February 1, 2020

"It has always been ugly and a little nuts in our huge, complicated country. We last had a relatively stable consensus during George Washington’s first term..."

"Since then, right and left in the United States regularly vie for and lose power, frequently giving us deeply flawed leaders. And the world doesn’t end, even though it sometimes feels that way. As I grew up, I started to see the narrative pattern: Democrats were going 'extinct' in 1972 with Richard M. Nixon’s landslide. Republicans were 'finished' after Watergate and the 1976 election. In 1984, Democrats were really 'doomed' this time, wiped out by the 'Reagan Revolution.' Of course, the way Republicans are acting today means they will inevitably lose power, and for a very long time — an exile they will richly deserve. But neither party will disappear because the American center — that great lump of us clustered around the middle — always holds.... That lump is our national ballast. To survive, our two political parties compete for that center, forcing them to change as we do. They regularly miss the mark, which is why the parties, not the United States, suffer repeated near-death experiences, always followed by miraculous revival."

Writes James Comey (of all people) in "Trump won’t be removed. But we’ll be fine" (WaPo).

I agree with some of that, but certainly not the part about the Republicans inevitably losing power. That's a talking point today, I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections.

248 comments:

1 – 200 of 248   Newer›   Newest»
mccullough said...

Trump is the center.

rhhardin said...

It's about what frightens women most. Always look for somebody who seems to mean well, is their rule.

Mattman26 said...

Right. It is in the nature of humans that if your party holds power long enough, it will eventually overreach and then lose power. That whole pendulum thing.

But the idea that Republicans today are behaving in a way to show that the “shift” is afoot? Not that I can see.

mccullough said...

The ridiculous amount of illegal immigration that both parties allowed has changed the country.

California is a shithole now propped up by some white billionaires in Silicon Valley.

Comey is a fucking moron.

Lucid-Ideas said...

"that lump is our national ballast"

That lump he speaks of is the lump so thoroughly disgusted by Obama's lies it voted in huge numbers for Trump and will do so again. And it will never vote for Democrats again. Hillary lost the election and they lost their masks. We know who they are now.

I want this guy prosecuted in the worst way.

Mattman26 said...

Maybe Comey should see a doctor and get that lump checked out.

pacwest said...

Wasn't the Republican wisdom that they needed a bigger tent? Take a look at Trump rallies. The tents don't get much bigger. Maybe the absence of LLRs is more welcoming.

chickelit said...

Comey is for the Lumpenproletariat

chickelit said...

It's curtains for wallflower Comey.

Night Owl said...

"That lump is our national ballast."

The lumpen proletariat.

Night Owl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amadeus 48 said...

Comey may rodge prosecution for everything dxcept his memo leak. I doubt you’ll find his fingerprints on any FISA antics. I’d love to know the story behind the Rosenstein memo about what Comey did wrong with the Hillary investigation.

The Vault Dweller said...

Who is this article aimed at? I can't imagine many on the left can take solace in anything James Comey says. To the extent there are positive feelings for Comey on the left, or rather I suppose non-negative feelings would be more accurate, they are almost assuredly of the enemy of my enemy variety. Is Comey looked up to by small percentage of people who consider themselves Republican but loathe Trump? I don't know, but I doubt it. Something tells me it's the same deal where he is viewed as the enemy of my enemy type.

His analysis also has a very short perspective on history. Though it references the stability of George Washington and his first term in office, it then immediately jumps to Watergate. This leaves out a lot of history of division in America. Most notably the Civil war where our divisiveness was so bad that we killed 600,000 of ourselves. He also seems to try to reassure people that their party isn't done with even if it feels that way. What happened to the Federalist party, the Democratic-Republican party, the Whig party, the Bull Moose party?

James Comey is not an impressive man.

Limited blogger said...

They're gonna run James Comey out as some type of thought leader? Good luck with that.

Inga said...

“I agree with some of that, but certainly not the part about the Republicans inevitably losing power. That's a talking point today, I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections.”

True. Republicans aren’t going anywhere, they’ll just be in the minority for the next 8 years after 2020. I think it’ll be such a huge loss for them that Democrats will win the Presidency, the House and the Senate. 2018 was a referendum on Trump and 2020 will be more so.

Amadeus 48 said...

Typing in a gan on I 70. Sorry about the typos.

Amadeus 48 said...

Van not gan.

rhhardin said...

Maybe it moves like a compound pendulum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=075M51RrwR0

The Vault Dweller said...

2018 was a referendum on Trump and 2020 will be more so.

So the American people want a divided Congress so Trump can't get all his policies through, but want the Senate in Republican hands, so that the Federal Judiciary can be filled with conservative judges?

Yancey Ward said...

The first comment in this thread is the one you need to grok, and it is the one that the Democrats in particular are confused on- Trump is in the center here- if he weren't, Clinton would not have lost in the midwest in 2016. Trump coalition is very different from that of George W. Bush.

The second biggest piece of evidence for McCullough being right is that Trump's domination of the center has pushed the Democrats very far Left- they move that far Left because of their reflexive need to oppose every position Trump takes.

Not Sure said...

Deep Thoughts from the Deep State.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Comey is speaking from the middle of "not a scintilla of corruption" land, currently defined as a failed coup. He was a pivot man on the circle jerk. it is for people like Comey and Brennan that gibbets were used.

Francisco D said...

Hey Inga,

I see you are back from your little misadventure down in Florida.

Did you work out your little misunderstanding with the secret service? I hope they were respectful of you.

Next year you might consider the Bahamas for a winter getaway. Mar-a-Lago gets crowded this time of year.

Cheers.

David Begley said...

Comey obstructed justice with his point shaved investigation of Hillary’s emails. He then lied on a FISA application on Carter Page. He belongs in jail.

Yancey Ward said...

Democrats try to take solace in the 2018 midterms- see Inga above. However, if the Mueller Report had been released in September of 2018 instead of April 2019, the election would have been very, very different. Indeed, since the publication of the Mueller Report, Trump's polling results have done nothing but improve- he now has higher approval ratings than he did on November 8th 2016! People called Reagan the Teflon President- maybe we should call Trump the Kevlar one.

Bob Boyd said...

Comey's a disgrace.

David Begley said...

Comey also destroyed the FBI’s reputation.

rehajm said...

I know there's many people that like to think of themselves as 'centrists' but I've never bought in to this idea of a soft mushy middle of the road electorate or pivoting to the center after the primaries as a key to victory. Obama never pivoted. He pulled non-voters off the sidelines. Reagan didn't pivot either, And how many times have the options been so awful people skip voting for President or forget to go to the polls?

FleetUSA said...

Comey is the MSM's useful idiot. He should enjoy retirement while it lasts.

rehajm said...

In his examples Comey left out the cocksure Democrats in 2016. Conveniently...

Yancey Ward said...

I think 2020 is going to be the mirror image of the 1996 election- it might even have a strong 3rd party run on the Left that mirrors Ross Perot's run on the right in 1996. I think it might well have a similar kind of mirrored result in Congress- with Republicans picking up a few House seats and losing a few Senate seats.

Sebastian said...

"the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections"

In which case we won't be "fine."

Breezy said...

It sounds like he’s resigned to four more years.

Amadeus 48 said...

Inga—get those bets down. There is money to be made. Personally, I think 2020 is shaping up well for the GOP. An objective person would say the Dems have just made fools of themselves and shown extremely poor political judgment. They turned a minor campaign issue into an impeachment and are behaving in a most deranged way in the aftermath of their pratfall.

But maybe you are right. 2018 was certainly ugly. But now the Dems have pulled this stunt. so everything is up for grabs in 2020. Obama certainly couldn’t get where he wanted to go in 2012, although he was easily re-elected.

Actually, I think 2024 is the one to watch. Succession is the hardest thing in most organizations. The Dems have to come back to the center, but if they do, they’ll have a good chance to get their message out free of TDS.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

Trump routinely fills up venues at his rallies with huge overflows outside enduing horrible weather just so they can watch him in a giant monitor and be part of the experience. Those crowds have large percentages that are independents and Democrats. Over 30% of blacks approve of Trump. The economy is roaring, employment is at record lows, wages for the working and middle class are rising, 401Ks and other retirement funds are doing great, hell more people think race relations are better now than they were under Obama, and to top it all off, the Democrats and the media, but I repeat myself, are making the very same mistakes that cost them 2016.

Trumpslide 2020.

Wince said...
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Sebastian said...

"It's about what frightens women most. Always look for somebody who seems to mean well, is their rule."

Someone "serious," "competent." Someone to affirm that the female voter is a Nice Person, a Sensible Person. You know the drill, repeatedly illustrated by Althouse.

Trump overcame that in 2016. Can he do it again?

Inga said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Harsh Pencil said...

The entire idea of former intelligence community (FBI, CIA, NSA) leaders speaking about politics is dangerous. We trust these agencies with enormous powers and we can't do that if they become seen as captured by politics. If I had to choose between no or very weak intelligence agencies or the politicized strong agencies we have now, I'd choose the former. But I really wish we could have
strong intelligence agencies which can be trusted. (Yes, beggars riding and all that.)

Wince said...

I don't think Althouse said what Inga thinks Althouse said...

Althouse said...
“I agree with some of that, but certainly not the part about the Republicans inevitably losing power. That's a talking point today, I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections.”

Inga said...
True. Republicans aren’t going anywhere, they’ll just be in the minority for the next 8 years after 2020. I think it’ll be such a huge loss for them that Democrats will win the Presidency, the House and the Senate. 2018 was a referendum on Trump and 2020 will be more so.

Yancey Ward said...

Inga,

Are you trying to say that is what Althouse believes? If so, you are again showing your complete inability to comprehend what you read.

The Vault Dweller said...

The second biggest piece of evidence for McCullough being right is that Trump's domination of the center has pushed the Democrats very far Left- they move that far Left because of their reflexive need to oppose every position Trump takes.

I think the Democrat's move to the left is more reflective of the changing composition of the democrat voter base. Most notably the addition of people who were in college or college-aged ten or fewer years ago. Politics is downstream of culture and the culture on the left has been changing. The importance of identity politics has skyrocketed on the left. And the left, young left at least, has somewhat given up on traditional liberal values like freedom of speech. There is an organization called FIRE that works to protect peoples ability to speak freely and openly on college and university campuses. One of their top members was giving an interview and said that when they first started out, what they were dealing with was busy-bodied administrators shutting things down or developing speech codes etc. When they went to campuses they almost always found that nearly all the students had strong support for all people being able to express themselves. They said this started changing around 2010, 2011, 2012 or so. Then they started seeing large groups of students who wanted speaking events shut down to protect people's sensibilities. Those same people are now in their late 20's or early 30's and beginning to wield more and more influence on the Democratic party.

I see people in the Democratic party like Nancy Pelosi more of in a position of trying to assuage the left of her party , but keep the dems somewhat near the center. I don't think Nancy Pelosi wanted to do an impeachment at all. But the rise of AOC and the squad was having her outflanked on the left by young insurgents who if they or people like them got control of the Democrat party would most likely lead it into political powerlessness on a national level. I think Nancy ran with impeachment to protect her left flank in the party. Not because she thought it was good politics for the Dems. And I think the outcome of the impeachment, politically, shows she was right. While I don't like Nancy Pelosi's positions at all, she isn't a dumb woman and is a fairly competent politician.

Anonymous said...

...that great lump of us clustered around the middle.

"Us".

"We've tried very hard in the last decades to bully and gaslight everybody in the great lump into thinking that everybody *else* in the great lump is totes in agreement with our woke, globalist, Clown World fringe agenda, but we've had a bit of a setback lately and need to lie low for a while, so...

...How do you do, fellow centrists!"

Inga said...

“I don't think Althouse said what Inga thinks Althouse said...”

The word “true” is a singular word in a singular sentence in which I agreed with Althouse. The second sentence was my own thoughts not a paraphrase of hers.

Jeff Weimer said...

What Inga doesn't understand is that it's *Democrats* who are overreaching here since 2018 - the impeachment is the prime example. I think she'll be unpleasantly surprised come November.

Inga said...

“Inga,

Are you trying to say that is what Althouse believes? If so, you are again showing your complete inability to comprehend what you read.”

No, dumbass.

The word “true” is a singular word in a singular sentence in which I agreed with Althouse. The second sentence was my own thoughts not a paraphrase of hers.

Amadeus 48 said...

Althouse’s sentence has to be read carefully. She is citing a current talking point, not her personal belief.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

Are Bernie Bros going to vote for the Democrat nominee after the DNS cheats Bernie out of it again? The DNC is already changing the rules to help enable Bloomberg's candidacy. The DNC nominee is going to be either Bernie, Biden, or possibly Bloomberg. Bernie is a Marxist, Biden is a creepy old man who threatens voters and says strange things and is corrupt as hell. Neither one of them can beat Trump and no way Bloomberg gets the votes of the Bernie Bros.

Anonymous said...

Am 48: Typing in a gan on I 70. Sorry about the typos.

You're not at the wheel, are you?

whitney said...

The trope is the media are out of touch with the people. Fingers crossed that that is true and will be definitively shown at the next election and the media will once again be providing sweet delicious tears for our enjoyable consumption

rcocean said...

So says Comey the former "Life Long Republican"

Comey seems unmatched in issuing pompous, moralistic, cliches. The man was fired because he misused his power as FBI director to attack his boss, the POTUS. Oh, and because he leaked classified information to make himself look good. He also is known for his slippery, weaselly language, which ventures just up to the line of outright lies. He's about as dishonest as can get without telling bald-faced "The sun rises in the West" untruths.

That people take his moral signally seriously shows how low we've fallen.

rcocean said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Inga said...

“Althouse’s sentence has to be read carefully. She is citing a current talking point, not her personal belief.”

“That's a talking point today, I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections.”

Yes, true it’s a talking point and I understand that is what she meant. I agreed with her that it’s a talking point. I however agree with that talking point and I’m not saying that is what she herself believes, however she didn’t actually say if she agrees with that talking point or not.

Yancey Ward said...

Then your reply to me makes no sense, Inga- why did you quote Althouse back to me like that? It is a complete non sequitur.

rcocean said...

"Its always been ugly and a little nuts in our Country"

What a bizarre way to talk about the USA. The fact is that after end of Reconstruction there was a consensus that lasted all the way to 1932, with a little blip for WW1 and treaty of Versailles. Things got heated during the Depression, for obvious reason, and about entering WW2, but after Pearl Harbor the country was united all the way through to the mid-60s.

The Vault Dweller said...

I however agree with that talking point

You should be more jaded and pessimistic like Toby Ziegler from the West Wing. He was a great character.

Anonymous said...

Ron W: Trumpslide 2020.

Sure hope so, but I'm kinda superstitious about this stuff. Better we kvetch about about how the economy is headed for a crash and and all minorities hate hate hate Trump and his foreign policy is a disaster and no way is he going to squeak out re-election and we're doomed....Dooomed....DOoOOoOOOoMED...

You know, ward off the evil eye.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Sure, the pendulum swings. But the Democrats are acting with the smug, tone-deaf, shit-the-bed, hubris of a party that’s in power. Of course there’s a price to be paid and, while not cocky, there’s a very strong sense that they’re going to pay it in 2020. Whereupon the Republican Congress will act like their usual idiot selves and put 2024 in play for whatever absolute wingnut the Donks proffer.

Rob said...

It's anybody's guess why the Washington Post feels obliged to supplement Comey's pension by having him write bromidic columns for the op-ed page. Can't he do the decent thing and slink off into well-deserved obscurity?

Amadeus 48 said...

Francisco D at 10:42–
You made me laugh out loud with that one.

Yancey Ward said...

There is always talk about the death of parties, but the fact is that parties eventually get tarred with catastrophic failures. These things go in cycles that last 3-4 decades with kinds of democratic (lower case d) interregnums. For example, after 1860, the Republicans ruled basically from then until 1932, though the Democrats did win the White House for two singular 4 year terms during that time and one 8 year run. The Depression ended that run, and the Democrats ran things basically from 1932 until 1980 with a brief interregnums of Eisenhower and Nixon. The 1970s stagflation ended the Democrats run, and the Republicans ran things until, in my opinion, 2008. I personally think Trump is an interregnum period, not the start of a new cycle. I do think Trump wins this November, but I think the Democrats will be basically in control until they truly fuck the economy up, and then the Republicans will be in a new 3-4 decade cycle of control.

Inga said...

“You should be more jaded and pessimistic like Toby Ziegler from the West Wing. He was a great character.”

Haha, I’ll try.

Anonymous said...

Yancey W: Then your reply to me makes no sense, Inga- why did you quote Althouse back to me like that? It is a complete non sequitur.

I'm pleasantly surprised when her replies *aren't* complete non sequiturs.

Big Mike said...

@Yancey Ward, why do you use future tense regarding the Democrats screwing up the economy? Did you sleep through the Obama years?

Amadeus 48 said...

I don’t think any of us outside DC have any idea how tight the bureaucratic social circles are there. I am sure that James Comey has friendships going back 30 years with people who would be horrified if anyone they didn’t know had done what Comey did. My exhibit A: I asked a question of Andrew McCarthy on a book tour that was hostile to Comey. McCarthy became immediately defensive of Comey and slightly hostile to me. Ultimately he said Comey had always been kind to him at the US Attorney’s office in New York, and he, McCarthy, couldn’t explain Comey’s apparent behavior.

That’s the Deep State, folks. They know each other and they don’t know you.

Let’s pray that Barr sees this through

Amadeus 48 said...

“Are you driving? “

Heh. Epic Vans from Vail to DIA.

Inga said...

“...why do you use future tense regarding the Democrats screwing up the economy? Did you sleep through the Obama years?”

Who screwed up the economy worse than GW Bush? Certainly not Obama. The economy improved under Obama from the brink of disaster under Bush.

Pete said...

Althouse said, "I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections."

Althouse has many blogging gifts but political blogging isn't one of them. I think she under estimates the effect the impeachment will have on the Democrats in the upcoming election.

Then again, it's early in the election year and there's plenty of time for other events to influence the election and prove Althouse right.

As Instapundit says, "Don't get cocky."

Temujin said...

What do you mean by we?

Your future, Mr. Comey could include new orange clothes. No pinstripes.

Jeff Weimer said...

It seems that both right-leaning and left-leaning folks are looking at the current political climate and seeing good things for their side come November.

One will obviously be wrong, and it really is too early to tell.

The wise words of Winston Wolf are appropriate for everyone to consider at this juncture.

Yancey Ward said...

I actually agree with Inga, Mike- the economy 2009-2017 slowly improved. I think Obama made a lot of errors and could have had a much better performance than he did, and I do think that sluggish improvement is one of the reasons that Trump won. When I talk about fucking things up, I mean something on the order of the Great Depression, 1973-1981 Staglation, and the Great Recession- 2009-2017 isn't like those. Eventually, the Democrats will get their shot at 1970 like Democratic Socialism, and the economy will be destroyed, and those Democrats will be in the desert for 40 years.

madAsHell said...

"Dopes and babies"......Fucking Trump nails it again.

Comey reminds me of my sister's in-laws. Smug, stupid, and un-aware.

FullMoon said...

In 2016, Here in Santa Clara county, so called Silicon Valley, high schools held ralleys where administrators and teachers literally said "Fuck Trump", to cheers from the brainwashed student body.

Police guided Trump supporters through violent Democrat supporters where they were chased down and beaten.

That is the dream of the left, fuck Trump and every body who voted for or supports him. Pure hate, plain and simple.

Inga's gang wants to be able to laugh and say,"I told you so" while they beat harass and intimidate average Americans.

Yancey Ward said...

"I'm pleasantly surprised when her replies *aren't* complete non sequiturs."

I think it wasn't a non sequitur- she misread Althouse as supporting her position on the 2020 elections- the truncated quote from Althouse's blog post in her reply to me is the clue- she did exactly what Pete just did above- if you really understood Althouse's point, you don't don't start the quote with "I think".

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

I agree with some of that, but certainly not the part about the Republicans inevitably losing power. That's a talking point today, I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections.

I'm reading the italicized part as the "talking point" not Althouse's prediction. The first sentence is Althouse's prediction.

Gretchen said...

It is difficult for me to believe any Democrat will have enough enthusiastic followers when the Democrats are lucky to bring in a couple of hundred at campaign events and Trump fills large stadiums with overflow. The Democrats will rig the elections as much as possible with illegals voting in blue counties, so Republicans will need to beat the margin of fraud.

If Biden, Sanders or Bloomberg win the nomination the lure of another old white man won't rile up the base, nor will Buttigedge, because he is a lightweight. Warren is such a liar, even my lefty sister is POed about everyone getting their tuition paid off when she and her husband scrimped for 25 years to send the kids to college.

jim said...

No witnesses vote is a win for Democrats: they now have carte blanche to keep wading through the slime. An actual trial might have ended it.

The Vault Dweller said...

It is difficult for me to believe any Democrat will have enough enthusiastic followers when the Democrats are lucky to bring in a couple of hundred at campaign events and Trump fills large stadiums with overflow.

Bernie Sanders can draw several thousand people to rallies. And he did it in 2016 as well. I don't think he has the same draw power as Trump, but there definitely are a fair number of Democratic voters who are very excited about Bernie Sanders. Way more so than any other candidate.

stlcdr said...

So, remind us, again, what Democrats are going to run on in 2020 that will really turn this country around from the current disaster (sic) for the American people? I think the message has been lost, somewhere, in the Trump hatred.

Earnest Prole said...

Comey’s a snake, but his observations about our system are sound. Excitable people in both parties believe they are one election away from being wiped from the earth, their way of life forever lost. Obama was going to usher in a new age of socialism but accomplished nothing in the six years after pushing Mitt Romney’s industry-friendly health-care plan through Congress. Trump is Orange Hitler but strangely lacks the power even to repeal Obamacare, something Hitler surely could have accomplished; Trump’s primary political accomplishment consists of naming two of the nine monarchs who make most of our actual political decisions. The genius of our system is that it exhausts excitable people by pitting them against each other and giving them the illusion that the stakes are real.

narciso said...

no, he spent trillions of dollars, didn't buy up the sub prime debt, saddled the economy with a leviathan like Obamacare, weakened our position from south asia to equatorial Africa,

Drago said...

jim: "No witnesses vote is a win for Democrats: they now have carte blanche to keep wading through the slime. An actual trial might have ended it."

Naivete and/or refusal to accept reality such as this is adorable in a 4 year old.

An adult? Not so much.

Fernandinande said...

Maybe Comey should see a doctor and get that lump checked out.

My lump biopsy came back "deplorable" - yay!

Inga said...

“Bernie Sanders can draw several thousand people to rallies. And he did it in 2016 as well. I don't think he has the same draw power as Trump, but there definitely are a fair number of Democratic voters who are very excited about Bernie Sanders. Way more so than any other candidate.”

Interestingly, the polls in 2016 always had Bernie up by several points in head to head match ups with Trump. I thought that it was Bernie who could’ve beat Trump, not Clinton.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

If the left really believed the Republican party was dead they would be happy. Instead they all sound like angry jilted lovers this morning.

Inga said...

If Bernie wins the Dem nomination and he picks someone like Stacy Abrams as his running mate, I’d say the Dem win would be phenomenal.

Temujin said...

Jim Comey, the man who approved using falsified FISA warrants, the man who approved using an unverified, empirically ridiculous fake dossier to remove a sitting President, the man who oversaw the spying and recording of a Presidential campaign in order to protect a 'favored' candidate- that Jim Comey is given space by the Washington Post to comment on the American character?

Not sure who's more preposterous these days, WaPo or Comey.

Achilles said...

David Begley said...
Comey obstructed justice with his point shaved investigation of Hillary’s emails. He then lied on a FISA application on Carter Page. He belongs in jail.

No.

Comey worked with foreign agents to frame an elected president and unseat him.

Comey has undermined faith in our federal institutions and served Putin admirably.

He is a traitor.

Traitors hang.

Bay Area Guy said...

Two thoughts:

1. Comey is delusional. His FISA warrants are now deemed by the Court to be bogus. He is a leaker and a liar and a disgrace to the FBI.

2. Sanders/Abrams would be a phenomenal ticket - but for slightly different reasons;)

Achilles said...

Althouse said...
“I agree with some of that, but certainly not the part about the Republicans inevitably losing power. That's a talking point today, I think, that the Democrats are losing in the impeachment trial, but they'll win in the coming elections.”

Inga said...
True. Republicans aren’t going anywhere, they’ll just be in the minority for the next 8 years after 2020. I think it’ll be such a huge loss for them that Democrats will win the Presidency, the House and the Senate. 2018 was a referendum on Trump and 2020 will be more so.

The democrats depend on stupid people with really poor reading comprehension.

Temujin said...

Jesus, Inga. Stacy Abrams? Would you people give that a rest. She's a loser. Unlikeable. Race-bating. Manipulative. A loser of an election. And so very full of herself. Why is it that the Dems always look at losing as a path to promotion?

Stop it with the Stacy Abrams bit. Bernie is an old crazy socialist. Stacy Abrams, is living in a fantasy world. Is this the ticket you're betting on? This is the one that will turn the tide?

Anonymous said...

Yancey W: I actually agree with Inga, Mike- the economy 2009-2017 slowly improved. I think Obama made a lot of errors and could have had a much better performance than he did...

For the most part I agree with that, too. The notion that the economic shambles of the aughties was all the doing of Obama is nonsense.

narciso said...

she couldn't get elected in her own state, harris couldn't make it to the first primary, it's like the 'fear toxin' in batman begins. causes delusions,

you see characters like comey in shows like the black list and blindspot, bureaucrats empowered to secure their own power, over the nations concerns,

Achilles said...

Inga said...
If Bernie wins the Dem nomination and he picks someone like Stacy Abrams as his running mate, I’d say the Dem win would be phenomenal.


Because Inga is like the Bernie supporters who want to send us to gulags.

Please nominate Bernie.

Even better please have the super delegates screw Bernie again.

Either way Trump wins. At the rate things are going now black people will be a majority Trump block by November.

narciso said...

the aughts were afflicted by deindustrialization, a never ending 2 year bout of rate hikes that crashed the subprime market,

Inga said...

“Jesus, Inga. Stacy Abrams? Would you people give that a rest. She's a loser. Unlikeable. Race-bating. Manipulative. A loser of an election. And so very full of herself. Why is it that the Dems always look at losing as a path to promotion?”

Your opinion is based on your own political ideology. Guess what? There is another half of America that believes no such thing about Stacy Abrams.

Drago said...

Admiral Inga: "True. Republicans aren’t going anywhere, they’ll just be in the minority for the next 8 years after 2020."

LOL

In 1976 we were told by the Inga's/LLR's of the day the republicans would not return to power for a generation.

In 1992 we were told the republicans would spend "40 years in the wilderness" and would have to reconstitute the party into Democrat-lite to have a chance.

In 2008 we were told "We were all Socialists now" and the demographic changes meant the republicans would never return to power in our lifetimes.

The Inga's/Chuck's also told us Brexit would never happen and that Theresa May/Angela Merkel/Emmanual Macron were the Real Leaders Of The Free World.

They also told us Hillary would win in a landslide.

In Inga's and Chuck's defense, history begins anew each morning for leftists so we dont expect them to remember any of this history.

Achilles said...

Yancey Ward said...
I actually agree with Inga, Mike- the economy 2009-2017 slowly improved. I think Obama made a lot of errors and could have had a much better performance than he did, and I do think that sluggish improvement is one of the reasons that Trump won. When I talk about fucking things up, I mean something on the order of the Great Depression, 1973-1981 Staglation, and the Great Recession- 2009-2017 isn't like those. Eventually, the Democrats will get their shot at 1970 like Democratic Socialism, and the economy will be destroyed, and those Democrats will be in the desert for 40 years.

Slowly improved to what?

Over 90% of new jobs created after 2010 were PART TIME.

Real Wages were falling faster than manufacturing jobs.

Labor Participation was falling.

Every real metric was getting worse. The only ones that were improving were fake metrics like U3 unemployment.

We were on a path to economic stagnation. Capital was fleeing the country. Obama was telling us there was no magic wand.

You were just being gullible like Ann does when the media coddles her "normal" and "competent" fetish. We were on the economic road to becoming Europe under Obama.

Inga said...

Drago and his buddy Achilles told us that the Republicans would win the House bigly in 2018.

Drago said...

Btw, Carter Page and Kavanaugh are waiting for your apology Inga!

LLR-lefty Chuck, do you think you could influence your far left teammate to offer up that apology or at a minimum take back her slanders?

LOL

We wont hold our breath.

narciso said...

and subprime was given a push in the 90s, by the litigation and protests, that Obama directed against citigroup, although policies like the cra revisions, the doj push on recalcitrant banks and other actions had more impact,

Inga said...

“Btw, Carter Page and Kavanaugh are waiting for your apology Inga!”

Only one exclamation point? Doesn’t that warrant at least three, which is your usual excitable amount?

Drago said...

Inga: "Drago and his buddy Achilles told us that the Republicans would win the House bigly in 2018."

Actually I predicted a loss due to the unprecedented number of republican retirements.

I did predict republicans would hold the Senate.

For 2020 I dont currently believe the republicans will win back the House due to second wave retirements (final republican retirement wave) and dem vote harvesting and giving illegals drivers licenses.

I believe the republicans will keep the Senate with 51 or 52 Senators.

Drago said...

Carter Page, Inga...russian spy or not?

Achilles said...

The thing about the economy in the aughts was it was easily predictable what Obama's policies would do.

Open borders and "free" trade? Wages were going to crash for the working class.

Period.

Force employers to pay for massively expensive cookie cutter health care plan for any employee working more than 30 hours?

All new jobs will be part time.

Everyone knew this.

The Obama policies were designed to screw the wage earning class.

On purpose.

Lyle said...

That guy really thinks he's a good citizen and person.

Inga said...

“Actually I predicted a loss due to the unprecedented number of republican retirements.”


Surrrrrrre you did. In Drago’s defense, history begins anew each morning so we dont expect him to remember any of his history.

Darrell said...

Can the Left lie enough?

History says "Yes."

Achilles said...

Inga said...
“Btw, Carter Page and Kavanaugh are waiting for your apology Inga!”

Only one exclamation point? Doesn’t that warrant at least three, which is your usual excitable amount?

Stalinists will never apologize for being stalinists.

Inga can't wait to put us on the trains.

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

Admiral Inga: "Surrrrrrre you did."

Easy enough to prove me wrong.

Now, back to Carter Page, russian spy or not?

Inga said...

“Easy eniugh to prove me wrong.”

Yes, it is, now get busy looking for your predictions and post them here. If you promise not to use three exclamations points ever again, I’ll even apologize for accusing you wrongly.

Achilles said...

Inga said...

"Drago and his buddy Achilles told us that the Republicans would win the House bigly in 2018."

I was wrong about the house in 2018.

Let us list the things Inga has been wrong about. She claimed:

Hillary would beat Trump in a landslide.

Republicans would lose Senate in 2018.

Trump paid hookers to pee on a bed.

Trump raped a woman in a public changing room.

Trump colluded with Russia.

Kavanaugh raped Blasey Ford.

Kavanaugh raped hundreds of women over decades.

Carter Page was a Russian spy.

Trump withheld aid to Ukraine in order to have them investigate Biden.

Scalise would change his position on the second amendment because he got shot by a Bernie supporter.



Francisco D said...

If Bernie wins the Dem nomination and he picks someone like Stacy Abrams as his running mate, I’d say the Dem win would be phenomenal.

Stacy Abrams would be on the Sanders ticket because she is an ugly African American Female to balance the ugly Caucasian male at the top. That assumes that African Americans are as motivated to have a Black VP as they were to have a Black POTUS. I do not share that assumption.

White liberals may be ecstatic at Stacy Abrams, but Trump will still get a very significant percentage of the Black male vote.

In addition, the VP selection is a big news item for a few weeks. Then they are forgotten even by the propaganda arm of the DNC.

Drago said...

Admiral Inga: "Yes, it is, now get busy looking for your predictions and post them here."

Happy to...as soon as you admit Carter Page is not a russian spy and Brett Kavanaugh didn't rape a single soul, much less lead a rape gang.

So get busy.

Bonus for Inga: Admitting that May/Merkel/Macron are not and never have been the Real Leaders Of The Free World.

Drago said...

My prediction: Inga will stick with her Carter Page & Kavanaugh lies.

Harsh Pencil said...

It would be kind of nice to read some back and forth that isn't just Inga vs. everyone else. Some of the commentators here can be quite useful/enjoyable to read when that isn't the topic. Laslo come save this thread!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

These same leftists blamed Comey for Hillary's loss. now that the man who destroyed the integrity of the FBI swung around to hate Trump - he has ingratiated himself with the losers and hacks who run our mostly corrupt press.

Drago said...

Harsh Pencil: "It would be kind of nice to read some back and forth that isn't just Inga vs. everyone else."

Great!

Whaddya got for us?

Achilles said...

Harsh Pencil said...
It would be kind of nice to read some back and forth that isn't just Inga vs. everyone else. Some of the commentators here can be quite useful/enjoyable to read when that isn't the topic. Laslo come save this thread!

I am waiting for Yancey to tell me exactly why he things the economy was improving under Obama.

I listed the many reasons I don't think it was.

chickelit said...

rhhardin said...Maybe it moves like a compound pendulum.

Remember too that Inga moods swing like a pendulum do

Harsh Pencil said...

Drago said...
Harsh Pencil: "It would be kind of nice to read some back and forth that isn't just Inga vs. everyone else."

Great!

Whaddya got for us?

That we really need to get back to a time when it is considered dangerous for ex-intelligence community officials to speak publicly. It should just be understood that that's part of the job, Republican or Democrat. You take an IC job, you don't get to go on TV or write about your time their or politics in general once you leave the job. If you don't like that, then don't take the job.

narciso said...

I thought Ignatius was comey's mannikin, of course devlin barrett has proven to gullible to be taken seriously, one novel of brad taylor's revisits his big scoop when he was at the journal, when he discovered that the black prince who planned munich was a cia asset, he gives the handler over to another character,

narciso said...

the naval war college has some stable people doesn't it, like tommie lee jones in under siege



https://twitter.com/davereaboi/status/1223462107292872704

Drago said...

Harsh Pencil: "That we really need to get back to a time when it is considered dangerous for ex-intelligence community officials to speak publicly. It should just be understood that that's part of the job, Republican or Democrat. You take an IC job, you don't get to go on TV or write about your time their or politics in general once you leave the job. If you don't like that, then don't take the job."

We really need to address these cats walking out of these jobs with their blanket security clearances intact which is then monetized in the media.

They need to be completely read out upon departure and only provided narrow access for specific purposes if they are brought back in.

Paul said...

"they will inevitably lose power, and for a very long time".... Hahahaha..

Economy is booming (and it's the economy stupid!!!) Jobs abound. Troops coming home. Wall going up. And somehow the FBI liar feels the Republicans will suffer. Everyone now knows Biden & Son are crooks and Trump was finding out if it was all true (and it was.)

Well, I guess Comey had to write SOMETHING the liberal base will like (instead of the truth.) It's now his job.

I see the Republicans winning the House back, Trump wins 2nd term by an landslide and Trump gets at lease ONE MORE SCOTUS pick. How would I know? Dollar Bill Clinton won a second term.. and even now a few Democrats are flipping to Republican in the House.

Gonna be a fun time seeing a Socialist old man with a heart condition and no track record try to run against Trump.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

Interestingly, the polls in 2016 always had Bernie up by several points in head to head match ups with Trump. I thought that it was Bernie who could’ve beat Trump, not Clinton.

I agree with this and said so at the time. But, back then Bernie and Trump had similar views about border enforcement. Bernie specifically stated that you couldn't have open borders and universal health care. He might have carried the rust belt states that Hillary couldn't.

narciso said...

another curious hire, getting reassigned, is it a lateral promotion or demotion


https://twitter.com/EmeraldRobinson/status/1223657003098296321

she was in the London embassy in 2015,

Known Unknown said...

"2018 was a referendum on Trump"

Inga fails to understand mid-term elections.

Yancey Ward said...

Achilles,

Every economic metric did improve from the nadir of March 2009 until Obama left office. He could have had a much better performance had he not behaved foolishly with all the regulations and other interventions, but it is difficult to argue with the fact that GDP was positive every quarter after 2010, and unemployment did fall during his entire stay in office.

Yes, participation rate did fall, but it was always going to fall because of the aging of the Baby Boomers. Obama bears some of the blame, but not all of it, and the fact is that the people thought it good enough in 2012 to re-elect him. Of course, by 2016, he was getting more of the blame for the sluggishness, and it did lead to Trump's victory.

The very fact of where unemployment is today on all metrics is why I think Trump is a big favorite to win this November, but we could still get a recession between now and then that will change that calculation.

Jim at said...

"2018 was a referendum on Trump" - village idiot

Trump 'lost' 41 House seats in 2018.

When Clinton 'lost' 54 House seats in 1994, was that a referendum on him? Did it impact the Presidential race in 1996?

When Obama 'lost' 63 House seats in 2010, what that a referendum on him? Did it impact the Presidential race in 2012?

Not only are you dumb, you insist on staying so.

Yancey Ward said...

And, I will repeat something I have written before- presidents get too much blame and too much credit for the economics. This isn't always true, but it is a good rule to at least consider. Bush got a lot of blame for 2008, but the fact is it mostly wasn't any fault of his- he just had the misfortune of being president when it did. Same with Clinton and the boom of 1991-2000- not due to anything he actually did, but you can't change the fact that he was in the office when it occurred- it would have happened even if Bush Sr had won followed by President Bob Dole in 1996.

Yancey Ward said...

A lot of our economic measures are due to demographic changes that are glacial and slow, slow to change. You get the booms of 1980-2008 because of the Baby Boomers maturing into their most productive years, and the Great Recession arriving just as the Baby Boomers start to retire/scale back their work isn't terribly surprising- or shouldn't be.

Mark O said...

Eighth grade history students know about election cycles.

But, quoting James Comey?
He is one of the major figures in the greatest civil rights violation in history.
Nothing he says is worth reading.

traditionalguy said...

Georgia has an interesting Senate seat race this November to fill the last 2 years of Johnny Isaacson’s term. Trump wants his mighty bulldog in the House, Doug Collins. But the new Governor that won because Trump backed him stabbed Trump in the back and wants to go GOP Moderate and so gave the appointment good for 10 months until the special election to an attractive business woman , new to Georgia, who says all the right pro Trump lines so far. But most think that after Trump departs she will morph into another Paul Ryan/RNC squish.

So that result should answer some questions on the survival of Trump’s Movement, post Trump.
And the same election day David Perdue,who is authentic pro Trump, must win his next 6 year term.

Collins should win his Primary and race. But Trump will need to stay neutral.

Yancey Ward said...

Republicans should win both Georgia races during a presidential election year. Were these off -year elections, there would be a risk in both.

Anonymous said...

Achilles: Open borders and "free" trade? Wages were going to crash for the working class.

Open borders and "free" trade were not new policies introduced by the Obama admin. The 'pubs and the 'dems were both all-in on open borders, "free" trade, and the policies that brought about the housing crash.

Yancey Ward said...

Clinton poured vast amounts of time and money into Georgia in 2016 and still lost the state by 5 points in an election she won the popular vote by 2%. A red state like Georgia isn't going to elect Democrat Senators in a presidential year unless the Republican presidential candidate loses by more than 7% nationally.

Achilles said...

Harsh Pencil said...

That we really need to get back to a time when it is considered dangerous for ex-intelligence community officials to speak publicly. It should just be understood that that's part of the job, Republican or Democrat. You take an IC job, you don't get to go on TV or write about your time their or politics in general once you leave the job. If you don't like that, then don't take the job.

The Community as you refer to it has many parts.

Just so you know most of us at the grunt level agree.

Except the SEALs. They like to make movies and have pretty hair.

The problem is the same as the rest of the country. The IC in DC is separated from the IC in Bragg/rest of the country. It is the DC apparatchiks that are acting like they live on a higher level than the rest of us.

Achilles said...

Angle-Dyne, Samurai Buzzard said...
Achilles: Open borders and "free" trade? Wages were going to crash for the working class.

Open borders and "free" trade were not new policies introduced by the Obama admin. The 'pubs and the 'dems were both all-in on open borders, "free" trade, and the policies that brought about the housing crash.

You know I am right there with you. Bush and Clinton and Obama and Bush all had the same policy goals and advanced the same agenda. Romney and McCain were on their team too.

Romney would have made Romneycare permanent and given us Cap and Trade. Thank god he lost in 2012.

Saint Croix said...

Failed impeachment efforts usually hurts the party who tried to impeach.

Yancey Ward said...

This is the same reason I think McSally is going to win in Arizona this Fall- Trump will have long coattails in red states, short coattails in purple states, and no coattails in blue states. This is just political common sense.

If I assume a 50/50 election of Trump vs Democrat- then I would predict that the Republicans lose Maine and gain Alabama in the Senate, and could lose CO. If Trump loses the popular vote by, let's say 4%- then the Republicans lose IA, CO, too, but still get AL, and could lose NC. If Trump wins the popular vote by 2%, then they lose Maine, win AL, and have a shot at winning in VA, MI, and MN. However, under all scenarios, the incumbents have strong advantages, and I would necessarily be surprised if, let's say, Collins won regardless of what happens to Trump.

Yancey Ward said...

Remember, Collins has won the last two elections with 60+% of the vote, including a run in 2008 when Obama crushed McCain in the state.

Drago said...

Yancey Ward: "Remember, Collins has won the last two elections with 60+% of the vote, including a run in 2008 when Obama crushed McCain in the state."

Correct. I think she hangs on while Gardner loses in CO.

Achilles said...

Yancey Ward said...

Every economic metric did improve from the nadir of March 2009 until Obama left office. He could have had a much better performance had he not behaved foolishly with all the regulations and other interventions, but it is difficult to argue with the fact that GDP was positive every quarter after 2010, and unemployment did fall during his entire stay in office.

But all quality of life metrics were falling. Life expectancy fell. Employment rate fell.

More than that GDP went up by 2% or less every year. Every year of the Obama presidency the Fed printed 6% of our GDP in new money through QE. The federal government borrowed 10 trillion dollars over those 8 years which is over 7% of our GDP year on year.

The GDP growth was pure fakery and you are gullible to accept it.

Yes, participation rate did fall, but it was always going to fall because of the aging of the Baby Boomers. Obama bears some of the blame, but not all of it, and the fact is that the people thought it good enough in 2012 to re-elect him. Of course, by 2016, he was getting more of the blame for the sluggishness, and it did lead to Trump's victory.

If labor participation was always going to fall, why is it going back up now? It isn't demographics. It is Policy.

Obama piled regulations on US businesses and raised corporate and capital gains taxes. He and Bush and the rest of the "free" traders lowered all taxes on shit made in China. Capital predictably fled the country to China.

Under Trump the corporate tax rate was lowered and Trillions in capital repatriated. Amazingly manufacturing jobs are coming back. Complete mystery why that is happening.

Real wages were falling all through the Obama presidency. Why? Policy. Open borders flooded the labor market.

Wages are going up now. Why? Policy.

You people keep trying to claim the president gets too much blame or too much credit. This is garbage. That was true when the government was 10% of our GDP. It was over 25% of GDP during some of the Obama years.

The reason Obama won in 2012 is because Romney was a piece of shit and millions of us saw through him and stayed home.

Romneycare was gutting our economy and as bad as Obama was we were not going to vote for the architect of that policy. I would rather the dem's got blamed for that failure.

And they did.

And history was right.

Lincolntf said...

I've been patiently waiting for an open-ish thread, but I've decided to intrude on this one. Some of you are lawyers or law-adjacent, as far as I understand. A friend of mine (he lives 750 miles away and I've seen him maybe 5 times in the last 12 years) was arrested yesterday morning, camera crews at his house, the whole deal. Charged with embezzling just under 20K from a Foster Kid's camp in Massachusetts. He was released on personal recognizance. His in-laws have resources, so he will hopefully have decent representation. The guidelines call for anything from 5 years probation to $25,000 in fines to 5 years in prison or All Of The Above. Suppose he takes a plea deal, what would that likely look like? I have to assume he's guilty, sadly.

Achilles said...

Charged with embezzling just under 20K from a Foster Kid's camp in Massachusetts.

The problem for him in a blue state is he allegedly took 20k.

Democrats will only support lawlessness if you take millions.

Hunter and Joe Biden's, or Hillary's, or Obama's lawyers would scoff at defending someone like him.

I had a friend who put their kids through college that way. I don't think they went to prison long.

Lincolntf said...

Yes, Achilles, you're probably right. The fact that the local CBS station did a full 60-second package about his arrest, etc. makes me think that it won't be easy for him to get a good deal. If the prosecution wants the headlines, they'll want a trial is my thinking. Really sucks, he was stand up guy way back when. I hope he still is, and just had a spate of moral incompetence.

Beasts of England said...

’If Bernie wins the Dem nomination and he picks someone like Stacy Abrams as his running mate, I’d say the Dem win would be phenomenal.’

I can’t think of a worse ticket for the Dems. If that’s the match, Trump wins forty states, adds seats in the Senate, and retakes the House with ease.

Achilles said...

Lincolntf said...
Yes, Achilles, you're probably right. The fact that the local CBS station did a full 60-second package about his arrest, etc. makes me think that it won't be easy for him to get a good deal. If the prosecution wants the headlines, they'll want a trial is my thinking. Really sucks, he was stand up guy way back when. I hope he still is, and just had a spate of moral incompetence.

These lines get really grey when you are talking about 20k and you have kids.

I would personally sell organs before I stole money from people like is alleged.

But I understand the pressure this person was facing to provide.

The interesting part is the local media coverage. They can do this to someone like this man but cover for Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden?

When I say interesting I mean infuriating. I would not pee on them if they were on fire burning to death.

Leora said...

For people who are distressed by our current politics I recommend a course of reading Gore Vidal's Empire series starting with "Burr" and ending with "Washington, DC" to confirm that it's not crazier than it's been. I have cured at least one person of TDS this way.

Lincolntf said...

That same media outlet routinely excises all crime coverage involving illegals from their reports, and do all the other SJW signaling. I'm just afraid that M. is going to be such an easy target, given the victims, that it ruins his life. I assume restitution will be a part of any deal, and I'm not sure how he'll come up with that, barring family intervention. I really hope he is still close with his in-laws, or he's screwed.

Beasts of England said...

’Every economic metric did improve from the nadir of March 2009 until Obama left office.’

Yes, but not organically. There was a huge stimulus, unprecedented ZIRP/NIRP, and trillions in quantitative easing. Without those, we’d have likely endured a severe double-dip recession - or worse. The country would have been better served economically if he had done nothing but fill out his basketball brackets.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Trump and Harvey Weinstein apparently have a small thing in common.

Drago said...

ARM: "Trump and Harvey Weinstein apparently have a small thing in common."

Yep. Some on the left have accepted the failure of their latest hoax frame up and have reverted to pre-impeachment schtick.

Healthy in a way.

hstad said...

I have a different take on the Democrats "Impeachment" actions now. I believe the Democrats, after their latest defeat will continue their 'Jihad' against President Trump. After-all, they are 'all-in' and have this attitude of 'scorch and burn' in politics. They don't seem to care or be aware what all of these actions, since 2016, have done to their Party. Could be their TDS is so absorbed in their brain waves that they have no choice but to continue more false accusations going forward.

GingerBeer said...

You can't spell comedy without Comey.

FullMoon said...

@Lincoln
Suppose he takes a plea deal, what would that likely look like? I have to assume he's guilty, sadly.

Not a lawyer but I will predict restitution, fine, probation, community service and no jail time. Assuming first time offender.

Would not bet the house, but would bet a couple of thousand. Sleepless nights , guilt and humiliation gonna be the worst part.

FullMoon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
donald said...

Staci Abrams. Heh.

Achilles said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
Trump and Harvey Weinstein apparently have a small thing in common.

Thank you for reminding the world how pathetic the left is right now.

Rabel said...

A more cynical and conspiratorial reader might think Comey is prepping the country for acceptance of the assassination that he and other disgruntled members of the Intelligence Community are planning.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Today's Democrats are truly the inheritors of the party of Jefferson and Jackson. They believe that the government is a greater thing than the people, and that the people must be divided into groups with different political rights.

tcrosse said...

Trump and Harvey Weinstein apparently have a small thing in common.

Is Michelle's bigger?

Lazarus said...

The country is divided 50-50 and it will continue to be divided. There were predictions in 2008 that the Republicans would lose power for a generation and it didn't happen. Things were far worse back then than they are now. It's hard to think that Trump will be regarded as worse for the country than Bush and Cheney were.

On the other hand, half the country has already decided to vote against Trump, so this isn't an age of Republican domination either. We will continue to seesaw back and forth between the parties. This shouldn't be news to anyone. If it is, one reason is that the Comey types framed the 2016 election in apocalyptic terms.

Mark said...

embezzling just under 20K from a Foster Kid's camp

One-time defense attorney here -- he's going to do time. Substantial actual time to serve plus suspended time with probation and condition of complete restitution. If he doesn't have $20K in cash, he can sell whatever it was he bought with what he stole from the kids. If it hurts his family, he should have thought about that before he hurt other families.

And that would be a good deal.

Mark said...

And it will not be the sentence that ruins his life. It will be his freely chosen criminality that ruined his life.

n.n said...

It was over 25% of GDP during some of the Obama years.

Delayed recovery and a debt that is called in progressive stages. We are overdue for a correction.

Mark said...

And with all respect to FullMoon, this isn't some minor case of impulsive shoplifting of a candy bar from the 7/11. Embezzlement requires planning, as well as an abuse of trust, and in this case, knowing harm to innocent, vulnerable people. All of those are aggravating factors.

narciso said...


Lol


https://mobile.twitter.com/ComfortablySmug/status/1223678935097118720

walter said...

No way in hell am I going to read what that weasel Comey has to say.

narciso said...



A reminder

https://mobile.twitter.com/mtaibbi/status/1223595134043987970

Lincolntf said...

Mark, yes his choices will have led him to whatever consequences are coming. But different defendants get different sentences for identical crimes, I'm just hoping he gets the appropriate sentence. I hope he has the ability to make immediate restitution. He used to be an athlete, now he's an artist, he's not gonna make it long in jail.

bbkingfish said...

+$1 Trillion annual fed budget deficits as far as the eye can see while economy is at full employment. Manufacturing sector is in recession, while 2019 GDP growth just checked in at 2.3%. Job creation down almost 1 Million 2017-19 vs 2014-2016.

Please, Achilles, put down your pom-poms for a minute, and explain the policies that led to these marvelous improvements.

Drago said...

I love it. The dems are going to run on the horrible economy...with a socialist at the top of their ticket.

Thats a sure fire winning message if I ever heard one!

Narr said...

Overdue for a correction. How about overdue for a deadly pandemic?

As for embezzlement, the only people I've ever known (a few) who did shit like that had some sort of addiction--drugs, gambling, whatever. A good lawyer ought to be able to make the guy look like a victim of society, with an earnest desire to make good . . .

Narr
I not only believe in it, I've seen it done

FullMoon said...

And with all respect to FullMoon, this isn't some minor case of impulsive shoplifting of a candy bar from the 7/11. Embezzlement requires planning, as well as an abuse of trust, and in this case, knowing harm to innocent, vulnerable people. All of those are aggravating factors.

"Police said the thefts occurred between early August 2019 and late September 2019 while Finnegan was employed as the executive director."

Changed my mind. Had assumed it was accumulation over long period of time by low level snack shack worker. This guy was in position of power and did it all in a month.

Beasts of England said...

’Manufacturing sector is in recession...’

Really? Any factual support for that claim?

Lincolntf said...

I have reached out to the guy in question. I obviously haven't heard back from him. I don't know what mindset he must have been in to hatch the scheme. Seems very unlike him. I'm guessing he saw what he thought was an easy score at a time he was strapped and decided that he was smarter than the banks, police, etc. Also possible that he was on a sinking financial ship and took a desperate stab to forestall foreclosure, etc. that lasted a month and then he panicked/gave up.

Drago said...

Better yet, the dems should run on a return to the obama 2014-16 economy.

That's an irresistable message.

Make sure to include how an economy like that can help all the Open Borders/Abolish Ice illegal immigrants.

Also tell them the net change/increase in population will be negated by accelerated abortions and infanticide.

Wow. Sign me up right now!

Beasts of England said...

Here’s a hint, BBK: a blip during a trade war China is not a recession.

Achilles said...

Mark said...
And it will not be the sentence that ruins his life. It will be his freely chosen criminality that ruined his life.

That is fine.

But if he goes to jail for 3 years and Hillary is still walking free the world should burn.

And the reporters pretend like they are serving the public interest when bashing this man but ignoring corrupt politicians deserve worse than he does.

effinayright said...

whitney said...
The trope is the media are out of touch with the people. Fingers crossed that that is true and will be definitively shown at the next election and the media will once again be providing sweet delicious tears for our enjoyable consumption
**************
Yes! I anticipate that millions will watch CNN and MSNBC to experience something akin to what the crowds did when Louis XV was guillotined during the French Revolution, when his severed head---the eyes and tongues still bulging and lolling---was held up for all to see and enjoy.

effinayright said...

Inga is an opera singer?

Whodathunkit.

Achilles said...

bbkingfish said...
+$1 Trillion annual fed budget deficits as far as the eye can see while economy is at full employment. Manufacturing sector is in recession, while 2019 GDP growth just checked in at 2.3%. Job creation down almost 1 Million 2017-19 vs 2014-2016.

Please, Achilles, put down your pom-poms for a minute, and explain the policies that led to these marvelous improvements.


ObamaBushClintonBush put these policies in place. Trump's attempts to reduce federal spending have been undermined by pieces of shit like Paul Ryan and the swamp that has been trying to impeach him for 4 years.

If it were up to Trump we would be on a path to solvency.

You know who the problem in DC is. Everyone knows what the problem is.

But you leftists are just pieces of shit and only care about the issue when you can use it to gain power.

Harsh Pencil said...

Drago said...

We really need to address these cats walking out of these jobs with their blanket security clearances intact which is then monetized in the media.

They need to be completely read out upon departure and only provided narrow access for specific purposes if they are brought back in.


Absolutely. That would be a great start.

Achilles said...

Everyone knows that most of the spending in DC that bbkingfish complains about whenever a republican is president is just featherbedding.

We could balance the budget tomorrow and nobody out here would really notice.

But that is really why Trump is being impeached.

Iman said...

Comey is the festering boil on the ass of the federal bureaucracy.

Harsh Pencil said...

Achilles said...

The Community as you refer to it has many parts.

Just so you know most of us at the grunt level agree.

Except the SEALs. They like to make movies and have pretty hair.

The problem is the same as the rest of the country. The IC in DC is separated from the IC in Bragg/rest of the country. It is the DC apparatchiks that are acting like they live on a higher level than the rest of us.


Thanks for the info. (and I laughed at "They like to make movies and have pretty hair.")

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

"Even better please have the super delegates screw Bernie again."

If that happens, I'll be sure to avoid downtown Milwaukee during the convention. Not that I have any problems avoiding it now.

Bernie Bros are already promising to do what leftists do if they lose - scream and riot.

Narayanan said...

Discuss:

Suppose Trump has rally in NY - I would pick Woodstock.

How much mythology will be changed? His crowds clean up before leaving.

Narayanan said...

The 2020 New York Democratic primary is expected to take place on Tuesday, April 28, 2020,

Skeptical Voter said...

Comey let's say you are right. If the price of putting your very deserving backside in an orange jumpsuit in Club Fed somewhere--for the rest of your miserable life---is that the Republican Party wanders in the desert for a very long time--I'd say it's worth it.

narciso said...

Bezos post has tone deafness, on a multi dimensional level, of course emerald robinson among others points out the contradiction, in that piece,

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

bbkingfish said...
+$1 Trillion annual fed budget deficits as far as the eye can see while economy is at full employment. Manufacturing sector is in recession, while 2019 GDP growth just checked in at 2.3%. Job creation down almost 1 Million 2017-19 vs 2014-2016."

The other day, Bag gave the best rebuttal to this stupid talking point that I have seen. First of all, bbkingfish and other leftists don't give a shit about budget deficits. Nor do Republicans, really. It's a stick to beat the other party with when pols are out of power and something for pols to ignore when they are in power. The idea that the Dems would somehow rein in federal spending is absurd on it's face. It's like expecting Bill Maher to join the priesthood.

The deficit can only be dealt with by steep and painful cuts in spending and neither side would stand for those cuts, especially the ones hypocritically bitching about it now. So it won't be addressed until it has to be addressed.

chickelit said...

donald said...Staci Abrams. Heh.

She still hasn't conceded that race in Georgia so how can she run for another office?

Leland said...

economy is at full employment later Job creation down almost 1 Million 2017-19 vs 2014-2016.

How many jobs do you create at full employment?

narciso said...

when she finishes that series of novels to be adapted by hbo, I think,

robother said...

Comey imagines himself part of that lump that is the national ballast, when he just a pantload.

Beasts of England said...

’How many jobs do you create at full employment?’

And in a global recession.

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