddball.
I mean, when was the last time a snake-handler shit on a sidewalk?
Or ate a homeless person's face in front of a group of Japanese tourists?
Like The View and college football, when you boil it down, it's showbiz.
I'm old enough to remember when an American President celebrating the French military would be considered somewhere between ludicrous and unpatriotic, but whatevs. Apparently Trump likes mayo on his Freedom Fries.
I'm not quite sure what we can do about cults, human nature being what it is.
Put all Mormons in prison? Castrate snake handlers? Draw and quarter Scientologists?
Yes, the truth is out there, but everyone's truth may be different. Some feel Jesus is the light and the way. Some think aliens built the Mayan civilization. How do you change a person's thoughts?
And why would you want to? Everyone having the exact same thoughts would be the end of the human race.
Snake handling? Stupid, dumb, pointless. AND...the snakes probably don't like it much either.
But..... People do and believe all sorts of incredibly stupid and harmful things all over the world. Adults in a cult, I suppose have the right to believe anything and act on it. The Hale-Bopp Comet cult for instance. Leave the children and animals out of it though. They don't deserve to be caught up in your "crazy".
I am the "snake handler" in our household. Occasionally, we get garter snakes inside our house. Can't figure out where they get in yet. Likely a gap in the foundation or other entry. My husband is creeped out by snakes. As long as they aren't venomous, I don't mind snakes or lizards. I think frogs and toads are cute. Don't want them in the house, even though a house snake is not really a bad idea because they will keep the mice away and lizards will eat the spiders.
So, I am the one to catch and release the snakes to the outdoors. Go forth and eat a mouse! It is harder to catch a lizard. They are fast little bastards.
Spiders on the other hand. Nope nope nope.
I think it is a fine idea and worthy of the cost. The French do this every year (Bastille Day),
Some people believe that normalization will lead to weaponization a la FBI, IRS, CIA, DOJ, PBS, DA, DOE, etc. that will target politically congruent -- pick your modulus -- domestic individuals and groups. So far, the military seems to be resistant to a hostile takeover and the insidious orientation of the other groups at the state and federal levels.
Abortion! What is it good for? Wealth, pleasure, leisure, narcissistic indulgence, corporate profit, immigration reform, and a higher GDP.
Chuck,
Everybody has a different sense of humor, so please don't ruin it for everyone just because you have a large stick up your ass.
The US Army, at least, is really closely tied historically to France.
Its structure, traditions, doctrine, tactics and even uniforms and weapons were greatly influenced by the French. If you dig a bit you find that the connections are ubiquitous. And this was so even quite late.
"I always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite. I also carry a small snake."
- WC Fields, snake-handler and comedian.
(eaglebeak)
Spiders eat tons of insects. (Of course, you want to avoid the brown recluses.) But most spiders are very helpful, even the great big terrifying-looking wolf spiders.
Looking forward to real story of cancellation of parade. I got behind idea of parade to commemorate 100 anniversary of end of WW1. Suppose participating in Europe ceremony better.
Chuck,
You obviously see what sorta folks read the stuff sorta stuff Althouse serves. This is a loop.
Not hard to grasp. But, fun to mock. If the loop was sensible it'd be boring/bland.
IMHO.
But most spiders are very helpful, even the great big terrifying-looking wolf spiders.
Intellectually, I know this is true. However, a big wolf spider with babies on her back Horrifying.
Outside the house, I leave the spiders alone, because they have their necessary place. Inside. NOPE.
Just a visceral thing I guess. Snakes=OK Spiders=shriek!
Trump wins again. Bummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmer!!
A stable genius? I think so. Also, I'm still not tired of all the winning.
People don't realize, that the onus/burden of a military parade falls on the lower enlisted ranks who can't get out of the detail.
Back in my day, aircrew were exempt from parade details.
It was great. I hated marching. I mean I loved it in ROTC, but that's because we had a lot of fun learning all the moves.
DBQ it's the spidery legs. *shudders*
The Bastille day parade - yes, watch it- is disproportionately officers and NCOs.
It is not entire units but contingents.
Look at their uniforms.
Part of the duty of soldiers, in the traditional way of things, was to be on public display. The embodiment of order.
"And by the way, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, it won't be a "get over it" situation like when gay marriage became a constitutional right. It will only be the end of the constitutional right, and the pro-abortion crowd will simply refocus on getting legislation passed. It will invigorate pro-choicers in the political arena."
That seems obvious to me and I have zero legal training. I really wonder if Chuckles is actually a lawyer.
This is obviously OT, but humor me.
I usually take a qualified pro-choice position and argue with friends that Roe v Wade was a poor decision made for political expediency. They don't understand how I can hold two opposing (in their minds) positions. I explain that abortion rights will be litigated at the state level if Roe is overturned, and that will energize the Left by bringing moderates into the fold. It would be the best thing that could happen to Democrats.
I now think that the political expediency of Roe was created by Republicans (e.g., Blackmun and Burger) in order to benefit Republicans.
"I now think that the political expediency of Roe was created by Republicans (e.g., Blackmun and Burger) in order to benefit women."
"I now think that the political expediency of Roe was created by Republicans (e.g., Blackmun and Burger) in order to benefit live women."
The millions of dead ones not so much.
you have a large stick up your ass.
There's been speculation he's on the Spectrum, or that it's a spatula or spoon.
Now we can buy some more jet fighters!
What an idiot. $92 million won't even (or maybe barely) pay for one F 35.
Just a visceral thing I guess. Snakes=OK Spiders=shriek! ?
A neighbor found a live 18 inch rattlesnake in the pool filter basket.
Look before you reach in.
We had a wolf spider about 6 inches in diameter in the garage and left him alone. They don't spin webs and eat worse things.
Blogger buwaya said...
The US Army, at least, is really closely tied historically to France.
I hope the French are smart enough to avoid the BDUs. They look ridiculous. OK for fatigue details but silly on officers.
I just got a big biography of DeGaulle next on the reading pile.
John Pickering said...
Among other things, I don't understood why Chuck gets savaged on this blog every time he posts, it must go back a ways, because here is Ann piling on and calling him a crybaby because of something about his views on abortion.
Ann's been consistent in seeing Trump as an honest, decent man who is moreover a comic genius, and here she's laughing her head off at how funny it is that some people take the president seriously when actually he's lying! Ann finds that hilarious! He lies all the time and it's so funny to see people get upset about that! She and her readers also consistently crack up with glee at the kidnapping and caging of the brown immigrant children, the trolling of the slut and stupid black women, the trade war on farmers, Harley-Davidson and others, and especially his world-historically clever way of dealing with that arch-idiot, Robert Mueller. Hey, they better drop that Manafort case pretty soon, though even if he winds up rotting to death in jail, really nothing can harsh Ann's mellow when it comes to the president, whom she loves. Ann thinks he's a laff-riot!
See, the thing is, Althouse is openly pro-gay marriage and pro-choice. Either one, or both, are such unremarkable political positions that ordinarily I wouldn't bother pointing it out.
My purpose is different; my purpose is to grind on the fact that Trump is professedly (for now; he wasn't before) anti-gay marriage and anti-abortion. My purpose is to drive wedges between Trump and Trumpism on the one hand, and Ann Althouse and the Althouse blog on the other hand.
For her part, Ann Althouse had an interesting observation about Trump. She thought that Trump "is pro-gay and is being cagey about it." And for my part, I said that I thought Althouse's observation was smart and probably true. And so as often as I can, I keep mentioning that for the benefit of the Trumpists among the Althouse commentariat who might not like the notion of Trump being "pro-gay and being cagey about it."
It is of a piece with Althouse observing that Trump has a uniquely (and endearingly) feminine quality about him. Once again, I think that Althouse is right, and I also think that such notions are like fingernails on a chalkboard for much of TrumpWorld.
Where the Supreme Court comes into it is obvious enough. It would be richly ironic for me, if as a result of Trump's time in office, a 5-4 or 6-3 majority of the Supreme Court reversed a case like Obergefell. More than I even have a right to, I would want to claim that decision as a personal victory for Donald Trump. Because (a) Althouse clearly likes Trump and (b) Althouse claimed victory when Obergefell was announced. It would be one of my small comforts from the Trump era; the reversal of Obergefell and the resultant discomfort of Althouse.
Chuck has a vivid fantasy life.
the resultant discomfort of Althouse.
I assume you've tuned out the tiresome commenters like Drago, but I don't get why you care about her political feelings that much.
When the Ones Who Have Partaken of the Red Juice from the Dark Sarcophagus finally arise, WE will be paraded through the streets. Also $0 cost.
Leaders lead. Commanders command. Stable geniuses win their chess gambits.
But old Man Trump he just keep rolling along, while Sessions slowly arranges the 46,500 sealed Federal Indictments taken against Corrupt swindlers and human traffickers and has Mnuchin arrange to confiscate the wealth stolen by the defendants.
How can Trump be considered anti-gay or cagey about being pro-gay?!? He invited the first gay speaker at the RNC. How does it get more pro-gay than that? Note that "pro-gay" and "pro-gay-marriage" are radically different things. I am gay and I don't support gay marriage.
As for the parade, I booked a trip to DC. Never been there, so thought it would be a fun thing to kick-off a week of sightseeing. Still going of course. (Is it even possible to get tickets refunded, these days?) Hopefully, he won't cancel the museums.
Note that this, however:
Trump tweeted that perhaps something could be scheduled next year when the price “comes WAY DOWN.”
and
[Defense Secretary Jim Mattis] added: “I’m not dignifying that number ($92 million) with a reply. I would discount that, and anybody who said (that number), I’ll almost guarantee you one thing: They probably said, ‘I need to stay anonymous.’ No kidding, because you look like an idiot. And No. 2, whoever wrote it needs to get better sources. I’ll just leave it at that.”
It might possibly be uncancelled.
Bastille Day parade 2018
Michael K said...
A neighbor found a live 18 inch rattlesnake in the pool filter basket.
Look before you reach in.
I once had to shut off the water to my house in Alabama, using the valve in the box in the ground out by the street. I open the hatch and reach in with the wrench, and as I'm turning the valve, a black widow crawls out, inches from my bare forearm.
Chuck was so happy when he heard about the cancellation.
Then Althouse had to rain on his parade.
Kevin said...
Chuck was so happy when he heard about the cancellation.
Then Althouse had to rain on his parade.
Not at all. I'll be honest; my feeling about Trump's military parade was that it was going to take place, but that it would in the end turn out to be like last weekend's Charlottesville-anniversary rally (with about 2 dozen folks turning out, versus a couple thousand protesters). Or like the "support Urban Meyer rally" that was held a week ago in front of the Ohio Stadium rotunda (where barely more than a hundred folks showed up).
I'm not at all opposed to the "military" part of "Trump's military parade." I'm opposed to the "Trump's" part.
Chuck, fopdoodle extraordinaire,
Could you at least attempt an interesting comment?
I could write your comments because they are so damned boring.
Type your first-ever interesting comment.
"It might possibly be uncancelled."
Maybe not in DC. Fayetteville NC might be better. Fewer communists.
Trump blames the DC Government for overcharging for the military parade. Whether he's correct or not, "home rule" for DC has has to be rated as a failed experiment. The Constitution provided for DC to be governed by Congress for good reasons. I lived in and around DC from 1969-2003, and practiced law there even longer. Giving politicians elected by the voters of a medium-sized city all the powers of a sovereign state government turns out to be as dumb an idea as it sounds.
Pre-home rule DC was governed by three appointed "commisioners". They did a decent job. I used to favor retroceding DC (except for strictly federal property) to Maryland, but now I'm not sure; several hundred thousand left-voters from DC might tip Maryland the rest of the way into the can.
"I guess I missed that amendment."
Amendment Nine: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
There should still be a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, but good luck getting a ticket.
Trump should stay away from over-exercising his weak brain by evaluating cost savings for a parade that didn't happen (nothing from nothing is nothing, honest) and consider instead the $2.5 million in transportation costs alone, required to get to and from France in November to watch another stiff-legged, fake missile hauling, march through the streets of Paris."Same old, same old," as they say in Queens.
And everyone who believes that the Andrews Joint Base parade didn't result as an alternative to Trump's parade idea in order to save the paved streets of Washington are really glued to every piece of fake news that Trump puts out there.
brotio said...
Amendment Nine: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
The Professor referred to same-sex marriage becoming a constitutional right. Obviously, if it just became a constitutional right, then it was not among those retained by the people when the bill of rights was ratified.
Althouse: "Chuck is still crying over losing the ability to keep gay people from getting married. Ludicrous meanness, paired here with utter flatness in failing to pick up humor. Talk about "bland."'
Every additional minute that Trump remains in office, LLR Chuck shrinks just a little bit more and incrementally takes on more and more the physical appearance of Rachel Maddow.
But in a "good way"....
Soon we will have a very small little Chuckie screaming about something no one can quite make out while waving postage stamp-sized tax forms....until a squirrel spirits him away...
My favorite threads are those where LLR Chuck makes am appearance to shriek at the heavens, wearies himself against the elements, slinks back into his cave to commune with his Dick Durbin blow-up doll and is replaced by the Junior Varsity Poor Mans LLR Chuck, gadfly.
This thread is, happily, no exception.
Drago,
The first sentence of your 11:46 was beautiful.
Bravo.
OTOH, credit goes to Chuck and Fly, too. Otherwise no muse. Not even any content. Nonexistent.
Ironic, right?
"Ironic, right?"
The waves themselves require rocks and land against which to hurl themselves to create the conditions necessary for "From Here To Eternity"
The Crack Emcee said...
The American public does crazy stuff like this on a daily basis and, rather than address our insanity and the proliferation of fraud, we're arguing over a parade.
It's on FOX News right now.
They mock the real problems this country has.
8/17/18, 9:49 AM
Crack, anything with snakes is obvious bushwah, but don't you understand that in America we have, we must have, the freedom to be WRONG? For being wacky-my friend, who looks wackier than you sometimes?
Preacher didn't hurt nobody but hisself. Perhaps the congregation will learn from this, better than if jackboots had shut them down.
Germany. On June 2, 1918, a division of Marines was sent to support the French army at Belleau Wood. As the Marines arrived, they found French troops retreating through their lines. A French colonel, attempting to acquaint the Americans with the realities of the situation and not trusting his spoken English, scribbled a note to the officer in charge of the Americans ordering them to retreat. The Marine officer looked at the Frenchman coldly and said, “Retreat, Hell! We just got here.” That officer was Capt. Lloyd W. Williams, commanding the 51st Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
Bad Lieutenant said...
"Crack, anything with snakes is obvious bushwah, but don't you understand that in America we have, we must have, the freedom to be WRONG?"
Sure, but you guys take this shit too far. To the point where no one is punished for anything but the most extreme forms of violence. Fraud, cons, even murder - you let all that happen just so you can claim to be good guys giving free speech to criminals - then you wonder why crime proliferates:
You don't teach or live by any other values.
Dust Bunny Queen said...
"Adults in a cult, I suppose have the right to believe anything and act on it."
Why would you regard someone in a cult - by definition an environment with mentally fragile and misinformed people - as still worthy of being treated as though they're correctly informed and acting of their own free will?
You people make no sense.
Annie C said...
"I'm not quite sure what we can do about cults, human nature being what it is."
Stop playing into their hands. They almost all do yoga. We've learned yoga does the opposite of what they claim, and - considering what we know it does do - we're in a narcissism epidemic. So, do we really need all these yoga studios in America? Why? When are we going to take responsibility, like adults, for what we're doing?
Homeopathy is water. Water with a goofy belief system attached that makes people threaten others. Do we need to sell it on store shelves as medicine for $30.00 a pop? Why?
I could go on, but my point is, we're playing their game and eliminating the game will at least temper the players.
You let cultists on television, on radio, in politics, they teach seminars, how retreats, and all you assholes can do is worry about their free speech - you're shameful:
Fact: When Black People Finally Figure This Cult Shit Out - And How The NewAge Left Has Fucked Them With It - Man, They're Gonna Be Pissed!!!
Now I've got to concede it's not just the Left: you're all compromised in the head.
Trump is actually a pretty skilled politician - though not normal in any sense.
When Clinton was president, I used to call this tactic 'winning by losing' - you make a promise you know you can't keep, but your base will like, then let the other side shoot it down. You get to say 'well, I tried but my opponents denied it'. It costs nothing, makes you look good to your base and makes your opponents look bad. Clinton understood this quite well - it looks like Trump does too.
Unknown:
(RE: Belleau Wood)
Which also produced the famous "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"
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