Chit-Chat: The Feels

[lookeyloo]

7 minutes ago, Dimity said:

He hasn't listened to them so far.  Any bets on what happens next?

I will bet that they continue and then say well, it is out of our control and then the supremes look flustered and on it goes.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

This story originated with The Daily Mail,

The Daily Mail, The Daily Beast, and now The Wall Street Journal has it.  It's something pitched to Homeland Security by a producer (as it was during Obama's and Biden's terms):

Quote

The Department of Homeland Security is considering being part of a television show in which immigrants would compete for potential U.S. citizenship, an idea the producer pitched as far back as the Obama administration.

Department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said she had spoken to the producer of the proposed television reality show and that consideration of the idea was ongoing.

It is “in the very beginning stages of that vetting process,” she said, adding, “Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval.”

The pitch for the proposed citizenship-competition show comes from Rob Worsoff, a producer and writer whose credits include the “Duck Dynasty” reality show. Worsoff, who emigrated from Canada, told The Wall Street Journal that the show is meant to be hopeful and a celebration of what it means to be an American citizen.

“This isn’t ‘The Hunger Games’ for immigrants,” Worsoff said. Immigrants already in the system would compete in various contests including potentially on American history and science. Worsoff stressed that losing contestants wouldn’t face deportation. “This is not, ‘Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country,’” he said.

It was a gross concept during the Obama and Biden administrations, but doing something like this when immigrants are under relentless, unconstitutional attack?  I guess the good news is Noem will probably pass because the losers don't get deported (and she doesn't get to take them to a gravel pit and shoot them, either).

Edited May 16 by Bastet

[Bastet]

Go, girl!  A HS freshman near Portland, Maine, who is a cisgender girl, wrote a letter to the editor after her state representative used the results of a recent track race to bash the winner, who is a transgender girl, and transgender girls in sports generally.  The newspaper requires a subscription, but here's a screenshot:

[peacheslatour]

You have to speak up and I'm glad to see this-

“The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada will not remain silent as two of our members—Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift—are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States. Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world. Whether it’s Born in the USA or the Eras Tour, their music is timeless, impactful, and has deep cultural meaning. Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members.”

[bluegirl147]

8 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

You have to speak up and I'm glad to see this-

“The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada will not remain silent as two of our members—Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift—are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States. Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world. Whether it’s Born in the USA or the Eras Tour, their music is timeless, impactful, and has deep cultural meaning. Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members.”

Speaking of musicians Kid Rock had to close his Nashville restaurant because ICE was in the area.  Isn't that what he voted for?

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Speaking of musicians Kid Rock had to close his Nashville restaurant because ICE was in the area.  Isn't that what he voted for?

From The Guardian 5/16/2025

“Around 9.30pm on Saturday, our manager came back and told anyone without legal status to go home,” one anonymous employee told the outlet.

“Events at the Ryman, Ascend, the Savannah Bananas’ baseball game all let out, and it was crazy busy. But there was no one in the kitchen to cook the food.”

[Ohiopirate02]

35 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

From The Guardian 5/16/2025

“Around 9.30pm on Saturday, our manager came back and told anyone without legal status to go home,” one anonymous employee told the outlet.

“Events at the Ryman, Ascend, the Savannah Bananas’ baseball game all let out, and it was crazy busy. But there was no one in the kitchen to cook the food.”

It honestly kills me that the American government always goes after the undocumented individuals and not the people who employ them. Kid Rock is more than willing to pay these people under the table to avoid paying the various taxes and pay lower wages. 

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

It honestly kills me that the American government always goes after the undocumented individuals and not the people who employ them. Kid Rock is more than willing to pay these people under the table to avoid paying the various taxes and pay lower wages. 

In the movie (which I love) The Birdcage, there is a moment when the Robin Williams character is annoyed with some of his staff and says "I have two words for you, green card".  Of course it's played for laughs but the point is of course he is knowingly employing undocumented workers.  Same thing in an episode of Frasier when he buys a restaurant and the restaurant workers find out the head of the Immigration Bureau is a guest and they all run out the back door. 

If Trump was serious about cracking down on undocumented workers he'd crack down on those who employ them.

Never gonna happen.

[Browncoat]

27 minutes ago, Dimity said:

f Trump was serious about cracking down on undocumented workers he'd crack down on those who employ them.

Never gonna happen.

Because undocumented workers are employed by Trump at his hotels.

[PRgal]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I am not blaming society and women for men's problems but I think the author of that post was blaming society for not caring about women's problems and not caring about men's unless "society" starts to care more about women. 

You have a problem with stepping up and helping men and yet in your own way you have done just that in your own sphere of influence by raising your son right.  This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. You have helped men and women that way. 

There are a lot of women that say they believe in equality but don't raise their sons to respect women by not modeling the behavior that would encourage them to treat women as equals. Like continuing to cater to them into young adulthood, do their laundry, be their maid service and let them live at home without much responsibility to household duties long after they should have moved out and become independent. This teaches them that women are there to serve them and that they can do whatever they want and not have to grow up and take care of themselves. So they perpetuate the problem by looking for another "mommy" and treat her as badly as they were allowed to treat their own mother.

These women talk the talk but don't walk the walk so to speak. And they are their own worst enemies and ours too. I have seen this over and over again in my life and it makes me angry. They perpetuate the problem for another generation. So it's not just men that oppress women. Granted, men bear the most responsibility but again, I'm not going to turn a deaf ear to this phenomenon.

Some cultures (most Asian cultures, Italian, etc) expect children to live at home until they marry.  However, kids married young.  Because the parents STILL believe that unmarried children need to live at home, you have tons of failures to launch.  Add that to unaffordable housing in many, many parts of the world.  To make matters worse, these grown children don't even bring up wanting to move out, even if they CAN because they're worried they'd offend their parents.  And these kids don't bother looking for work in other cities either.  

 

Note:  I wasn't ALLOWED to do most chores growing up.  As in my grandmother told me to my face that it wasn't my job.  I learned how to do laundry two weeks before I moved onto campus (that was after my parents bought my grandparents a condo and had them move in there.  Grandparents were not amused but understood that my parents were downsizing after I left for school).  To this day, I don't bother sorting.  Luckily, I don't own a lot of whites other than my tennis clothes (which I do separately).  

Edited May 17 by PRgal

[tearknee]

9 hours ago, BetyBee said:

Ha ha! When I read this post, I thought I was accidentally in an old Mad Men thread!

Mad Men/Suits crossover (They're in the mind of Tommy Westphall, anyway...)?

Meghan Markle uses that minor victory over an advertisement when she was 11 to make herself look like some sort of super feminist. And her skin color to avoid people noticing she that she throws other POC under the bus when it suits.

And she is married a guy who went to a costume party as a Nazi SS officer.

 

[Anela]

 

Pregnant US woman declared brain dead is being kept alive under state abortion law

Doctors are keeping Adriana Smith on life support months after medical emergency until baby is ready, family says

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/15/pregnant-georgia-woman-brain-dead-abortion-law

Quote

 

A pregnant woman in Georgia was declared brain dead after a medical emergency and doctors have kept her on life support for three months so far to allow enough time for the baby to be born and comply with Georgia’s strict anti-abortion law, family members say.

She could be kept in that state for months more.

The case is the latest consequence of abortion bans introduced in some states since the US supreme court in 2022 overturned national abortion rights afforded by the historic Roe v Wade ruling.

Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old mother and nurse, was declared brain dead – meaning she is legally dead – in February, her mother, April Newkirk, told Atlanta TV station WXIA.

Newkirk said her daughter had intense headaches more than three months ago and went to Atlanta’s Northside hospital, where she received medication and was released. The next morning, her boyfriend woke to her gasping for air and called 911. Emory University hospital determined she had blood clots in her brain and she was declared brain dead.

Newkirk said Smith was now 21 weeks pregnant. Removing breathing tubes and other life-saving devices would probably kill the fetus.

Northside did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. Emory Healthcare said it could not comment on an individual case because of privacy rules, but released a statement saying it “uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature, and legal guidance to support our providers as they make individualized treatment recommendations in compliance with Georgia’s abortion laws and all other applicable laws. Our top priorities continue to be the safety and wellbeing of the patients we serve.”

 

Smith’s family says Emory doctors have told them they are not allowed to stop or remove the devices that are keeping her breathing because state law bans abortion after cardiac activity can be detected in the fetus – generally around six weeks into pregnancy.

The law was adopted in 2019 but not enforced until after Roe v Wade was overturned in the 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, opening the door to state abortion bans. Twelve states are enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy and three others have bans such as Georgia’s that kick in after about six weeks.

Like the others, Georgia’s ban includes an exception if an abortion is necessary to maintain the woman’s life.

Smith’s family, including her five-year-old son, still visit her in the hospital.

Newkirk told WXIA that doctors told the family that the fetus has fluid on the brain and that they are concerned about his health.

“She’s pregnant with my grandson. But he may be blind, may not be able to walk, may not survive once he’s born,” Newkirk said. She has not said whether the family wants Smith removed from life support.

Monica Simpson, the executive director of SisterSong, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Georgia’s abortion law, said the situation was problematic.

“Her family deserved the right to have decision-making power about her medical decisions,” Simpson said in a statement. “Instead, they have endured over 90 days of retraumatization, expensive medical costs, and the cruelty of being unable to resolve and move toward healing.”

 

 

 

[Affogato]

https://apple.news/A74OfwKpBRW67o-F0GUAbpA
 

DAILY CARTOON

DAILY CARTOON: FRIDAY, MAY 16TH
 

————-your moment of levity. 

Edited May 17 by Affogato

[Soapy Goddess]

17 hours ago, Affogato said:

Mary Trump is clearly employable without the association to Donald. What you did there? That is cheap  mud slinging. 

Mud slinging or truth??  She's not the first relative to go on every talk show spewing dirt about her relative, and she won't be the last. She might be employable, but that doesn't preclude her from doing exactly as all the other "mud slingers" do, with Samantha being #1.

16 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

And qualified to speak about his mental acuity or lack thereof. She has a PHD in clinical psychology.  And she grew up seeing him. So she has a frame of reference of  how he was and how he is now.

Maybe so, but that never stopped a relative from embellishing. Especially when they're trying to sell a book...and make a few bucks off said relative.

[Anela]

I’ve been without power for four hours now. Wasn’t expecting this. We had wind suddenly hit really hard, along with heavy rain.  People about five minutes from me, think they might have had a tornado hit. We are okay. I want to go to sleep, but the wind and rain is picking up again. I’m on my phone, but the charge is now down to 46%, so I need to save the battery. This is why I’m posting here, though, if the site doesn’t refresh on me. It’s from a local group. 

The system was too unstable to give them accurate reports ahead of time. We were talking about this, as tornado season started.  

And we do have more storms hitting, so no sleep for me. 

[BetyBee]

18 hours ago, Anela said:

Yesterday, I saw tom homan admitting that most undocumented immigrants aren’t committing crimes. Yet he’s kidnapping and trafficking them, anyway.

Then I saw that Kristi noem wants migrants to earn citizenship through a fucking reality show.  

When I read about this, I cried. What are these awful people doing to my country?!

[Mollywolly555]

I could find old posts where you have stated/joked about everything you decry others are saying in your most recent posts. 

But I'm too tired of your projection at this point.

That heaviness you feel? Check the stones in your own pocket before hurling them at others. 

Edited May 17 by Mollywolly555

[Affogato]

6 hours ago, Anela said:

I’ve been without power for four hours now. Wasn’t expecting this. We had wind suddenly hit really hard, along with heavy rain.  People about five minutes from me, think they might have had a tornado hit. We are okay. I want to go to sleep, but the wind and rain is picking up again. I’m on my phone, but the charge is now down to 46%, so I need to save the battery. This is why I’m posting here, though, if the site doesn’t refresh on me. It’s from a local group. 

The system was too unstable to give them accurate reports ahead of time. We were talking about this, as tornado season started.  

And we do have more storms hitting, so no sleep for me. 

I sometimes find myself complaining about the weather, then I remind myself how lucky I’ve been. So far. The forecasts change every few hours. 

[Affogato]

8 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

It really upsets me when you guys talk about dementia. You have no idea how debilitating this is to a family. I watched my mother's decline for years before she succumbed to it. It's NOT a joking matter!

As for your paragraph about strong women, if you actually read my original post, I was using Samantha Markle (not ANY women, or MM) as an example of a celebrity relative who's only purpose is/was to discredit their relative. But as usual, you insist on twisting my words to suit your narrative. Bravo.

Yeah, a lot of people have experience with dementia and its consequences. Sorry you had that experience, but it is hardly unique. Also you seem to jump on the ‘biden was demented’ bandwagon easily enough.  Please note that, if everything that has been said about Biden was true, he had people who were loyal to him and the country prospered. 

A lot of people have commented on 47’s decline, it is not just one voice in the wilderness.  If you do have experience directly, you can probably see the signs in him.

I cross the street to avoid news about the Markles, and about a lot of that sort of gossip. I simply don’t care much what they say on the View, or whatever, basically, about most people. So can’t comment, except to say that it isn’t what we are talking about here,

Mary Trump has a lot of experience with a toxic family. She has taken a lot of financial hits confronting her toxic family member. A lot of this, including the grace that 47 deals with a disabled relative, is a matter of public record.  She almost certainly would be better off if she was not in the unenviable position of feeling that she has a responsibility to inform us of what is happening. ‘Cassandra’ is not an enviable job, nor is it a job that makes you rich or happy. 

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

No, it was a successful trip for the UAE, who gained many advantages. And for Musk, probably, who I assume is behind the AI location and will make Starlink the primary service in Africa. 

[Affogato]

8 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

That's because there's nothing to cover up. Your "evidence" is because he talks too much?  I don't see that in my DSM codes.

Doesn't mean everything she says is gospel.

There is mainstream media covering his decline, it is just not being paid much attention to by people. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/05/04/trump-interview-abc-time-mental-decline/83391080007/

Is Trump in mental decline? He sounds far worse than Biden ever did. |

https://news.meaww.com/doctor-claims-trumps-worsening-articulation-indicates-he-has-dementia-amid-deteriorating-health-rumors

Doctor claims Trump’s worsening articulation indicates he has dementia amid ‘deteriorating’ health rumors

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-speeches-may-show-signs-of-dementia-and-cognitive-decline-top-experts-say/

Trump’s Speeches May Show Signs of ‘Dementia’ and Cognitive Decline, Top Experts Say

two of these are very recent, one is from late last summer. People were talking about this all through the campaign. Qualified, medical people. 

Now, Trump is a nasty, nasty human being who is doing a lot of damage, posibly fatal damage, to this country, and this is entirely aside from actual political concerns. This is absolutely obvious, no one in the future will ever doubt it. We have in a few short months gone from the leader of the free world to a country that is wetting itwself on a subway bench, but still has a few valuable possessions to steal. I really hope we can recover. 

Is trump sufferring from dementia, or his he merely not at all interested in pretending and has given himself totally to his narcissistic.sociopathic self? I suppose I personally don’t know the answer. But a lot of people in this country are going to suffer the consequences of the fact that he was elected, some already are sufferring. 

It is possible that, if we live through this with some possibility of recovery, that we need to put age limits on our presidents, and possibly do other things to protect ourselves. Meanwhile, yes, we did ok under Biden, if only because he had a team able to gather around him and support him to do good for the country. Trump has surrounded himself with sharks (and my apologies to the sharks(.

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, Affogato said:

This is absolutely obvious, no one in the future will ever doubt it.

While it is no comfort now I am very confident that future historians will not be kind to Trump and his enablers. 

[Affogato]

I find I’m starting to get really angry. Can this possibly be what people want?

[BetyBee]

3 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Trump thrives on chaos.  It's how he has always operated.  What is happening in the US right now is straight up what he wants.  People on the defensive, angry and anxious. 

It backfired when he pulled that crap in Canada and in Australia - BTW thanks again Trump for helping us keep the Cons out of office.

I hope that other nations continue to learn what not to do, what not to fall for. Maybe our time as a world leader is over, except as a sad example. I'm not giving up at all, but I don't think we can repair all the damage that has been done, in my lifetime. I hope for better for my kids and grandkids. 

Edited May 17 by BetyBee
added comma to clarify meaning

[annzeepark914]

Trump Grift-o Currency is so right. He's thumbing his nose at Congress big time. And the GOP senators & reps sit there & take it like the losers they are.

[JustHereForFood]

11 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Ah yes, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the pinnacles of democracy and human rights, who wouldn't be happy about such partnerships.

Edited May 17 by JustHereForFood

[annzeepark914]

How many deals did Donnie create and how many were created by the Biden administration? Trump loves to take credit for anything good that happens Anything bad? This nebbish blames everyone else (especially any Democrats he can think of).

[peacheslatour]

32 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

How many deals did Donnie create and how many were created by the Biden administration? Trump loves to take credit for anything good that happens Anything bad? This nebbish blames everyone else (especially any Democrats he can think of).

In Seattle, we had a few large improvements to infrastructure that had large signs, all blue with information about the work done and further work to come. They were part of the Build Back Better Act. Now they have been covered in big red banners claiming all the work was done by Trump. Considering this all happened months before he took office, they're complete jokes and keep getting vandalized.

[bluegirl147]

18 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

In Seattle, we had a few large improvements to infrastructure that had large signs, all blue with information about the work done and further work to come. They were part of the Build Back Better Act. Now they have been covered in big red banners claiming all the work was done by Trump. Considering this all happened months before he took office, they're complete jokes and keep getting vandalized.

I get that his MAGA base will believe he is responsible for it but Trump believes he is responsible for it.  Just like he believes he is responsible for whatever deal India and Pakistan worked out.   In his warped mind he thinks he is some sort of Midas or something and everything he touches turns to gold. The man has some deep rooted psychological problems.

[lookeyloo]

I predict a lot of "whataboutism"

[Affogato]

Apparently 10% of Americans believe the eart is flat…..

https://apple.news/Ak78IaxPHSVW_YmHb-BxLO

Flat Earth on the ballot? Debunked claim pops up in US politics.

Quote:

In Alabama, there's Dean Odle, a pastor who lost when he ran for governor in 2022, and is now seeking to become lieutenant governor next year. Odle, who describes himself as the "Anti-estabishment Republican," told USA TODAY he became "a flat-earth/biblical-earther believer" in 2015, even attending the inaugural Flat Earth International Conference in 2017.

He cites his 2019 self-published book, titled "Like Clay Under the Seal," saying his belief that the Earth is flat initially came as a "spiritual download from the Holy Spirit." Odle said he's aware of the flak he gets for his beliefs, but it won't stop him from running for office to try improving the state's low-ranking education status and stop the Second Amendment from being attacked.

[peacheslatour]

10 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

I predict a lot of "whataboutism"

 I can't think of a single time a Democrat did anything similar.

[Bastet]

4 minutes ago, Affogato said:

to try improving the state's low-ranking education status

He wants to improve the state's dismal education ranking by <checks notes> touting as true a theory that was debunked back in ancient times and conclusively proven false centuries ago?

[ebk57]

I just need other people to see this.  I don't even know what to say about it.

 

[bluegirl147]

1 minute ago, Bastet said:

He wants to improve the state's dismal education ranking by <checks notes> touting as true a theory that was debunked back in ancient times and conclusively proven false centuries ago?

I want the flat earthers to explain why there has been this centuries long conspiracy to make people believe the earth is round.  

14 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

1. PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - One person is dead and several people are reportedly injured after a vehicle explosion that damaged several buildings in what Palm Springs police are calling an "intentional act of violence."

   Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte told the Los Angeles Times he could "confirm it was a bomb in or near a vehicle parked at the building."

   The FBI and ATF have responded to the scene. Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed.

   The explosion was first reported at around 11 a.m. on Saturday at American Reproductive Centers on N Indian Canyon, near E Tachevah Drive, according to city officials.

It never ends does it? 

4 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

I just need other people to see this.  I don't even know what to say about it.

 

But sure let's keep talking about Biden and his mental acuity. 

Trump has the mental and emotional age of a 12 yr old.  He thinks stuff like this is cool.

These daily embarrassments that is Trump "governing" is like watching a car careen out of control. We are just waiting for it to crash and hope it doesn't hurt anyone else. I literally cringe every time I see things like this.  

[peacheslatour]

5 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

I want the flat earthers to explain why there has been this centuries long conspiracy to make people believe the earth is round.  

It never ends does it? 

This is from the clinic's website, It may explain this or it may not but it's interesting.

 

[jessiebell]

 Of course trump is exaggerating and/or inflating the amount of his "deals" made on his Middle East trip.  Some of the deals have been in the works for months including during Biden's time, some weren't really "deals" but a memorandum of understanding, and plenty were exaggerated.  For example the $181 billion deal between Amazon and an UAE telecommunications company was actually announced last October and the UAE company contracted for $1 billion over 6 years.  Trump touts a $181 bilion figure but that is a calculation of how much UAE could increase its domestic product if it starts using more cloud services.

This administration just pulls numbers out of thin air - 258 million American lives saved by fentanyl seizures during Trump's first 100 days - 3/4 of the total American population uses fentanyl?  $50 million no $100 million condons for Hamas. 200 countries are making trade deals with the US.

Now Trump is telling Walmart to "eat the tariffs."  Just anoher example of Trump's lies regarding who pays the tariffs.  If the foreign country (as he claims) pays then Walmart wouldn't announce it's raising prices to cover its increased tariff duties.

[Dimity]

4 minutes ago, jessiebell said:

Just anoher example of Trump's lies regarding who pays the tariffs. 

If his lips are moving, he's lying.  What boggles my mind are the enablers surrounding him who have to know the truth. 

[shapeshifter]

Just now, Dimity said:

If his lips are moving, he's lying.  What boggles my mind are the enablers surrounding him who have to know the truth. 

Anyone got stats on the proportion of humans who are ever willing to admit they were wrong?

[annzeepark914]

Down here in the meth lab...I just tried to convince MrP914 that we need to move to Norway. It's so clean, pretty, & takes care of its people. Being a 2nd gen SwedishAmerican would be my little secret--they do *not* like the Swedes nor do the other Scandinavian countries 😎). 

[PRgal]

Embryos, eggs and other reproductive material remain safe, according to a statement.

 

At least there's SOME good news...

[Dimity]

14 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Down here in the meth lab...I just tried to convince MrP914 that we need to move to Norway. It's so clean, pretty, & takes care of its people. Being a 2nd gen SwedishAmerican would be my little secret--they do *not* like the Swedes nor do the other Scandinavian countries 😎). 

Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds,
chased by one Norwegian.
Ten thousand more ran to the shore
in the battle of Copenhagen.

😁

[annzeepark914]

56 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds,
chased by one Norwegian.
Ten thousand more ran to the shore
in the battle of Copenhagen.

😁

Heard that a lot in my extended family of Swedes 😄. I've always been the non- arrogant Swedish-American amongst all my relatives (never should've talked about this with my Swiss/German-American spouse as he's *never* forgotten it 🙄). 

[Affogato]

28 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Heard that a lot in my extended family of Swedes 😄. I've always been the non- arrogant Swedish-American amongst all my relatives (never should've talked about this with my Swiss/German-American spouse as he's *never* forgotten it 🙄). 

My midwestern grandparents were a mixed norwegian/swedish marriage.

[Salacious Kitty]

Christian Nationalist and lead TheoBro Doug Wilson is planting a church in DC.  This is worrisome as his denomination, the CREC, has ties ties to Vance and drunky Pete. Pete actually attended the church plant in Nashville.

[Affogato]

44 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Christian Nationalist and lead TheoBro Doug Wilson is planting a church in DC.  This is worrisome as his denomination, the CREC, has ties ties to Vance and drunky Pete. Pete actually attended the church plant in Nashville.

Church plant? Is this a factory?

Great Beagle! Quote from article cited above:

As I wrote last year, even in the TheoBros fraternity, Wilson stands out as a firebrand: He has argued that the master-slave dynamic was “a relationship based upon mutual affection and confidence,” called the trope of the dominant man and a submissive woman “an erotic necessity,” and opined that women never should have been given the right to vote. When I asked him about his most provocative statements, he compared himself to a chef who cooks with jalapeño peppers: “Some of my enemies online have combed through my writings, have gathered up all the jalapeños, and put them on one Ritz cracker,” he told me.

Edited May 18 by Affogato

[Affogato]

5 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

That bandwagon you talk about is now in print...and proven by one of his own.

Biden created a mess for our country, starting with open borders. You/your party might think we would prosper, but the only people prospering where the people around him, the people who held him up, and the people who were running the country while he slept most of the day.

This I wholeheartedly agree with.

Mostly I meant that you claimed sensitivity about the subject of dementia, except when it served your purpose. 
 

i don’t know what you think was happening with the borders during Biden’s presidency, but you don’t seem to have a grasp on it in a way that can reasonably be discussed. I do understand that wasting huge amounts of money and bypassing the courts is touted by FOX news as a clever way to get things done. But in any case the theater that is being presented now is hugely expensive and wil break the economy, as well as being similar to Hitler’s round up of the jewish people and other groups. 
 

https://apple.news/ASCeYIaUMS_Wkjj4m1YDbLw

Past is prologue: Immigrant crackdowns lead to labor shortages

this is not me being snarky, flat out the truth. 

Edited Sunday at 11:08 AM by Affogato

[BetyBee]

8 hours ago, Affogato said:

My midwestern grandparents were a mixed norwegian/swedish marriage.

Same! Sometimes I wish they'd stayed put, though I wouldn't be me if they had and I wouldn't have had the best grandma in the world. So I guess I'll stay put and see things through. Norway is looking good though, these days!

[DrSpaceman73]

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

That bandwagon you talk about is now in print...and proven by one of his own.

Biden created a mess for our country, starting with open borders. You/your party might think we would prosper, but the only people prospering where the people around him, the people who held him up, and the people who were running the country while he slept most of the day.

This I wholeheartedly agree with.

The border problem wasn't created by Biden. It was an issue through multiple presidents going back to the 80s. 

It also wasn't causing huge crime problems as claimed. In fact our crime rates have plummeted since the 90s. 

In regard to age limits, no, but there should be a process in place to challenge and remove any politician,  president or otherwise, thought to have dementia. And Biden shoukd have dropped out much sooner

We know Reagan in his last 4 years was going through the same thing though.  

 

[Mollywolly555]

There is a big difference.

IF Biden was slipping gradually into dementia, at least he had ultra-qualified, experienced staff, and his own well-respected experience and diplomacy to keep the US at the forefront of world politics with the support of allies, as well as adherence to Constitutional law. 

Trump's staff of woefully inexperienced, mendacious Fox pundits (Hegseth, Judge Jeanine, Noem, etc.), and discredited tv scammers (Oz) and outright crazies (Booby, Means), and so many others, all have NO qualifications to be in those critical positions. The serious military mistakes and out of control spending and money grab from Musk and lobbyists by said staff is graft at an unbelievable level..... and only hurts the US world position and citizens.

Trump's dementia is on exhibit daily in his nonsensical, disjointed verbal word salad/weaves and childish revenge politics... and he is in charge now, so crow  about Biden all you want, it's old news. We can't change the past, but for all our sakes, I hope we/the US will survive to have a future. 

I would also argue that naps did not cost the taxpayers $, whereas Trump's frequent golf games, dinners for his own private  investors, trips, etc., are milking the public teat dry.

Edited Sunday at 01:39 PM by Mollywolly555

[Yeah No]

I'm still behind but I saw this video on YT and felt it was worth posting here. Someone asked AI how to stop Trump and this is what it said. The video takes a few minutes to get there but it does and says a lot of things mentioned in this thread including the stuff I've posted about how in order to effect change at the ballot box and prevent Trump-ism and the chaos from spreading we have to concentrate on our shared principles and appeal to everyone, not continue to let ourselves get further divided. And of course, the big issue is apathy, which needs to be addressed. Getting bogged down in differences only increases the conflict and voter apathy.