August 5, 2023

Sunrise — 5:52, 5:57, 6:00.

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45 comments:

Dave Begley said...

I was interviewed by ABC News at an event for Vivek in Iowa. Watch for me. Red shirt and blue seersucker coat.

Vivek is absolutely astounding. Not only is he a genius, he has a very clear, detailed and focused plan on what he would do as President. I like Ron, but we need a revolution and not just reform. Ron is too timid and is beholden to the donor class.

I asked him the story of how he became a conservative. I also asked him about his parents’ reaction to his plan to run for President.

He answered the second question first. He said only his wife had veto power. She said why not wait 20 years when the kids are out of the house. He said we don’t have 20 years to right the ship of state. The time is now. Agree! His parents were concerned about his safety given his plan to dismantle the Deep State. That surprised me, but they are right.

On becoming a conservative, his dad was an engineer at GE. Jack Welch was cutting jobs. But GE was short of patent attorneys. So GE paid for his dad to go to night law school. Vivek sat in the back of the class and listened. On the way home, father and son debated the cases. Vivek became a fan of Scalia and Thomas. His deeper answer was that his parents lived a consevative lifestyle and he admired his parents for that. (My addition. Margaret Thatcher said that the facts of life are conservative.)

On the way out, two people volunteered that they are voting for Vivek.

Watch the debates. Vivek will blow you away. I saw all the candidates in 2016 and 2020. Hands down, he’s the best one. Never seen anyone like him.

In a debate between Vivek and Gavin or Pete, it would be a bloodbath. The moderators might have to stop the beating that Vivek would inflict on those two.

Dave Begley said...

Vivek made lots of great points and I agreed with every single one. But consider this, the Biden Administration has allowed China to flood the country with fentanyl via the Southern border. Joe has also condoned human trafficking with his open border. Vivek would order the Army to the border and seal it until the wall is finished. Bold. And as Commander-in-Chief, he can do it.

He’d also focus on China. The Soviet Union is gone. Russia is not the threat to us like China is.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

From my X timeline: The United States strongly condemns Russia’s conviction of opposition leader Aleksey Navalny on politically motivated charges. The Kremlin cannot silence the truth. Navalny should be released. - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

When simultaneous conflicting thoughts can be ignored. I’d like to think this is still remarkable, but I could be wrong.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Oh check out what made it to print.

The horror.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Zero Hedge: AI-Influencers Invade Social Media

The proliferation of scantily-clad AI-generated social media influencers is a wake-up call for striking Hollywood writers, actors, and other creators.

Thanks to the advent of AI-powered image and video generators, as well as chatbots, a number of virtual influencers, such as "Milla Sofia," are posting content that appears to show them living a life of luxury.

Sofia may claim to hail from Finland and post bikini pictures from European trips. And to the untrained eye, her content appears real, but it's not. A message on the AI bot's website reads Sofia is a "24-year-old virtual influencer and fashion model."


It’s not just dwarfs facing screen extinction.

Gusty Winds said...

If you come after me, I'll come after you"

They're trying to make all of us "shut up". We just lived through it with COVID. They're still goin' at it!! I see comments in other posts where reasonable people are saying "Trump doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut". That, of course, would be to his own benefit.

Trump will push the limits of the upcoming gag order to the limit. (while the prosecution freely leaks to the press) Go for it dude!!!

This J6 election fraud indictment is bigger than Trump. He knows that. So do his LEGITAMITE voters. Remember. They want to shut all of us up.

You think they don't manipulate votes? Why did the corrupt pro-war guy "win"? And why do college educated white women believe this bullshit??? LOL.

Trumps leverage is the 35 million GOP primary voters that ain't budging.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

TIL: “Social media and forum users use the word based to mean "I agree" or "that's cool." This slang term has an extensive history, but in its current form, it was first popularized by rapper Brandon "Lil B" McCartney - aka The BasedGod.” Oct 21, 2021

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Via the social formerly known as Twitter: I’m suing @Google for censoring me on @YouTube. - RFK Jr.

Lawsuit I hope prevail.

Dave Begley said...

Lem:

Pat Venditte pitched for Creighton.

Narayanan said...

can Presdient Trump wear body0cam during trial etc to prove he did not commit suicide?

walter said...

https://www.theblaze.com/news/teacher-74-wisconsin-child-sex-crimes

Narr said...

#3 is like the Sun emerging from a funnel, or blooming like a flower.

Outstanding.

Political Junkie said...

Dave - I like Vivek. Or the idea of a Vivek. However, is 39 too young to be president? I wondered if JFK was too young. Heck, I though Clinton and Obama were too young.

Iman said...

I am enjoying the 500Songs transcripts very much! Thanks for passing that along, professor!

The Crack Emcee said...

The Crack Emcee's Top 10 Things That Are Wrong About Thomas Sowell

http://themachoresponse.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-crack-emcees-top-10-things-that-are.html?m=1

Mutaman said...

Gusty Winds said...



"Trump will push the limits of the upcoming gag order to the limit. (while the prosecution freely leaks to the press) Go for it dude!!!

This J6 election fraud indictment is bigger than Trump. He knows that. So do his LEGITAMITE voters. Remember. They want to shut all of us up."

"If you come after me, I'll come after you" Good for Trump -representing all of his LEGITAMITE (sic) voters.

You really can't make this stuff up.



8/5/23, 7:40 PM

Jupiter said...

What if you gave ChatGPT (TM) an IQ test?

Jupiter said...

"Vivek is absolutely astounding. Not only is he a genius, he has a very clear, detailed and focused plan on what he would do as President."

"Everybody has a plan. Until he gets hit in the face."

Mike Tyson

Who would probably know about getting hit in the face. Unlike your kissy-boy Vivek.

Jupiter said...

Well, I suppose that's unfair. And also, I do respect Mr. Begley, and I regret, and retract, any implied disrespect. And I am glad that Vivek is in the race, and is raising issues that would not otherwise be raised. Just as I am glad that Robert Kennedy is in this race, and is raising issues that would not otherwise be raised. Although, truth be told, RFK is a lot more courageous, and a lot more important, than YARG (Yet Another Rich Guy) Vivek. No doubt, in the course of gaming the increasingly loaded dice of American meritocracy, Vivek has learned all kinds of Very Important Lessons (VILs, we call them), but I would not follow him through the Gates of Hell. You can if you want.

Trump, on the other hand, has been there, and has done that. And got hit in the face, hard. And now he's getting hit in the face again and again, harder and harder. But he has a plan, and he's sticking to it. He is going through the Gates of Hell, to put paid to the Devil. And Donald Trump, I will follow. If he will have me, I am honored to follow in his train. We have not yet begun to fight.

Saint Croix said...

Margaret Thatcher said that the facts of life are conservative.

Conservative: "Man + Woman = Baby."

Liberal: "Gender is a theoretical construct. I don't know what a woman is. I don't know what a person is. I don't know what a baby is. Men are monsters unless you want to be one, in which case, I don't know what a man is."

Saint Croix said...

Here is Vivek on Firing Line, William F. Buckley's old show. I guess she's a conservative host? Mostly softball questions.

I love his smarts and his youth, his energy. He's a great public speaker, and very quick on his feet.

"Trump didn't go far enough" is an interesting way to frame it. He wants to abolish several federal departments (including the IRS, the FBI, and the Department of Education). He wants a "revolution," which he characterizes as an "American revolution." And he wants kids to understand and love our Constitution, and basic liberties like free speech.

I'm a big fan. Still reading his books.

Saint Croix said...

A basic question for a lot of people will be in regard to his religious faith.

The Constitution is quite clear.

no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

But a lot of voters will vote for Christians -- or in Trump's case, nominal Christians -- and will have a fear of following somebody who's not a Christian or is anti-Christian.

Pretty good discussion of Vivek's faith in WaPo. And I like that he's not shy about discussing it.

Nancy said...

Can the commentariat help me with this?
Since the NY Times changed their paywall a few weeks ago, I can no longer see their reader comments by copying the link to the article, appending the phrase #commentsContainer, and searching on archive.is. Is there another way? I'm certainly not going to subscribe!

Gahrie said...

But a lot of voters will vote for Christians -- or in Trump's case, nominal Christians -- and will have a fear of following somebody who's not a Christian or is anti-Christian.

I don't believe we have reached the point where an avowed atheist can get elected, (although I think some of our presidents have lied about it) but there was a time when a Muslim could not get elected to Congress or a Mormon be nominated for president by a major party. It was a big deal when Lieberman got nominated for vice-president in 2000.

At this point many Christians are looking for a candidate who has a sincere faith, even if it isn't Christianity.

Robert Cook said...

"...a lot of voters will vote for Christians -- or in Trump's case, nominal Christians -- and will have a fear of following somebody who's not a Christian or is anti-Christian."

I agree. Such voters are idiots. We are not a Christian nation and were not established as such. "In God We Trust" should be stricken as our national motto and replaced with "E Pluribus Unum," (our original national motto until 1956) in all places where "IGWT" currently appears.

As for Trump, he is "nominally" Christian in the same way as I can "nominally" leap over buildings with a single bound.

wendybar said...

The Biden lies and cover ups are getting worse, yet the Progressives, and their lapdog Media have their heads stuck in the dirt like the Ostriches they are. It feels like we are living in a movie where we keep waiting for the person who is going to save us, but the audience keeps getting told lies to keep them confused because we have that person, and he is being persecuted by this corrupt asshole in office today.

https://jonathanturley.org/2023/08/06/remember-that-biden-dinner-that-never-occurred-well-it-did/#more-208043

Old and slow said...

Blogger Robert Cook said...
"As for Trump, he is "nominally" Christian in the same way as I can "nominally" leap over buildings with a single bound."

What a curmudgeon! Great comment though.

Political Junkie said...

Robert Cook - Would you say in our nation's past at some point it was a Christian nation? Discuss.

Tina Trent said...

Dave: where does Vivek stand on legal immigration that pushes Americans out of jobs and outsourcing industries to other nations?

Original Mike said...

"But a lot of voters will vote for Christians -- or in Trump's case, nominal Christians -- and will have a fear of following somebody who's not a Christian or is anti-Christian. "

Really? That's shallow.

Narr said...

I'm a yuge fan of the "no religious Tests" conclusion to Art. VI USC, but as the framers knew very well the voters will have their own religious tests to apply, and that there's not much to be done about it.

The minimum age for prez was set at 35, and even if we think people matured more quickly back in the day, the framers were well aware that exceptional talents sometimes manifest early (and not that I think Vivek is an exceptional talent--maybe he is).

I thought our real national motto for the past few decades was "E Multis Multis."

Saint Croix said...

Such voters are idiots.

Cookie, most voters are idiots.

If Althouse removed all the idiots from the Althouse blog

you'd be gone, I'd be gone, we'd all be gone

We're all idiots compared to Christ. That's one of the main points of Christianity, that we are in a state of ignorance and our leaders are in middle management.

You're right in the sense that our Founders objected to the King, and the King's belief that he was an elite son of God. The British flag has a cross in it. We rejected that flag. We founded a country where man could be free to follow God as best we could.

Of course spiritual people are going to wonder about the spiritual values of the people in office.

The real Christians are quiet and are not worldly power seekers.

If we had actual Christians in office, we would recognize the humanity of all human beings. We wouldn't stab babies. We wouldn't kill off old people because it costs money to keep them alive. In general Christians know we are not supposed to worship money at all.

I think it was a huge mistake to remove prayer from public spaces. Atheists who are outraged about prayers are bad thinkers, and they ought to meditate in silence and try to calm their angers and their fears.

Putting "In God We Trust" on our money was a public rebuke to the United States Supreme Court for taking prayers out of the schools. I don't know if you've visited an elementary school lately. You will probably see a lot of Gaia-worship.

If you're not worshiping God, who are you worshiping? And if you answer, "no one," then you are declaring yourself god in your own little mini-universe. Think about it.

Saint Croix said...

I think Jesus gave us the perfect non-denominational prayer.

Our Father
Who art in heaven
Hallowed by thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us

Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom
And the power
And the glory
For ever and ever
Amen


That's a prayer I like to fall back on if I'm outside of my church and I don't know the faiths praying with me.

lonejustice said...

Photo #3 reminds me of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.

Jersey Fled said...

Cookie:

Just for clarity, are you saying Trump isn’t a Christian or the he’s not a nominal Christian?

john mosby said...

Legitamite - reminds me of Dolemite, blaxploitation flick hero.

Trump is the first whitesploitation hero!

This is Trump’s Big Score!

Who’s the white public dick that’s a sex machine to porn chicks?

TRUMP!

Yer daaamn right!

Who’s the prez that wont cop out when there’s danger all about?

TRUMP!

Yeah that Trump is one baaad mutha—

Shut yo mouf!

I’m just talkin bout Trump!

And we can dig it!

Who is the man that will risk hard time for his brutha man?

TRUMP!

He’s a complicated man,and no one understands him but his movement…

Don Trump!

JSM

Rusty said...

"the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God "
"endowed by their Creator"
"with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,"
Nope. No God here.

Rusty said...

"Trump, on the other hand, has been there, and has done that. And got hit in the face, hard. And now he's getting hit in the face again and again, harder and harder. But he has a plan, and he's sticking to it. He is going through the Gates of Hell, to put paid to the Devil. And Donald Trump, I will follow. If he will have me, I am honored to follow in his train. We have not yet begun to fight."
Yep.

Dave Begley said...

TT.

Vivek is for legal immigration. He wants to grow the economy. In his latest book, he wants a new Manhatten Project for semiconductors, Pharma and other tech so that we are NO LONGER dependent on Taiwan and China for our modern life.

Vivek knows we are in a Cold War with China. Biden, on the other hand, is blowing billions on a proxy war in Ukraine. The generals are fighting the last war.m

Mutaman said...

Rusty said...

"But he has a plan, and he's sticking to it. "

Throw tantrums on Truth Social several times a day. Sounds like a hell of a plan.

Old and slow said...

John Mosby: I always hate it when people make up or quote song lyrics in a post, I'm just really staid and dull that way. But I have to tell you, that Whitesploitation Hero thing you did was fucking brilliant. I really enjoyed it.

john mosby said...

Old and Slow: Thanks!

JSM

Rusty said...

Blogger Mutaman said...
Rusty said...

"But he has a plan, and he's sticking to it. "

"Throw tantrums on Truth Social several times a day. Sounds like a hell of a plan."
You'll notice it was in elipses. The quot is from Jupiter above. Not surprising you aren't a thurough reader. You voted for Biden and will do so again.

Saint Croix said...

Hallowed be thy name

oops

Saint Croix said...

I tell my dogs that I am Alpha

but I'm really not