September 14, 2018

"Brett Kavanaugh misled the Senate under oath. I cannot support his nomination."

I read the WaPo headline out loud.

Meade said, "Who's that, Captain Queeg?"

Yeah, it's Patrick Leahy. Meade was right.

To understand the Leahy = Queeg reference, see my "Observations from the Kavanaugh hearings" (Sept. 5) — point #9 on my 15-point list of observations.

I find the Democrats' fight against Kavanaugh so irksome. Have you seen Ruth Bader Ginsburg's denouncement of the "highly partisan show"?



I saw that first at Facebook, where my son John posted it. Ginsburg, in that clip, asked to compare the Kavanaugh hearings to her own, says "The way it was was right. The way it is is wrong." (I like the "is is/was was" locution.) At Facebook, I say:
The way it was in the past was how it should be, and it's become "a highly partisan show." She talks about how Justice Scalia was treated in 1986. But she never mentions Bork and Thomas! Wasn't that a highly partisan show, back in the good old days? And the reason there wasn't much pressure on the Scalia nomination was that at the same time there was the elevation of Rehnquist to Chief Justice, and there was what was arguably "a highly partisan show" about that.

I'm sure she remembers what happened to those other nominees, and maybe the questioner follows up about them. The follow-up question should also ask her whether her approach to answering questions (which everyone since her has used) was devised after examining the problems that had already been encountered. This good-old-days presentation is okay for a start, but if there's no follow-up, this should be seen as ridiculous.

207 comments:

1 – 200 of 207   Newer›   Newest»
Dave Begley said...

RBG looks very frail. I wouldn't be surprised if she feel asleep on the bench this term. That's probably why she asks so many questions.

RBG is another "victim" of Hillary's well-deserved defeat. She should have retired two years ago and let Barack name her replacement. But nooooo. She was waiting for Hillary.

tcrosse said...

"The way it is is wrong"

That depends on what your definition of "is is" is.

Dave Begley said...

There were NO follow-up questions as this was a forum put on by the Asian-American bar group or something like that. I'd never heard of such a thing. Tribalists don't question the Queen.

On the other hand, if Brett Kavanaugh pulled a prank on a girl in high school he's clearly unqualified. Today people pay to escape from a locked room.

Mike Sylwester said...

Of course, the Senate's Republicans should continue to follow the Biden Rule, refusing to conduct any hearings on Supreme Court nominees during a Presidential election year. That is a good rule.

In addition, the Senate's Republicans should adopt the Leahy Rule, voting against any judge nominated by a President of the opposing political party.

In accordance with the Leahy rule, all Republican Senators will vote against any judge nominated by a Democrat President.

If the President is a Democrat but the Senate majority is Republican, then no nomination will be approved. Period.

The Senate Republicans will apply the Leahy Rule even during times that are not governed by the Biden Rule.

tim maguire said...

So RBG gets one right. Senate hearings have always been a farce, now they are an abusive ridiculous embarrassing farce. As others (on the internet) have called for, time to do away with hearings altogether. There is no legitimate reason for them to exist.

Drago said...

LLR Chuck sure has picked an astonishingly scummy crew of dem/lefty co-sleaze merchants to advance his and their joint cause.

Setting new records for pathetic by the minute.

Caligula said...

The Kavanaugh confirmation hearings are secondary phenomena.

The primary phenomena are the continuing emanations from the penumbras of the Court's Original Sin: Roe v. Wade. Which remains a decision that produced an outcome desperately desired by many, but at a high cost to the Court's perceived legitimacy. Because even abortion-rights advocates can see the that Constitution remains silent on the issue.

Or is it less than "original sin" if is correctable? Can the Court's legitimacy ever be restored, and if so, at what cost?

Michael K said...

This is another ploy to delay the confirmation until after the election. This would allow Democrats in Trump states to avoid the no vote.

This is so ridiculous that I doubt it will work. It would also delay him participating in early deliberations.

Milo Minderbinder said...

Justice RBG is so very frail, bless her heart. The left surely must be very concerned that Trump will be appointing her successor.

Chris N said...

Captain Queeg has to navigate the Vermont, a freighter full of twenty Mayflower descendants, thirty French fur trappers, some grizzled old New Englanders, and a cargo of tree huggin landlubbers and flower children, hipsters and a crew of full socialist revolutionaries.

Perhaps, Althouse, after the season of hippie love dies away, a Queeg shall lead them.

A Queeg is what many deserve.

Sebastian said...

'irksome" OK, that's one way to put it. But at what point do the Althouses of the world decide that the Dems are actually detestable scum and that they won't vote for such scum ever again? Is there such a point?

"But she never mentions Bork and Thomas!"

Because then she'd have to confront the fact that it's the Dems that degraded the process and the GOP that has been playing nice, any least until recently, even with Kagan and Sotomayor.

When the Supreme Court turn into a nursing home?

The Godfather said...

RBG wants a "magic wand" to make confirmation of Supreme Court Justices less partisan. That's easy. All the Court has to do is stop usurping the role of the elected branches of government to decide hotly contested political issues. In Kavanaugh's case, the Left has this terrific fear that he will overrule the Court's abortion rights cases. If the Court hadn't gotten into the abortion issue in the first place, there would be no reason for the abortion proponents to worry about who is appointed to the Court.

Mike Sylwester said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gspencer said...

Like Leahy was ever gonna vote for Kavanaugh. Even if Solomon himself were nominated by Trump, no D would give approval, excepting those who are running scared (we're looking at you, Heidi, Joe1, Joe2, Claire.

Mike Sylwester said...

The larger context of the Kavanaugh nomination is that the civility-preaching Democrats in the US Senate have been slow-walking absolutely every nomination made by the Trump Administration.

It does not matter at all what position the nominee is supposed to fill and does not matter at all what qualifications the nominee does or does not have.

Simply because the nomination has been made by the Trump Administration, the civility-preaching Democrat Senators will delay the nomination as long as possible.

Let's call this the Schumer Rule.

The nomination of Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is just one more example of the Schumer Rule being applied by the civility-preaching Democrats of the Senate.

The senseless but maximal delay of the Kavanaugh nomination is essentially no different than the senseless but maximal delay of the Ambassador-to-Luxembourg nomination.

Andrew said...

Good Lord, is she decrepit! Trump should tweet about her imminent retirement.

Tom said...

The democrats look hysterical - willing to lie about anything to stop the appointment. This only helps Trump.

This is also a fight for 10-15 years of control of the court. If RGB retires or otherwise vacates her seat, it might be a much longer span of control. I wonder if Trump does get a second term, if Thomas might also retire and allow him to appoint a younger justice.

If Trump is re-elected and the GOP retains the senate, there's a chance that Kegan and Sotomeyer might be the only two liberals on the court for 10-20 years... well, besides Roberts ;-)

The Bergall said...

Ah, but the strawberries -that's where I had them. They laughed and made jokes but I proved it with geometric logic

Bob Boyd said...

The nature of the confirmation hearings reflect the stakes, which are high because of justices like RBG legislating from the bench. Don't politicize the court then complain when the selection process is also politicized.

BamaBadgOR said...

It would be nice if the majority of Americans could see the Dems' political Kabuki dance for what it is, but they will probably come away thinking Kavanaugh - who might be as good a SCOTUS candidate as there can be - is like the Trump caricature, a liar and sexual miscreant, meaning Kavanaugh's character has been successfully assassinated.

Kate said...

Holy crap, she looks ancient! I had no idea she was so physically deteriorated.

If I were a Leftie who put all my faith in controlling the SC I'd be terrified by her condition.

Trumpit said...

She is a hunched shadow of her former self. Sad. Trump will relish another hard-right appointment to the court to protect corporations, and wealthy criminals like himself from facing justice. The little guy has no voice. The nomination process is the only battle ground we have to vet a person for the high court. Bob Bork wouldn't have been borked if geniality reigned during his confirmation hearing. Clarence Thomas, a Harvey Weinstein type, should never have been confirmed. Why is Ginsberg's work for the ACLU an off-limits line of questioning? She acts like she doesn't understand what the stakes are for the American people. Her feebleness is truly sad; she wants to live in the past viewed with rose-colored glasses. Ignore her.

richlb said...

One of my biggest writing pet peeves is repeating the same word. The "is is" and "was was" would drive me crazy. I'll cut her some slack since it's spoken and not written.

gilbar said...

even for a reanimated corpse; she doesn't look very good. Maybe a new coat of varnish?

traditionalguy said...

Give her a break. RBG is one of the younger of the Democrat Party's leaders. Moses did his best law giving writing between 80 and 100 years old.

Freder Frederson said...


I find the Democrats' fight against Kavanaugh so irksome.

And I find the Republicans fight against Garland so irksome. Remember why this is so important, the Republicans denied a Supreme Court seat that rightfully should have been the choice of Obama. And Obama didn't even nominate some far left candidate.

Freder Frederson said...

The larger context of the Kavanaugh nomination is that the civility-preaching Democrats in the US Senate have been slow-walking absolutely every nomination made by the Trump Administration.

God I wish I had access to the drugs you have. Your life is so far removed from reality you must be high all the time.

The Crack Emcee said...

Ann,

"This good-old-days presentation is okay for a start, but if there's no follow-up, this should be seen as ridiculous."

That's what I said my problem with white interviewers of black conservatives is - they don't ask, or know to ask, follow-up questions - so the interviews become ridiculous to anyone but the conservative's fans, imagining they're getting a deep conversation on race. There's a kind of verbal slight-of-hand that goes on, like when I mention homeopathy and tim from vermont will say (as all apologists do) that it's "harmless" - they run to the same arguments over and over like I've never heard them - completely ignoring that it's over-priced water that's useless and dangerous as medicine (harmless as water or not) so there's still issues of theft (and other crimes) we need to do something about:

Homeopathy: yet another systematic review fails to prove its effectiveness

As long as the issue isn't effectiveness - he can fold his arms on "harmless because it's water" and act smug - but it's still being a deceptive NewAge creep helping cultists to hurt people.

I have a hard time grasping this is what we've actually made of our intellectual inheritance.

Michael K said...

Your life is so far removed from reality you must be high all the time.

Says the imaginary field marshal.

rehajm said...

Misled the Senate under oath is misleading, implying rules were broken. More like he told the truth and Queeg was to stupid to understand?

rehajm said...

I’m betting the over on RBG sticking around. She’s quite motivated to do so.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Drago said...

LLR Chuck...

Just because you see a punch-bowl, it does not mean you have to take a crap in it. Please stop.

Henry said...

☝️

Big Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gilbar said...

The Crack MC and I could not agree More on homeopathy.
WHY doesn't the FDA run PSA's telling people that if a 5X 'medicine' is recommended; that they should increase the dosage to a 20X dose, And Just Use Tap Water.

At the very least, No One should Ever need more than ONE bottle of homeopathic cureall... When it is have used up; just add more water: And You've increased the effectiveness .

Of all the places that our government wants More Control and More Regulations, homeopathy isn't on that list; why is that? People are throwing their money down the drain on tap water...

Michael K said...

If the Court hadn't gotten into the abortion issue in the first place, there would be no reason for the abortion proponents to worry about who is appointed to the Court.

Yes, if the Court had left this to the states that were already moving to legalize it with some restrictions.

When the history of the 20th century is written (assuming there is still history being written) 100 years from now, the Roe v Wade decision will be seen as the first step in the destruction of the political system we were bequeathed by the Founders.

henge2243 said...

I like the Stephen Hawking posture and the Howard Hughes gloves.

President Trump's 3rd Supreme Court pick is not far off.

Kate said...

"Just because you see a punch-bowl, it does not mean you have to take a crap in it. Please stop."

This.

Anonymous said...

This women is going to be making judicial decisions? First all I could think of was this was Steven Hawking in drag, but he has been confirmed dead. Ginsburg only lacks confirmation that she is dead. Where is the 25th amendment for the Supreme Court justices.

It really is not a laughing matter or a matter for snark. I could only watch the beginning and it was too painful. I find it very hard to believe that Ginsburg has the physical ability to read a brief, listen to an argument or write a decision. The Chief Justice should have, as any CEO does, the power to remove, or at least identify, Justices who are no longer functional.

Big Mike said...

@Crack, homeopathy is one of a number of things people believe that can and do hurt them. But it’s not nearly as high on my list of things to fix as it is on yours. MS-13 is an existential threat to ordinary Hispanic citizens anywhere one of their gangs establishes itself.

tcrosse said...

RBG is a well-qualified candidate for the Jeremy Bentham Chair at the University College London.

Fernandinande said...

"is is" is.

RGB had had "Isis is".

Michael Fitzgerald said...

"The way it was, was right. The way it is, is wrong."
That depends on what your definition of "is" is.

Michael K said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael K said...


The Crack MC and I could not agree More on homeopathy.


I keep hearing this and wonder if you guys know the history,

Do you know how the "Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906" was written and by who ?

Some history.

Founded by Samuel Hahnemann in Germany around the turn of the 19th century and introduced into the United States shortly thereafter, homeopathy was predicated on such notions as “like cures like” and the “law of infinitesimals,” whereby extraordinarily diluted products that in their original form might have caused symptoms resembling those of the illness in question are administered to patients in a highly individualized fashion.

Any of you heard of Hahnemann Medical school in Philadelphia ?

The next major piece of legislation that could have restricted homeopathic products was the 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. That law, however, focused on the safety, rather than efficacy, of new drugs, and remedies listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia were considered to have met the new quality standards. The inclusion in the Act of a reference to the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia appears to have resulted not only from the efforts of Senator Royal Copeland (D-NY), a homeopathic practitioner and sponsor of the bill, to differentiate homeopathy from quackery, but also from the belief among such prominent leaders of academic medicine as Morris Fishbein (editor of JAMA) that the distinctions between conventional medicine and homeopathy would continue to dissolve in the crucible of scientific investigation.

Homeopathy goes back to the era when no medicines, except a few ncient drugs like quinine, were any better.

gspencer said...

"President Trump's 3rd Supreme Court pick is not far off."

When originalists dream,

Kavanaugh will be confirmed, making it a Firm Five. Ruth Buzzy, who delusionally thinks she’s in charge of the length of her life span, may suffer a snip of the Abhorred Shears of Atropos sooner than she thinks, with DJT naming her replacement (yes, the Senate will remain GOP). Breyer, longing to spend his final days eating Breyers® Ice Cream with his grandkids and realizing that he will now be facing a Solid Six, responds to the loss of the Buzz, by crying, “What’s the use; I can no longer effectively legislate on behalf of the Democrat Party from the bench,” and resigns. The Don goes into action, and the Solid Six becomes the Solid Seven.

Then, in late-2022 or mid-2023, Thomas & Alito, each of whom will by then be in his mid-70s, come to DJT (yes, there will be a second term), announce their plans to retire, thereby giving the Don time to line up their respective replacements. Thomas & Alito condition their retirements on the Don’s promise to replace them with people in the mold of Scalia, with each nominee to be in his/her mid-40s. In time Roberts does the same, though he’ll be coming to President Mike Pence. The Solid Seven remains solid for decades.

gilbar said...

keep hearing this and wonder if you guys know the history,
nope, i don't Doc; thanx for the pointers

What i DO know, is that They are Still Selling homeopathic 'remedies' TODAY. Between them and 'herbal supplements', which need no FDA approval, people are throwing money away; money that Could be used to help heart surgeons buy new sailboats.

Nonapod said...

If you think the Kavanaugh hearings were a circus, just wait until the ones for Granny Ginsburg's replacement. No garment shall escape rending. No poo shall remain unflung.

Michael K said...

What i DO know, is that They are Still Selling homeopathic 'remedies' TODAY.

These decisions are made by politicians, not doctors. Votes and donations count. In Illinois, chiropractors are allowed to admit patients to a hospital.

I spent years on the CMAs's Commission on Legislation. You have to know who is making these decisions.

Saint Croix said...

Does she not know that it is Roe v. Wade that is responsible for this?

It's a Republican replacing a Republican!

But this Republican is a monster.

Why?

Roe v. Wade!

If she doesn't like the circus, she ought to mention the elephant in the room.

john said...

This circus and all the future circuses could be avoided with a simple change to the law stating judges shall be seated for a maximum 20-year period. Period.

Poor Justice Ginsburg deserves, and needs, to retire before she shrinks any more.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

RBG was confirmed 96-3 in the senate. Why? Because elections have consequences.

Now - democrats act like entitled to power fascists. and they lie doing it.

gahrie said...

And I find the Republicans fight against Garland so irksome. Remember why this is so important, the Republicans denied a Supreme Court seat that rightfully should have been the choice of Obama. And Obama didn't even nominate some far left candidate.

What happened to Garland was not unique or even unusual in the history of Supreme Court nominations.

Amadeus 48 said...

This should be seen as ridiculous.

readering said...

Remember Thomas was confirmed by a Senate with a Democratic majority in the face of highly credible testimony of disqualifying conduct. (Compare to Kavanaugh allegations of conduct in high school.)

Yancey Ward said...

Ginsburg's decline in the last two years is quite obvious. She may not die in the next 2 years, but I predict she disappears from public view within 6 months.

gahrie said...

If I were a Leftie who put all my faith in controlling the SC I'd be terrified by her condition.

there have been several twitter threads where Lefties are promising to donate their organs to her to keep her going as long as possible.

Yancey Ward said...

Readering,

Thomas got through because George Bush appeared in 1991 to be heading to an easy reelection; and also because Thomas was black. Had Thomas been white, he would have been voted down.

gahrie said...

Remember Thomas was confirmed by a Senate with a Democratic majority in the face of highly credible testimony of disqualifying conduct.

Bull fucking shit. There was nothing in the least credible about Hill's accusations.

William said...

She's no Jack Palance, and he, in any case, is dead. She has her wits about her, but she is strikingly frail. There's some suspense watching her in wondering if she'll get her next word out or if she has strength enough to take her next breath.......She's not the only Supreme Court Justice who ever stayed on past their expiration date. There really should be some kind of mandatory retirement age or a fixed term of service, and this should not be a partisan issue.

William said...

If Judge Thomas was unfit to serve because of past misconduct, shhouldnt the Dems have voted to expel Sen. Kennedy and impeach President Clinton?

Clark said...

If you approach her comments with a bit of interpretive charity . . . I think she would agree that the Bork and Thomas confirmations (or not) are part of what is rather than what was. Too bad the interviewer didn't ask her to clarify it.

Rick said...

Republicans denied a Supreme Court seat that rightfully should have been the choice of Obama.

If this were true the Constitution wouldn't require the Senate's consent. It's revealing how often the left's definition of "rightfully" turns out to be "whatever help us".

MikeR said...

"highly credible testimony of disqualifying conduct." It was not actually disqualifying conduct. That bothers me more than anything else.

Rick said...

There really should be some kind of mandatory retirement age or a fixed term of service, and this should not be a partisan issue.

FDR used this exact claim to justify his court packing threat which permanently degraded our economy and public institutions.

rcocean said...

Speaking of naming. So, now I'm supposed to call Ruth Bader Ginsberg 'RBG' - why is that?

And why is she always throwing "Bader" in there? Would she still have used her maiden name if it'd been Gopnick? Ruth Gopnick Ginsberg - somehow I doubt it. Of course, if her maiden name was Ginsberg, then she'd be RG2 - and we'd call her RG Squared.

Anyway, she's not leaving the SCOTUS alive. She's like McCain, she'll die in office.

rcocean said...

I thought for sure Kennedy would die in office. He seemed to relish being the "key Vote" and getting adulation from the New York Times. I have no proof, but my suspicion is he resigned only because Trump promised to appoint his boy "Kavenaugh" to replace him.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

tcrosse@8:34 You said it first, and best.

iowan2 said...

Remember Thomas was confirmed by a Senate with a Democratic majority in the face of highly credible testimony of disqualifying conduct

No. Not credible. Nothing in Thomas's past supported the lies as told by Hill. We were also promised by Hill, corroborating testimony of other women. Nothing happened. Nothing before or after supports the lies.

High tech lynching is spot on.

rcocean said...

One way to get around the "Justice for Law" thing would be to give SCOTUS justices a bonus for retiring at 75 years.

And a reduction in their pension if they don't.

We have minimum ages in the Constitution, but we need maximum ages too. Mandatory retirement for Senators, Congressman, and Justices at 80.

tim maguire said...

Yeah, I'm sure he agonized over this decision.

rcocean said...

The High tech lynching of Clarence Thomas was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen from the Senate.

Bork was bad - but at least it focused on his political views. With Thomas, it was a dreadful smearing of personal reputation based on fake, unproven accusations.

The Liberal/left really went into the gutter on that one. But then that's where most of them live.

roesch/voltaire said...

One difference is Ginsberg released all her files, and in the Thomas case I quote from David Graham"Three other women were willing to testify about being harassed by Thomas, too. But Biden chose not to allow one of them, Angela Wright, to testify publicly, instead releasing a transcript of a phone interview with her. Strange Justice, a 1994 book by reporters Jill Abramson and Jane Mayer, concluded the Judiciary Committee had failed to follow up leads on allegations against Thomas and had conducted only a cursory investigation.

iowan2 said...

We have minimum ages in the Constitution, but we need maximum ages too. Mandatory retirement for Senators, Congressman, and Justices at 80.

If the federal govt was restrained to its constitutional boundaries, this would be a self regulating system. They stay in place because of the power they have bestowed on themselves, The states take back everything not enumerated in the constitution, DC loses all of its power. Same goes for SCOTUS that finds abortion in the constitution. The States were doing just fine, the people making the laws they wanted to live under. What a concept!

Henry said...

One difference is Ginsberg released all her files

I'm curious. What does this mean? Compared to what?

Mary Beth said...

There was such a long pause after his question that, at first, I thought she had fallen asleep.

Birkel said...

RBG did not and could not release all her files.
Privilege existed for most of her work as GC of the ACLU.
roesch/voltaire is full of shit.

Michael K said...

Strange Justice, a 1994 book by reporters Jill Abramson and Jane Mayer,

was a dishonest hit job. Mayer has been a lefty liar since years and years.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

I call bullshit on myself for pointing out that there is no civility bullshit tag on this post. I suppose it might be said that Ginsburg is in a different category, telling her own side to shut up. But there are sides within sides. The opposition was not effective but I don’t think it was designed to be.

Michael K said...


Blogger Mary Beth said...
There was such a long pause after his question that, at first, I thought she had fallen asleep.


I did, too. The comparison to Hawking is right on and hilarious.

BarrySanders20 said...


"This circus and all the future circuses could be avoided with a simple change to the law stating judges shall be seated for a maximum 20-year period. Period."

Not so simple. Article III federal judges serve "during good behavior." Have to amend the Constitution to impose an age or duration requirement.

At what point the indignities and ravages of old age result in an inability to comply with "good behavior" is open for debate.

Curious George said...

Watching that RBG video, I think Trump should save time for everyone and nominate another justice and get him/her confirmed as long as we have the group together.

Michael K said...

readering repeats the leftist lies about Thomas.

Anita Hill was a weak law school grad who followed Thomas from job to job like a puppy.

I suspect she turned on him when he married a white woman. It was sort of the Obama syndrome in reverse.

WisRich said...

Quick, someone get her a Christopher Pike wheelchair!

Rick said...

Ronan Farrow has an article in the New Yorker describing the allegations as a drunken attack at a party.

Kavanaugh Accusations

Birkel said...

Yeah, Rick. It seems he and another fellow locked a girl out of a party. Tough stuff.

Using Ronan Farrow to do the dirty work of Trumping these charges up makes sense.
He has earned some credibility.
So now he can spend it on these ridiculous claims.

Nonapod said...

In the letter, the woman alleged that, during an encounter at a party, Kavanaugh held her down, and that he attempted to force himself on her. She claimed in the letter that Kavanaugh and a classmate of his, both of whom had been drinking, turned up music that was playing in the room to conceal the sound of her protests, and that Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand. She was able to free herself. Although the alleged incident took place decades ago and the three individuals involved were minors, the woman said that the memory had been a source of ongoing distress for her, and that she had sought psychological treatment as a result.

In a statement, Kavanaugh said, “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.”


Are there/were there any other witnesses to corraborate this? Is there any other evidence beyond this single allegation that Kavanaugh is remotely capable of this sort of thing (there's almost almost pattern with sexual abusers). Have there been any other women telling similar tales about him? It's going to take a lot more than one solitary allegation from a single person unsupported by any concrete evidence for me to damn another.

rcocean said...

If it happened in HS, I don't care. Unless you have a police report -

IT DID NOT HAPPEN.

There's no reason to give credibility to the smear, by going over the details.

IT DID NOT HAPPEN.

BarrySanders20 said...

Very Swampy. "Is it true?" competes equally with "Who leaked it?"

On the former question, if the accuser won't come forward then it's a dead issue. Which is why DiFi dropped it.

On the latter question, it was either FBI or one of the D senators. Which is why DiFi dropped it.

My name goes here. said...

Frederer said...
"And I find the Republicans fight against Garland so irksome. Remember why this is so important, the Republicans denied a Supreme Court seat that rightfully should have been the choice of Obama. And Obama didn't even nominate some far left candidate."

Scalia died while congress was in recess. If Obama really wanted to fill that spot he could have done so with a recess appointment. Garland (or whomever) would have been in that seat until the next Congress started.

rcocean said...

"Anita Hill was a weak law school grad who followed Thomas from job to job like a puppy."

She was also a left-wing Democrat. Of course, given the Black women vote 90% D, and Aninta Hill was a Lesbian that's not surprising. Of course, the MSM tried to paint her as a "Reagan Conservative" - LOL. After all, she worked in the Reagan Administration and taught at Oral Roberts. But of course, she only did that, because she had to.

I always found her telling of Thomas' harassment rather odd. And that she wasn't married or have a boyfriend during the hearings. Thomas kept asking her for a date, so why didn't she go on one? She didn't have a boyfriend. She didn't seem to know how to say "No" like most normal women.

stever said...

In life there is value in certainty. You can count on Patrick Leahy being an asshole in the mold of Kennedy and Biden. The fact the Democrats continue to trot him out makes me certain that the party is a joke.

Anonymous said...

@Nonapod Farrow includes a denial by a "witness" who was Kavanaugh's co-prankster. I hate to think of the number of women who could come forward and accuse me of a failed attempt to steal second base when I was a teenager. The number of times i failed is embarrassing and since I am not important it doesn't count anyway.

StephenFearby said...

"...In recent months, the woman had told friends that Kavanaugh’s nomination had revived the pain of the memory, and that she was grappling with whether to go public with her story."

So why didn't she make her move when Kavanaugh was up for confirmation by the Senate to the DC Circuit?

From Wikipedia:

"...Kavanaugh was first nominated to the Court of Appeals by Bush in 2003. His confirmation hearings were contentious and stalled for three years over charges of partisanship. Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed to the D.C. Circuit in May 2006 after a series of negotiations between Democratic and Republican U.S. Senators."

The answer, of course, is this is a Supreme Court nomination.

The New Yorker article doesn't mention her party affiliation. If they were able to contact her, they had her name. If they had her name, they could look up her her party affiliation. Her party affiliation is a material fact.

LA Times, March 1, 2016:

"A single, instantly updated list of registered voters in California became reality on Monday, as two final counties plugged in to an electronic database mandated by a federal law enacted in the wake of the contentious 2000 presidential campaign.

In other words, a database that was long overdue.

"It's been more than a decade in coming," Secretary of State Alex Padilla said.

The $98-million project allows elections officials in each of California's 58 counties to easily track voters who move from one place to another and to quickly update their records in the event of a death or a voter deemed ineligible after conviction of a felony.

The database will allow voters to check if they are registered at their current address, their party affiliation and whether a ballot sent by mail was actually counted."

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-california-voter-database-online-20160301-story.html

Vance said...

As for "Garland should be there because Obama deserves that seat!" I think it should b e pointed out that a whole lot of people think that Scalia may have had a bit of help in slipping off this mortal coil. Why reward Obama for that? Especially since we see that he has zero problems ordering things that violate the law. And he can't contain himself when he was ordering executions... why wouldn't he take out Scalia?

Conspiracy theory? You bet. Facts to support it? Not much. Plausible? Heck yeah.

rcocean said...

Ginsberg looks like a smaller Woody Allen with those glasses.

AllenS said...

"The High tech lynching of Clarence Thomas" was viewed by the 4 black men that I worked with at the time to be right on. None of them believed Anita Hill.

Bay Area Guy said...

35 years ago at a party!

An anonymous girl recalls you harassed her as teenager! You held her down!

No police report!

No name!

Democrat Senator soberly sends the anonymous complaint to the FBI! Not raised during your nomination hearing for the Second highest court in the land 13 years ago! But this is bigger! Very important! We must investigate! #Metoo!

This would be silly, if it weren't so sick - but that's how the left rolls.

I like how Kavanaugh denied the allegations - cleanly and succinctly.



LA_Bob said...

"Good Lord, is she decrepit! Trump should tweet about her imminent retirement."

I'm not sure I'd count RBG out quite yet. I caught a bio of her on TV at a friend's house the other day, and I was very surprised to learn that she works out.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ruth-bader-ginsburgs-workout-routine-2018-6

Birkel said...

RBG looks very weak. It would be a shame if Trump got to nominate her replacement.

Freder Frederson bemoans the Garland treatment.
Meanwhile I celebrate Harry Reid's decision to nuke the filibuster.

Obama remade the Fourth Circuit to look like the Ninth.
Trump is going to cause half the Circuits to look like what the Fourth was before Obama.
Decent trade.

Howard said...

This won't stick but it will help convince the low information electorate that republicans are pro-rape women hating cucks.

William said...

Are her allegations more credible than those against Ellison?

LA_Bob said...

rcocean said, "If it happened in HS, I don't care. Unless you have a police report -

IT DID NOT HAPPEN."


I can believe it happened. I don't know that it happened. According to the letter, she was able to free herself. This tells me he wasn't trying very hard. His heart wasn't in it. And, unless someone else comes forward, I'll bet he never tried it again.

Just a stupid thing to throw at a Supreme Court nominee when you have nothing better to do.

Qwinn said...

Can anyone imagine that a Democrat Senate, faced with the equivalent and opposite scenario of the Garland nomination (where a leftist justice died and a Republican President wanted to replace them with a right leaning judge with only a few months left in his term), and capable of delaying that nomination, would have meekly said "Darn, them's the breaks, and Biden was wrong, the Republican should have their shot at replacing our Justice."

Heh. Hehehehe. Get frikkin' real.

Any Leftist that claims their side would've acted differently should be discredited forever. It's not even remotely plausible. Look at how they're acting over a right wing judge replacing another! And they'd be doing it *even if* Garland had been appointed.

rehajm said...

I can believe it happened. I don't know that it happened. According to the letter, she was able to free herself.

Maybe I read too much into it but isn't one of the tenets of #MeToo to empower women to be unafraid to speak up rather than remain anonymous?

Big Mike said...

Conspiracy theory? You bet. Facts to support it? Not much. Plausible? Heck yeah.

Indeed, if we adopt the Democrat standard as evidenced by the Kavanaugh hearings then the fewer facts to support it then the more fervently it should be believed.

The Crack Emcee said...

Gilbar, Big Mike, and Michael K,

I know that history, but wonder if you know Homeopathy is a cult (There are others, BTW). If you don't think so, if you think "it's just water", then explain why Dr. Ben Goldacre announced at a Ted conference he’s making a documentary about all the threats of violence he gets over mere "water".

Michael K says "that's just politicians" like the ramifications are no big deal for us civilians to cope with. Fuck that. Explain the history of DSHEA - including the roles of the Mormons (including Mitt & Orrin) - without looking like a freak. We've discussed supplements. Don't get me started again.

And Tom Harkin declaring he wanted the NCCIH to promote - not study - whether alternative medicines work. Also, explain why the NCCIH has had a multi-million dollar budget for decades with hardly anything in return to show for it. <-Libertarian link, Michael K

Explain why the owners of the Anaheim Ducks are homeopaths who, both, took money from our defense budget to fund this "water" but also gave $200 million dollars to build a shrine to the practice until they got found out?

I could go on and on and on. We are in the midst of a nightmare. It matters because, as Jim Jones taught us, a society that can't differentiate water from medicine can be talked into drinking suicide. Voltaire said a man who can get you to accept absurdities can talk you into committing atrocities. We've all seen that. It's time to make it stop. My way is the easy way. It doesn't set up a Reality Czar. It doesn't take anything from anyone. It just treats the laws on the books already, and reality as it is, as though they matter. Because they do.

As far as I'm concerned, it's about as conservative a position as I can get, and still give a damn.

William said...

I take note of the fact that Weinstein, Cosby, Spacey et al were able to carry on for years without any negative publicity. John Conyers had a long career in Congress........The women who complained about Clinton were "bimbos". Stormy Daniels is Joan of Arc.......Women who complain about Dems are no longer called bimbos. I suppose that's progress. But if a woman wants true hero status and a book deal, she has to complain about a Republican.

Jessica said...

Wow, I had no idea how frail Justice Ginsburg was.

Qwinn said...

Jim Jones was a Communist. *That* cult has actually killed over a hundred million people, directly. When the population at large gives a damn about *that* blood drenched cult rather than mocking anyone who takes the threat seriously, maybe I'll have a minute to spare to give a shot about homeopathy.

Francisco D said...

"This won't stick but it will help convince the low information electorate that republicans are pro-rape women hating cucks."

Yes. The Democrats base is the low information voter who still believes that something must be true if it is reported in the news ... unless it's Fox News.

H.L.Mencken said something to the effect that every time he thinks he is too cynical, he realizes that he isn't cynical enough.

RK said...

When RBG finally goes to Hospice Care, maybe she can remote in to the Court via some Web meeting software.

JPS said...

rcocean, 10:25:

"Bork was bad - but at least it focused on his political views."

Sort of.

There were reporters going through Bork's garbage. They went to his local video store, hoping to find that he rented porn.

I won't repeat Ted Kennedy's smear. If Ted believed what he was saying, he was deranged; if not, as I suspect, he was slanderous.

Then there was this, from Howell Hefflin, who was "disturbed by [Bork’s] refusal to discuss his belief in God — or the lack thereof." Heflin went on to say that Bork's "life and life style indicate a fondness for the unusual, the unconventional and the strange."

Well, as Harry Reid might say, he didn't get in, did he?

Henry said...

a multi-million dollar budget for decades with hardly anything in return

That's kind of the point, right? If the NCCIH was using bad science to generate bad justifications for harmful treatments, then it would be worrisome. But it's doing the opposite.

I browsed some of its listings. So far as I can tell it's soberly reporting failure, as it should.

Research into alternative treatments can certainly be used by charlatans to promote them. But absent the NCCIH, charlatans will work what magic they can into their marketing.

Henry said...

I admit, the word "inconclusive" probably means something entirely different to a true believer than it does to me.

Jim at said...

Just shove the vote down their effin' throats already.

Enough is enough.

The Crack Emcee said...

Qwinn said...

"Jim Jones was a Communist. *That* cult has actually killed over a hundred million people, directly. When the population at large gives a damn about *that* blood drenched cult rather than mocking anyone who takes the threat seriously, maybe I'll have a minute to spare to give a shot about homeopathy."

You make no sense: you want to defeat a cult - by ignoring the subject of cults? Because they're not all the one you're concerned about?

I wish more of you knew how to shut up. You make the brain hurt. I'm not trying to shut you up, but wishing you knew how to mature. You honestly make no sense.

Michael K said...

Crack seems to be going apeshit over homeopathy.

The crazy wife of a billionaire gave $200 million to UCI to teach medical students about "alternative medicine" which includes homeopathy.

Integrative medicine aims to treat the mind, body and spirit of the patient and not just the disease. It combines Western medicine with alternative or complementary treatments, such as acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine and yoga to prevent illnesses as well as react to them.

Henry Samueli credits his wife for steering his family long ago toward health care that includes alternative medicine.

“Susan has completely converted me into an advocate for integrative health,” he said. “When I feel a cold or flu coming on, rather than run to the doctor, I run to Susan to figure out which homeopathic remedy or Chinese herb I should be taking.”


What the hell. It killed Steve Jobs.

After Steve Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2003, he allegedly delayed surgery to remove the tumor — the recommended treatment — for nine months.

During that interim period, he attempted to treat his cancer with alternative medicine, including a special diet, according to news reports.

Could such a delay in treatment have worsened Jobs' prognosis, and ultimately hastened his death?

The claim that Jobs decided to forgo mainstream medical treatment after his diagnosis remains unconfirmed. And the experts we spoke with could not comment on his case directly.


He had a neuroendocrine tumor which is curable. I have removed those.

The Crack Emcee said...

Henry said...

a multi-million dollar budget for decades with hardly anything in return

"That's kind of the point, right?"

No - we could've told anyone that without spending the money.

"If the NCCIH was using bad science to generate bad justifications for harmful treatments, then it would be worrisome. But it's doing the opposite."

Only because skeptics and scientists insisted it change it's ways - Jesus, you guys are tiring. Get informed.

"I browsed some of its listings. So far as I can tell it's soberly reporting failure, as it should."

Who needs a report on what we knew?

"Research into alternative treatments can certainly be used by charlatans to promote them."

And are - so let's shut it down.

"But absent the NCCIH, charlatans will work what magic they can into their marketing."

You guys are part of the problem. So open minded your brains fell out.

Qwinn said...

Yes, Crack, pretend that you cannot conceive of why anyone on this planet might have a bigger problem with the cult of communism than the cult of homeopathy.

You rail against cults, you think it's horrific that people don't recognize homeopathy AS a cult, and yet if I don't think that the cult you care about is a bigger problem than the one that's killed A HUNDRED MILLION FUCKING PEOPLE and has still brainwashed half the population including over 90% of blacks into voting for them, then I'm just stupid and make no sense.

Fuck off.

The Crack Emcee said...

Michael K said...

"The crazy wife of a billionaire gave $200 million to UCI to teach medical students about "alternative medicine" which includes homeopathy."

Wrong - they wanted it to be about homeopathy but were forced to change it.

Just like the NCCIH was about promotion before they were forced to change it.

You guys are more determined to stand up to me than to know anything. You don't know shit about cultism, you seem to come to homeopathy late (especially as a belief system) and you just want to prove me wrong - not find out the truth of anything:

People don't threaten to kill you over water.

Achilles said...

Howard said...
This won't stick but it will help convince the low information electorate that republicans are pro-rape women hating cucks.

You have to laugh when a stupid Democrat voter call other people who vote for Democrats stupid.

rcocean said...

Then there was this, from Howell Hefflin, who was "disturbed by [Bork’s] refusal to discuss his belief in God — or the lack thereof." Heflin went on to say that Bork's "life and life style indicate a fondness for the unusual, the unconventional and the strange."

That was funny coming from Hefflin, who always came off as a big weirdo.

During the Bork vote - all those Southern Democrat Senators who claimed to be "social Conservatives" all voted against Bork. If you take Kentucky + 11 States of the Old Confederacy, something like 17 of 24 voted against Bork. IRC, the only Southern Democrat who voted for him was Hollings. Had Bork got 15 votes from that Southern Group instead of 7, he would've been confirmed.

The Red State Dems are ALWAYS Frauds. They get elected by claiming to be social conservatives or "Moderates" and then vote the D Party line on every IMPORTANT issue.

Right now, the Democrat Red State senators up in November are waiting to see if the R's have 50 firm votes - if they do - they'll vote for Kavanaugh and claim their meaningless vote shows how "conservative" they are.

The Crack Emcee said...

Qwinn said...

Yes, Crack, pretend that you cannot conceive of why anyone on this planet might have a bigger problem with the cult of communism than the cult of homeopathy.

In America? I've never met a real communist in my life. That's how big of an issue it is. Meanwhile, I know three people dead from homeopathy. Contrast and compare.

Fuck off.

Qwinn said...

"I've never met a real communist in my life."

Yes, because you know the only way to recognize a communist is if they're wearing one of those little Russian hats.

Seriously, I thought you were stupid before, but with that sentence you've just been relegated to the most sub-moronic idiot I've ever met. WOW.

Rick said...

I wish more of you knew how to shut up.

Fuck off.

gilbar said...

Bob (or someone) said: I'm not sure I'd count RBG out quite yet. I caught a bio of her on TV at a friend's house the other day, and I was very surprised to learn that she works out.

So, i watched your clip, where the sycophant tried to do the exercises that RBG 'says' she does; and it was SUPER HARD!

BUT; I 'say' that i exercise everyday, with two a days monday thru friday... I 'say' that my morning workout is a 15 mile run wearing ankle weights... I 'say' that my afternoon workout is a 6 mile swim, followed by 2 hours of weight lifting... Somehow, i'm not losing any weight... perhaps what people 'say' they do, and what they REALLY do are not entirely the same?

Matt Sablan said...

"Even if Solomon himself were nominated by Trump, no D would give approval,"

-- I don't know; his most famous decision was to cut a baby in two.

... Was that too dark?

Sydney said...

Ginsberg looks like a smaller Woody Allen with those glasses.

It was Steven Hawking she reminded me of.

Narayanan said...

Soon enough RBG may be holding her head in her hands like Monty Python sketch.

Known Unknown said...

Leahy is 78. RETIRE, ASSHAT.
Grassley can go, too. HE'S 84 FUCKING YEARS OLD.


Go spend some time with the great-grandkids for crying outside.

Fernandinande said...

You shouldn't end a sentence with because because because is a conjunction.

Known Unknown said...

" I know three people dead from homeopathy."

Crack is Pauline Kael?

LA_Bob said...

gilbar,

I realize the Business Insider link I posted was not necessarily the best evidence. But I did see the TV bio on Ginsburg, and there was video of her working out. It was impressive for someone of her age. She may not be near as frail as she looks.

Michael K said...

I made the mistake of responding to Crack as if he was serious.

I apologize.

Original Mike said...

”I know three people dead from homeopathy.”

But I thought water was good for you.

gilbar said...

Hey Crack MC! Here's another outrage for you (or, for me; since i don't know if it counts as a cult)
There’s even “raw water.” One company last year reportedly sold “unfiltered, untreated, unsterilized spring water” for $6 a gallon.

Henry said...

Crack, the reason you get my response is because you have a compelling viewpoint.

But you are evasive as anything. Typically an argument with you goes like this:

You: Tom Harkin wanted the NCCIH the promote alternative medicine.
Me: But in actuality they don't.
You: Only because they were forced to change.
Me: face palm.

If the NCCIH isn't promoting alternative medicine -- if it instead reporting on the failures of alternative medicine -- then it's not opposing your crusade. Whatever Tom Harkin said back in the day is irrelevant.

And, in fact, since the NCCIH is reporting that homeopathy doesn't work and red clover is no better than a placebo and Ayurvedic medicines often contain arsenic, mercury, and lead, they are actually on your side.

Rhonda said...

I feel like I'm watching "Being There"............

Drago said...

Crack: "In America? I've never met a real communist in my life. That's how big of an issue it is. Meanwhile, I know three people dead from homeopathy. Contrast and compare."

Most people have a galactically larger circle of acquaintances than you and the preponderance of communists exists, ironically,at the upper end/higher "educated"/credentialed side of society.

Hmm, that didnt take long.

The Crack Emcee said...

Qwinn said...

"I've never met a real communist in my life."

"Yes, because you know the only way to recognize a communist is if they're wearing one of those little Russian hats."

I've lived in San Francisco and France for a good portion of my life. If I was going to bump into communists in America, I think I've been open to the chance. Actually, I do know two, now that I think about it. Big deal.

"Seriously, I thought you were stupid before, but with that sentence you've just been relegated to the most sub-moronic idiot I've ever met. WOW."

Yeah, wow - listen to me. Meanwhile, my stupid ass is concerned about actual cults I do encounter - check this out - from Los Angeles, where I was born:

"A ruthless megalomaniac who ran a vicious, totalitarian organization and who never prepared for a succession died and was replaced by another ruthless megalomaniac who runs a vicious, totalitarian organization today."

And they make world-wide hit movies and shit. Seems to me - since that cult is hooked up with "Screwy Louie" Farrakhan's - they're a bigger priority when it comes to my general welfare (and it's something normal Americans can deal with better) than Putin. But what do I know?

I"M THO THUPID AND YOU THO THMART.

The Crack Emcee said...

Original Mike said...

”I know three people dead from homeopathy.”

"But I thought water was good for you."

Homeopathy is a belief system - they're bad for you.

The Crack Emcee said...

gilbar said...

"Hey Crack MC!"

Hey gilbar!

"Here's another outrage for you (or, for me; since i don't know if it counts as a cult)
There’s even “raw water.”"

Yeah, it's a cult. They're not hard to spot. Ask yourself if you get a NewAge vibe from something. If so, there's probably a screwy belief system behind it. And anywhere there's a screwy belief system, you get the actual people who actually believe in that shit - and then all you have to sort out is how. If the shit goes messianic, you probably got a cult on your hands.

The Crack Emcee said...

Michael K said...

"I made the mistake of responding to Crack as if he was serious.

I apologize."

Meanwhile, I keep telling you to go play on your golf cart. Hmmm.

tim in vermont said...

Homeopathy is a belief system - they’re bad for you.

Empiricism is also a “belief system.”

tim in vermont said...

BTW, I don’t believe in homeopathy and wouldn’t go to such a ‘doctor’ just to clear up that point for you Crack.

Qwinn said...

Crack thinks worldwide communism is personified in Putin. He really does think if they don't wear little Russian hats, they don't qualify.

The stoopid, it's like acid.

tim in vermont said...

I watched a quack doctor let a friend’s cancer get so bad that she died. I still miss her.

Original Mike said...

Crack - in case you were wondering, I agree with you.

Mike Sigman said...

I listened to a video of her in the last 2 days and frankly, if that was my mom or grandmother, I would have them in Assisted Living already. She is having problems with mental clarity (as we all do, sooner or later) and should no longer be making nation-changing decisions. It's sad. Granted, it's hard to tell any older person when they've crossed that line, but she has and we're not just worried about her spending the children's inheritance ... we're worried about the law of the land.

Michael K said...

Blogger tim in vermont said...
I watched a quack doctor let a friend’s cancer get so bad that she died. I still miss her.


I operated on a guy who had been treating his cancer o the rectum with celery juice. He was convinced that more celery juice would have done it.

He was a Democrat candidate for public office in Orange County,. County Supervisor, I think.

The Crack Emcee said...

Henry said...

"Crack, the reason you get my response is because you have a compelling viewpoint."

Fine. I will try to keep that in mind, in your case, in this sea of doubters.

"But you are evasive as anything."

No, I don't like explaining things for years (I've covered most of these topics in detail on my blog in 2007-13) or going back to fill everyone in on obvious details I think most should know just through logic.

"Typically an argument with you goes like this:

You: Tom Harkin wanted the NCCIH the promote alternative medicine.
Me: But in actuality they don't.
You: Only because they were forced to change.
Me: face palm."

Several things: If you see a Tsunami approaching, sure, you'll talk about it in detail for a while but, at some point, you're just gonna be screaming "RUN!" and trying to get out of the way - I'm long past that point with NewAge and cultism. You see the NCCIH - now - I've been watching it for over a decade - and (while you see science) I still see a new director who believes in the totally anti-scientific practice of acupuncture. Now, if you see science in that malarky, then here's where I give you a facepalm back. Do you see where I'm going?

Basically, for everything you guys say, I have like 10 things I'd like to say but find it exhausting digging up old posts to verify shit any school kid can figure out: Is the magic water a medicine? No. But people are getting weird over it? Yes. Then ban the magic water. Why that's controversial is not a question for me to answer because I don't know.

"If the NCCIH isn't promoting alternative medicine -- if it instead reporting on the failures of alternative medicine -- then it's not opposing your crusade."

It's only been doing that for less than a year and it still sends out grants for people to practice the shit for them to "study". See? You should know this. Instead, I get talked to like I'm an ignorant child, instead of you're not informed - it's maddening.

"Whatever Tom Harkin said back in the day is irrelevant."

Bullshit. He packed the place with NewAgers like Trump's packing the courts with conservatives. It matters.

"And, in fact, since the NCCIH is reporting that homeopathy doesn't work and red clover is no better than a placebo and Ayurvedic medicines often contain arsenic, mercury, and lead, they are actually on your side."

Bullshit. They're enablers. Homeopathy was "regulated" on their advice - how do you regulate magic water?

tim in vermont said...

This one “scanned” her with a Geiger counter and said she read “high.” I asked her if she ate bananas and/or avocados and she said: “All the time, I love them.” I said, There you go, you can detect a truckload of bananas with a Geiger counter. I didn’t know she had cancer at the time, of course, all I knew was that her energetic, never sick self was gone. It still infuriates me.

Francisco D said...

"Meanwhile, I keep telling you to go play on your golf cart. Hmmm."

Crack,

We know that Michael K. is a trained surgeon who is undoubtedly well educated. You can certainly disagree with his medical opinions, but you would be more unconvincing if you indicated what your educational and professional credentials are.

The Crack Emcee said...

Francisco D said...

"We know that Michael K. is a trained surgeon who is undoubtedly well educated. You can certainly disagree with his medical opinions, but you would be more unconvincing if you indicated what your educational and professional credentials are."

You're asking a skeptic to respect credentials?

Man, you guys are out to lunch.

Drago said...

"...but you would be more unconvincing if you indicated what your educational and professional credentials are."

I think we already know the answer to that question.

Drago said...

In Crack's defense, Crack does have a self-awarded status of "science-y type guy".

So he's got that going for him.
.which is nice.

Henry said...

Homeopathy was "regulated" on their advice - how do you regulate magic water?

I suspect the word "magic" is okay, but "cures cancer" is out.

The Crack Emcee said...

Francisco D said...

"We know that Michael K. is a trained surgeon who is undoubtedly well educated. You can certainly disagree with his medical opinions, but you would be more unconvincing if you indicated what your educational and professional credentials are."

I know Michael K can't give you anything more than the most pedestrian explanation of homeopathy, and hardly anything about the downsides, beyond what you can read in the papers (It keeps people from getting immediate care - Oh MY!) In other words, all of his credentials mean nothing - because he's a surgeon - so no more of expert in my field (NewAge, cults, etc.) than I am in his.

I won't tell him how to cut me open if he won't tell me how to judge if he's the right doctor for me - which I doubt, based on the evidence.


The Crack Emcee said...

Henry said...
Homeopathy was "regulated" on their advice - how do you regulate magic water?

I suspect the word "magic" is okay, but "cures cancer" is out.

They're selling water for $30.00 a pop and y'all act like it's all good.

I swear, you all disgust me. I don't know why you expect anyone to respect you, the country, this life, if this is the best you can do.

Francisco D said...

"You're asking a skeptic to respect credentials? "

Credentials provide some information about an individual's knowledge and reasoning abilities. They are in no way dispositive.

If you are claiming to be an expert on NewAge cults, tell us how you achieved that expertise. It is a start if you hope to be at least minimally credible.

Qwinn said...

Communists have killed a hundred million fucking people in the 20th century alone, some of which were family to me, and you not only think it's all good, you actively trivialize it.

And WE disgust YOU cause we think that's more important than an utterly consensual transaction of money for a bottle of water? Cause we aren't setting price controls? LOL.

FUCK. OFF. You are literally everything that is wrong with this country.

Henry said...

It's like the underpants gnomes theory of outrage.

Phase 1: I'm outraged at new age!
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: New age is gone!

Henry said...

Crack, you never get beyond phase 1. I'm outraged! I'm more outraged! I'm the most outraged! I've been outraged longer than anyone else! I'm more outraged at more groups than ever!

Qwinn said...

And note: it was you that brought up Jim Jones. Over and over. When I pointed out that the central feature of his cult was communism (though that was glossed over by the media, of course), he instantly became irrelevant. You are a moron, and it is hilarious watching you rage and scream about how no one but you perceives cults while utterly blind to the central source of most of them. It's incredible.

Michael K said...

Are you people still responding to Crack ?

Go for it.

jeremyabrams said...

I stopped after two and a half minutes. I was embarrassed to watch further. The poor lady is worn down to a nub.

Birkel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Birkel said...

People bring up communism because it killed a lot of people. 100 million is a low-end estimate. And the #1 thing the commies wanted to do was control people. They wanted to ban things and control people.

On the other side of the spectrum are people like me, who think the marketplace of ideas works. It's more efficient than any known alternative. Better arguments made over time - when people are free to speak, write, and gather to consider the arguments - will succeed.

Every time somebody decides they get to control what is said, they find that the people who eventually get to set the rules were not the people the first group intended. Or the goals and policies expand to such an extent that terrible "unintended" consequences almost always happen.

So when I hear or read people telling me that something should be banned I am skeptical. Protecting adults from their own bad decisions has a long, terrible pedigree. And I'm not buying what the would-be-banners are selling.

The Crack Emcee said...

Francisco D said...

"Credentials provide some information about an individual's knowledge and reasoning abilities."

We have our words, here, for that.

"If you are claiming to be an expert on NewAge cults, tell us how you achieved that expertise. It is a start if you hope to be at least minimally credible."

You are a disembodied voice, in written form, on the internet - as is Michael K and everyone else - so, as such, you have NO credibility of any kind. And, as your inability to grasp that fact as you wrote those words prove, you're not very bright, either.

rcocean said...

The Althouse commentators are high on "Crack"

Go, Crack, Go.

The Crack Emcee said...

Qwinn said...

"Communists have killed a hundred million fucking people in the 20th century alone, some of which were family to me, and you not only think it's all good, you actively trivialize it."

I do no such thing - I hate being patronized. You say 100 million have been killed like you're informing me of something and not boring me to death. We're trying to talk about something people DON'T KNOW - not something we do. Get it? Good. Now shut up about communism. I told you: it's nowhere near me. Meanwhile, there's a lady operating a psychic shop on the corner who's exploiting the entire neighborhood, and closing that bitch down would be an epic way to help stop crime in this cesspool. That's my concern.

You can go to Russia and kill Putin.

The Crack Emcee said...

Henry said...

"Crack, you never get beyond phase 1. I'm outraged! I'm more outraged! I'm the most outraged! I've been outraged longer than anyone else! I'm more outraged at more groups than ever!"

Why do I picture you at one of the Democrat marches with a thousand topics of concern but focussed on nothing? That's not me. I don't see cults everywhere and I'm not complaining about everything. I want to fix a few things. Plug up a few holes in the U.S.S. America and - like Trump did economically - see what this baby can do, culturally, if we shed some silly ideas that have been holding us back a few centuries and, currently, seem to have us quite befuddled, if not suicidal, if the kids are any indication.

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Qwinn said...

If you think it's nowhere near you, you don't know ANYTHING about communism. Seriously. Not the slightest fucking thing. Half the shot you rant about was directly created by them. How bout you ACTUALLY READ ANYTHING about Jim Jones, "cult expert". You are an imbecile.

n.n said...

What's her motive? Be wary of the Twilight fringe, the Pro-Choicers, who are selective, opportunistic, and politically congruent.

Qwinn said...

I mean seriously, even the fucking wikipedia page on Jones would do for this. Christ.

The Crack Emcee said...

Qwinn said...

"And note: it was you that brought up Jim Jones. Over and over. When I pointed out that the central feature of his cult was communism (though that was glossed over by the media, of course), he instantly became irrelevant."

Please. I didn't care about Jim Jones and communism anymore. You know why? I've gorged so much on communism I'm almost sick of talking about it. I watched The Death of Stalin (the dark comedy) a couple of weeks ago and was surprised I made it all the way through because I'm so sick of studying Stalin.

You have all my motivations wrong and still you yell. Just shut up.

The Crack Emcee said...

You want to interest me in communism now? Then discuss Yuri Bezmenov and the KGB's interest in yoga.

That's how you get my attention. He predicts the world we have today - with people being too unreasonable to fuck with.

THAT'S what I want to talk about, as communism.

buwaya said...

I knew quite a few communists in my time. One was our family corporation lawyer, a friend of Luis Taruc, the Hukbalhap chieftain.

I knew lots of them in college, mostly Maoists, plus a couple of times I was a "guest" of the Maoist New Peoples Army.

A few of my kids High School teachers were communists of a more modern sort.

Communists mutate, they change to suit contemporary styles.

buwaya said...

The more typical sort of communist is not the "wipe them out in strategic famines or Gulag camps in the Russian Arctic" sort, but the characters in Vaclav Havel's "The Garden Party", or the type described by Milovan Djilas in "The New Class".

You can find millions of exactly this in America's enormous bureaucratic-corporatist system.

The Crack Emcee said...

Come on, tell me about communism and why I'm wasting my time.

I say it's y'all that's ignorant.

Arashi said...

(i know i'll probably regret this)

Crack - If you are so concerned with the cult lady in your neighborhood, why not organize your neighbors and do something about her instead of bitching about it on the web with strangers, or insisting the government do something?

Mr. Majestyk said...

At the risk of derailing this "Brett Kavanaugh"" thread from its proper focus on the cult of homeopathy, I say that Justice Thomas, although a great Originalist justice and only 70 years old, should retire at the end of this upcoming term. There is a Republican President and (likely) a Republican Senate. Who knows if that will be the case come 2020 and beyond? Don't make RBG's mistake, Justice Thomas!

The Crack Emcee said...

Arashi said...
(i know i'll probably regret this)

"Crack - If you are so concerned with the cult lady in your neighborhood, why not organize your neighbors and do something about her instead of bitching about it on the web with strangers, or insisting the government do something?"

If you can't tell, just from the attitudes on a blog, that that would be suicide, then you're not paying attention. Fucking Ellen and OPRAH love psychics. And NewAgers are vindictive (didn't I say they're attacking people over water?) so there's no independent BS for me. I'm no rich white dude with room to spare. I'm a poor black guy who gets eaten for lunch for thinking. Fuck that.I've lost jobs just for walking away from NewAgers.

Nah, fuck that. I've got my war wounds from tangling with NewAge already. I can't help but talk about it, any more than I can help talking about anything else that's so pervasive, but I'm content to watch the battle unfold with only my partial participation because, as I said, I got 3 dead bodies already.

Y'all the ones bullshitting about it.

narciso said...

podesta apprenticed his sliming technique under leaky leahy, he was pro soviet all the way, so the lobbying for Ukrainian interests don't surprise, I don't need to be told about bezmenov, my parents lived it, because if we would go back to the traditional ways that we have abandoned in our arrogance, they served this country in good stead for two centuries

narciso said...

well if needs must, we could replace him with amy barrett, but lets not jump the gun yet,

Arashi said...

Crack - Ah - so we are just a stress reliever for you - better yelling at us than yelling at the sky and getting the attention of the New Agers and Oprah. OK, carry on then.

sigh....

The Crack Emcee said...

TV crew reporting on car break-ins in SF has both bait car and camera crew vehicle robbed

I think RBG did it.

Arashi said...

"Crack - Ah - so we are just a stress reliever for you"

Why do you all think you're mind readers and oh, so perceptive? You're not. You're pedestrian thinkers who assume a lot. Jesus.

The Crack Emcee said...

Arashi said...

"better yelling at us than yelling at the sky and getting the attention of the New Agers and Oprah. OK, carry on then."

I mention 3 dead bodies and that's what they get reduced to. And then you wonder why I don't treat you well or respect your minds.

You're just horrible people.

Big Mike said...

More details about the alleged episode keep coming in. The woman claims that she's been in psychotherapy for years as a result of what Kavanaugh and another boy did to her in high school.

Somehow I find the phrase "been in psychotherapy for years" to be plausible, much more plausible than the notion that Kavanaugh actually did something to her.

Women lie.

Big Mike said...

And Tom Harkin declaring he wanted the NCCIH to promote - not study - whether alternative medicines work.

@Crack, you are aware, I hope, that Senator Tom Harkin has always been batshit crazy?

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Oh, more stuff for Trumpists to be outraged over.

Francisco D said...

"And, as your inability to grasp that fact as you wrote those words prove, you're not very bright, either."

You cannot make this up folks - a troll school dropout.

Even Soros won't hire him.

The Crack Emcee said...

Big Mike said...

"@Crack, you are aware, I hope, that Senator Tom Harkin has always been batshit crazy?"

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Arashi said...

Crack - I don't think we actually give much credence to what you think of us, individually or as a group.


As far as the huge Kavanaugh revelation goes, it turns out to be a very big nothing burger. But the damage from the msm is done, and since that was the goal, I guess DiFi can look at it as a successful political operation of the resistance. I do wonder if it gets her any votes against her dem opponent come November though.

Bill Owens said...

"If the Court hadn't gotten into the abortion issue in the first place, there would be no reason for the abortion proponents to worry about who is appointed to the Court."

The quintessential inarguable statement...

narciso said...

Chris buckley, just before the huntress deranged him, satirized the likes of biden and leahy, in his supreme court roman a clef, how vicious the riders of the night, were to any candidate that a McCain manqué, Vanderpool, would nominate, that's why he went unconventional,

Tom Harkin, flying out of Japan, pretended to be a Vietnam air ace, then like John Kerry in the sea, and Bonior on the ground, proved himself a Vietcong stooge,

narciso said...

so in this scenario, is Cavanaugh, james spader or Andrew McCarthy,

wildswan said...

I know that homeopathy rests on a discredited physics and medicine, the physics of Aristotle and the medicine of Galen where there were four elements and four constitutions and if your constitution was dry and you lived in a wet area you would be sick because of that. And homeopathy has some of that in it, only with the variation that tiny doses of the right element will counteract the presence of the wrong element. So perhaps, Crack, if you made the point to those who believe this, that that person and, more important, that person's children, can't advance in this society if they hold a belief in an outdated physics. That belief in homeopathy pushes out the possibility of a STEM career or a technician job.

Or, if NIH goes the alt-medicine route, perhaps we could persuade Ruth Bader Ginsburg to treat old age with homeopathy.

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