Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Affogato]

5 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Fear? Sorry, I don't fear anyone. It's more about common sense (for me) when it comes to genders. And more about legalities and procedures relating to border issues. Let's face it, many of us are descendants of immigrants, BUT they came here LEGALLY, most through Ellis Island. If they can do it, why can't the rest?!?

Sadly a lot of the people who are being persecuted have come through legal channels and common sense would indicate that everyone gets to make decisions about their own bodies, you, me, everyone. 

[shapeshifter]

13 minutes ago, Affogato said:

Sadly a lot of the people who are being persecuted have come through legal channels and common sense would indicate that everyone gets to make decisions about their own bodies, you, me, everyone. 

For those with their US birth certificates confidently in hand, consider:
As a frail woman I do not feel safe going to the public beach to watch the sunset. The current POTUS reinforces this "norm" by insisting he has the right to grab women. 

[tres bien]

6 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I agree. Senator Seth Moulton (Dem - Mass) was on Real Time tonight and confirmed exactly what you're saying. He disagreed with a couple of Dem policies (especially about his daughter having to compete with a trans boy) but Seth was told by his party NOT to say a word to ANYONE! Why is that? Why can't people in Congress speak the truth?? This is what's stopping US from bipartisanship and just generally getting along to do what's BEST for the entire country! This is what bothers me more than idiotic policies. 

And no, I will NOT be voting for Mickey or even Minnie Mouse. You might be surprised to learn that I was a strong liberal in my youth. But like most people, including DJT, when Dem took a hard left, Reps bowed out. And before I get 37 replies that DJT had an ulterior motive, it was just ONE EXAMPLE. So I will not be responding to what I already know.

Loyalty (as it relates to politics) is not the word I'd use for myself. It's more complicated (for me) than that. Not saying many stay out of loyalty. I weigh all the policies and make my decision based on what I feel is more important. I wish I could say the same for Dems. They are the die hard party that will stick to their agenda no matter. Which circles us right back to my first paragraph.

🤔 in January of this year Rep Seth Moulton (D MA) voted against a bill banning trans athletes from competing in women’s sports.

Not a fly on the wall here but tactics like dems telling him not to say a word to anyone sound pretty MAGA to me

Edited May 31 by tres bien

[shapeshifter]

About Elon Musk's black eye:

Quote

“I was just horsing around with little X, and I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face,’ and he did,” Mr. Musk explained after a reporter asked him if he was OK.
nytimes.com/2025/05/30/us/politics/elon-musk-black-eye.html

Encouraging a child to potentially blind someone via detached retina?

[Yeah No]

Well, now my state (CT), several cities and towns within it and some other states/cities are under attack and put on warning by Trump for being a "sanctuary state", violating the law on immigration and "harboring dangerous criminals". To which New Haven Governor Justin Elicker came back swinging telling him that he can assure him that New Haven is not obstructing justice nor is it harboring any dangerous criminals. AND our Governor Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong have pointed out that CT has never identified itself as a sanctuary state, to which Republicans say the name doesn't matter because they insist that it is. Elicker says he is proud of being called that and accused the Trump administration of "lying to the American People". Republicans insist that CT is ignoring immigration laws. 

More here:

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/sanctuary_city_2

https://ctmirror.org/2025/05/30/ct-trump-sanctuary-jurisdiction/

I don't really know much about this but I think that's because in my experience, undocumented immigrants rarely make the news here for crimes in CT in spite of how upset Republicans are about them and their presumed danger to the public. All of the horrible crimes I hear about here are committed by Americans and I read and watch the CT news every day. If there were any significant trend toward crime committed by undocumented immigrants here you'd better believe that Republicans would be all over it and I would have heard about it by now. It's interesting how they keep harping on the danger they pose to the public but they don't provide any statistics to substantiate it.

On top of that, Trump pardoned one of our former governors, Republican John Roland, who had already served his time for accepting gifts from state contractors to renovate his home in exchange for favors 20 years ago. Not sure why he needed pardoning if he already served his time. No one cares about him anymore here in CT so I don't understand why it was done. Not that I would expect to understand anything from Trump anymore. Although some experts think Trump is sending a message that it's OK for people in power to accept bribes. Only if they're Republicans, though!

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat, had this to say:

“It just seems like if you're a Republican, or if you've donated money to Trump, you get out of jail free. And that's a lawless society," he said. "He is communicating to people very clearly that you can commit crimes as long as you give me money. That's horrific.”

https://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/ct-john-rowland-pardon-donald-trump-corruption-20351090.php

[Ohiopirate02]

36 minutes ago, tres bien said:

🤔 in January of this year Rep Seth Moulton (D MA) voting against a bill banning trans athletes from competing in women’s sports.

Not a fly on the wall here but tactics like dems telling him not to say a word to anyone sound pretty MAGA to me

He could have also read credible, peer-reviewed studies to find out all.of the conditions that must be met before any AMAB athlete must meet before being allowed to compete with AFAB athletes. The combination of testosterone blockers and estrogen greatly reduces whatever advantage men may have. There is no place where someone AMAB can just show up and say he's a woman to compete with women. 

And through all of this debate no one gives any thought to the transmen who are competing with men. If someone so strenuous believes there are only two genders despite all the science to the contrary, then why are they not advocating for them to be competing with their assigned gender at birth. Or expecting them to use the women's restroom. If men are such predators, shouldn't they be protected just like all other AFAB individuals?

[Affogato]

10 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I agree. Senator Seth Moulton (Dem - Mass) was on Real Time tonight and confirmed exactly what you're saying. He disagreed with a couple of Dem policies (especially about his daughter having to compete with a trans boy) but Seth was told by his party NOT to say a word to ANYONE! Why is that? Why can't people in Congress speak the truth?? This is what's stopping US from bipartisanship and just generally getting along to do what's BEST for the entire country! This is what bothers me more than idiotic policies. 

And no, I will NOT be voting for Mickey or even Minnie Mouse. You might be surprised to learn that I was a strong liberal in my youth. But like most people, including DJT, when Dem took a hard left, Reps bowed out. And before I get 37 replies that DJT had an ulterior motive, it was just ONE EXAMPLE. So I will not be responding to what I already know.

Loyalty (as it relates to politics) is not the word I'd use for myself. It's more complicated (for me) than that. Not saying many stay out of loyalty. I weigh all the policies and make my decision based on what I feel is more important. I wish I could say the same for Dems. They are the die hard party that will stick to their agenda no matter. Which circles us right back to my first paragraph.

This is remarkably incoherent. No one agrees completely with the policies of any party, a party is a committee. No one, ever, anyway. 
 

second, good lord, your two issues are fed to you to distract you, and distract you, from what is being done to the country. They are literally nonstarters. This is what was done in Nazi Germany. Illegal immigrants ate set up as scapegoats. Also trans people. 
 

by the way, being born male is not the huge advantage you think it is,  and a lot of this fear seems based on the usual men are better than women routine. 

Edited May 31 by Affogato

[Dimity]

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

And the majority of people that died had underlying conditions.

I won't even touch your attempted smear at Dr. Fauci - let's focus on this comment.

Were you aware that: "In the first year of the pandemic alone, over 3,600 healthcare workers in the US lost their lives, with nurses and support staff being at a significantly higher risk"?  Within health care these people are being called "the sacrificial lambs". Or is this a trifling point that makes no difference to you?  Coming from a family of nurses I can assure you it is a sobering statistic to me.

With regard to underlying conditions - the most significant one was age.  So do you agree with the "Grandma had a good run" mentality then?

 

Edited May 31 by Dimity

[tres bien]

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I understand, but I simply don't see it that way. Nor do most Reps. We think the Dems (especially under Autopen Biden) were getting rich off insider trading and a lot of shenanigans that haven't come out in the open yet. We just learned about Tapper's cover-up, so what else might there be? It's only been a few months. Give it time. I'm sure everything will all come out in the wash.

Of course Trump isn’t making a dime not profiting in any way his bitcoin or those $1 million MAL dinners that aren’t in any way influencing his decisions 

But calling President Biden “AutopenBiden” because that’s Trump’s and FOX’s new meme just shows how MAGAs will swallow any and all BS they’re fed everyday 

And why do you think there were nefarious things going on behind the scenes in the Biden White House that now all MAGAs are waiting with baited breath and to come out

Because Jake Tapper wrote a right leaning book to make a buck and ingratiate himself with the MAGA world and it’s taken as gospel?

Edited May 31 by tres bien

[Eri]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

Well, now my state (CT), several cities and towns within it and some other states/cities are under attack and put on warning by Trump for being a "sanctuary state", violating the law on immigration and "harboring dangerous criminals".

 He's so full of crap, I need a plunger.

Immigration this, immigration that - it's practically his sole weapon to keep his base happy and distracted from all the other brilliant ideas he's masterminding with tariffs, withholding FEMA aid from red states, and engaging in some top-notch bribery and corruption. 

Has he looked outside the windows at Mar-a-Lago? Because those sure as hell aren't American citizens landscaping his property 😉

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

And the majority of people that died had underlying conditions. 

Wow, is that some kind of excuse for why the Pandemic was less of a big deal than Democrats said it was? Because you know my father, then 92, died of Covid in early April of 2020 in NYC. I consider his death untimely and tragic, AND it could have been avoided if precautions were taken early enough to prevent 700 people A DAY in NYC alone from dying when he died. I cannot begin to describe for you the horror this situation was for me and how it dishonored a man who was a WWII veteran and served in the Army as a full time Captain in the Reserve School for decades afterward. I will never forgive Trump or any Republican that supports him for this and their general attitude about the pandemic which made it possible. Every time they made the pandemic political like refusing to wear masks it felt like they were spitting on my father's grave. Literally. I can't even begin to describe it.

My father was healthy for his age. He may have even lived to be 100. He was the very LAST close family member I had left. I don't even have any first cousins, no kids and no siblings. His loss was a very big deal for me. And I had to have him cremated, which was not his wish. I only knew that from talking to him before he got sick because after he went into the hospital the pandemonium and health crisis prevented them from letting me visit him nor even talk to him. I had to beg them to get a phone to his bedside just to tell him we loved him, my husband and I. All I heard on the other end was the hiss of the oxygen as he gasped and tried to speak. That was the last time I ever talked to him. His body was put on ice for a MONTH because there were too many bodies and not enough funeral homes to deal with them all. He was shipped to PA to a crematorium there. I had no choice. I am never going to be over this. When I saw Trump's attitude about the pandemic it confirmed for me what I really knew all along about him. He is EVIL. If that's not enough for anyone then I welcome them to go through what I went through during the pandemic and see how they feel about him then.

Edited May 31 by Yeah No
Added clarification.

[DrSpaceman73]

8 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I understand, but I simply don't see it that way. Nor do most Reps. We think the Dems (especially under Autopen Biden) were getting rich off insider trading and a lot of shenanigans that haven't come out in the open yet. We just learned about Tapper's cover-up, so what else might there be? It's only been a few months. Give it time. I'm sure everything will all come out in the wash.

This is the type of response that shows me despite your claims of not supporting everything trump does, you will never change your mind about him and all you listen to is right wing propaganda

 

Your response has NOTHING to do with what I stated.  Itsa complete straw man, non sequitur 'hey but look over here'

Bidens son probably broke the law. That's private personal criminal legal cases. He was pardoned, I don't like that either but it happened. 

That is completely different than the president and a party trying to take total control and overthrowing our democratic system of govt  at the natinnal level. Not at all the same.  And trying to justify one with the other is simply ludicrous 

 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Dimity said:

With regard to underlying conditions - the most significant one was age.  So do you agree with the "Grandma had a good run" mentality then?

Also, by the time someone is 60 it is rare not to have at least one of the underlying conditions that the CDC listed as being vulnerable to severe Covid symptoms leading to possible death. In early 2020 I was already 61 and had one or two of them and I was relatively healthy for my age, too. And it is absolutely shocking how many young, perfectly healthy people died of Covid, especially early on. 

[Absolom]

Last fall the percentage of the population who were dyed in the wool Trumpers was around 35% maybe 40% on some polls.  In the winter it settled around 30%.  Now informally it's slipping to 20%.  The more erratic he acts, the more the less committed begin to see it.  

[peacheslatour]

Parody of the famous picture of Stalin and the magical disappearing Nikolai Yezhov after his fall from favor.

Edited May 31 by peacheslatour

[tres bien]

50 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Also, by the time someone is 60 it is rare not to have at least one of the underlying conditions that the CDC listed as being vulnerable to severe Covid symptoms leading to possible death. In early 2020 I was already 61 and had one or two of them and I was relatively healthy for my age, too. And it is absolutely shocking how many young, perfectly healthy people died of Covid, especially early on. 

And the man who wanted to wear a Superman shirt after surviving COVID by getting drugs that were available to no one still demonizes a doctor that did nothing other than the best he could have during a once in 100 year pandemic 

[lookeyloo]

I'm almost through with Money, Lies and god.  The author says, towards the end, that even when Trump is gone that won't make much change among his disciples and they are far reaching and insidious - they really do want to make America white, Christian and Male.  What they are lacking right now is another charismatic leader who hasn't been made known to us (or them) yet.  There is a move afoot to have a "head of household" voting law that the white Christian male decides.  These things are happening but unless we actively investigate we will not be aware of.  It is hard to fight these things.  Especially when there are folks who just look at the surface and seem to like what is happening with no real thought on how deep it goes and how they will eventually fall into being powerless unless they are, you guessed it W,C,M.  

And I really wonder when someone generalizes to all of a group as if each group is so homogeneous as to all think exactly alike.  Or, on the other hand suggesting"I knew a person once, therefore, that means all" Perplexing.

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

I'm almost through with Money, Lies and god.  The author says, towards the end, that even when Trump is gone that won't make much change among his disciples and they are far reaching and insidious - they really do want to make America white, Christian and Male.  What they are lacking right now is another charismatic leader who hasn't been made known to us (or them) yet.  There is a move afoot to have a "head of household" voting law that the white Christian male decides.  These things are happening but unless we actively investigate we will not be aware of.  It is hard to fight these things.  Especially when there are folks who just look at the surface and seem to like what is happening with no real thought on how deep it goes and how they will eventually fall into being powerless unless they are, you guessed it W,C,M.  

And I really wonder when someone generalizes to all of a group as if each group is so homogeneous as to all think exactly alike.  Or, on the other hand suggesting"I knew a person once, therefore, that means all" Perplexing.

Ford never should have pardoned Nixon. the Jan 6 terrorists should have been dealt with the way traitors were dealt with in the early America and Trump should be rotting in prison. Until we as a nation have enough courage to deal harshly with threats coming from inside of our own country, these fascists will be emboldened to continue their march toward white christian tyranny.

[Affogato]

10 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I understand, but I simply don't see it that way. Nor do most Reps. We think the Dems (especially under Autopen Biden) were getting rich off insider trading and a lot of shenanigans that haven't come out in the open yet. We just learned about Tapper's cover-up, so what else might there be? It's only been a few months. Give it time. I'm sure everything will all come out in the wash.

Now, is ‘autopen Biden’ something that is generally circulated as a term these days? Snort. No, really, that’s hilarious.  Because it has no connection whatsoever to him being capable of deciding whether to sign something. 

I think we know for a fact that many republicans and Trump are actually getting rich. That it is grossly obvious and questionable behavior. Is it possible that one democrat did some insider trading? Could it even compare to Trump announcing that they should do insider trading before he did his drama queen reversal of the tariffs?

 And, really, it is taking advantage of poor people to sell Trump bibles and that sort of thing, the people that are buying them are not people who can afford the money.  This includes some of the crypto stuff, when people who buy into it are not understanding what they are buying or how the ‘game’ is played. 

13 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

I'm almost through with Money, Lies and god.  The author says, towards the end, that even when Trump is gone that won't make much change among his disciples and they are far reaching and insidious - they really do want to make America white, Christian and Male.  What they are lacking right now is another charismatic leader who hasn't been made known to us (or them) yet.  There is a move afoot to have a "head of household" voting law that the white Christian male decides.  These things are happening but unless we actively investigate we will not be aware of.  It is hard to fight these things.  Especially when there are folks who just look at the surface and seem to like what is happening with no real thought on how deep it goes and how they will eventually fall into being powerless unless they are, you guessed it W,C,M.  

And I really wonder when someone generalizes to all of a group as if each group is so homogeneous as to all think exactly alike.  Or, on the other hand suggesting"I knew a person once, therefore, that means all" Perplexing.

I hope we will have more discussion about this. Trump is being used by a larger conspiracy. There may be a replacement for Trump already in the wings, I can guarantee it isn’t Vance. Yes, they were scared by democrats reminding their wives they can vote their own conscience and the husbands would never know, weren’t they? Gaghh. 

The book points out that this is a conspiracy, if you will, of many different groups. We see the MAGA supporter who, after a lifetime of being carried along by events, is finally moving to the forfront of the news and making an impact on history. Taking charge.  They are not a huge threat,  But there are other people hiding behind them. 

[peacheslatour]

18 minutes ago, Affogato said:

Now, is ‘autopen Biden’ something that is generally circulated as a term these days? Snort. No, really, that’s hilarious.  Because it has no connection whatsoever to him being capable of deciding whether to sign something. 

I think we know for a fact that many republicans and Trump are actually getting rich. That it is grossly obvious and questionable behavior. Is it possible that one democrat did some insider trading? Could it even compare to Trump announcing that they should do insider trading before he did his drama queen reversal of the tariffs?

 And, really, it is taking advantage of poor people to sell Trump bibles and that sort of thing, the people that are buying them are not people who can afford the money.  This includes some of the crypto stuff, when people who buy into it are not understanding what they are buying or how the ‘game’ is played. 

"Autopen Biden" is straight from Trump's Truth Social posts. It has no bearing on reality just like everything else he says.  He also says that gas is $1.89 a gallon and Elon just said that no child has died from gutting USAID. https://www.latintimes.com/elon-musk-brands-bono-liar-idiot-telling-joe-rogan-doge-usaid-cuts-cost-300000-lives-584105#slideshow/577982

"Zero people have died!" Musk insisted, a claim that has been widely debunked by experts.

Edited May 31 by peacheslatour

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

Also, by the time someone is 60 it is rare not to have at least one of the underlying conditions that the CDC listed as being vulnerable to severe Covid symptoms leading to possible death. In early 2020 I was already 61 and had one or two of them and I was relatively healthy for my age, too. And it is absolutely shocking how many young, perfectly healthy people died of Covid, especially early on. 

I remember the young Broadway dancer who ultimately died but suffered for months, I believe even had a leg amputated. 

But the right wing lie machine is in full throttle now and they way they would have us remember the pandemic is it was a minor inconvenience, a few oldies died, no biggie,  but oh how the rest of us suffered because we couldn't get a haircut.  

[lookeyloo]

32 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Ford never should have pardoned Nixon. the Jan 6 terrorists should have been dealt with the way traitors were dealt with in the early America and Trump should be rotting in prison. Until we as a nation have enough courage to deal harshly with threats coming from inside of our own country, these fascists will be emboldened to continue their march toward white christian tyranny.

Agree in principle. But "we as a nation" as much as I would like that - doesn't seem to be what "we" are right now. 

[PRgal]

Margaret Atwood says the current tensions between our two countries is the "most direct threat since 1812"

 

 

[peacheslatour]

More hatred based policy making.

The Trump administration has moved to end funding for a broad swath of HIV vaccine research, saying current approaches are enough to counter the virus, multiple scientists and federal health officials say.

Notifications that the funding would not be extended were relayed Friday to researchers, who were told by National Institutes of Health officials that the Department of Health and Human Services had elected "to go with currently available approaches to eliminate HIV" instead.

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/trump-administration-ending-multiple-hiv-vaccine-studies/

[ProudMary]

11 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

And the majority of people that died had underlying conditions.

Interesting. For future reference, what other guidelines exist for those human beings that are fine to sacrifice?

[Affogato]

28 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Interesting. For future reference, what other guidelines exist for those human beings that are fine to sacrifice?

Culling the herd, all for the good of the herd. 

[Lugal]

11 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

And more about legalities and procedures relating to border issues. Let's face it, many of us are descendants of immigrants, BUT they came here LEGALLY, most through Ellis Island. If they can do it, why can't the rest?!?

Respectfully, you're comparing apples to oranges here.  One branch of my family came over in 1696, the last was in 1864 and none came through Ellis Island.  There were no immigration laws then.  Basically once they stepped off the boat, they were legal.  The first immigration laws were the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.  Compare that to a friend of mine who tried to immigrate from France who filled out all the applications, consulted with immigration attorneys crossed all the T's and dotted all the I's only to have a thirty second meeting with the consulate only to be told no (she did eventually get in and opened a business here)

11 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

And no, I will NOT be voting for Mickey or even Minnie Mouse. You might be surprised to learn that I was a strong liberal in my youth. But like most people, including DJT, when Dem took a hard left, Reps bowed out.

I keep hearing this, but as an actual leftist, all I've seen is Dems chasing Republicans to the right for the last 40 years.  Clinton's big achievements (NAFTA, the 1994 Crime Bill, welfare reform, deregulation of banks and telecoms) were longstanding Republican objectives.  Obama continued Bush's surveillance policies and Obamacare was based off Romneycare and still left private insurance in control. Biden's record in the Senate shows he was at best a moderate.  Kamala campaigned with Liz Cheney more than anyone else and Liz Cheney voted with Trump 93% of the time.

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, Lugal said:

I keep hearing this, but as an actual leftist, all I've seen is Dems chasing Republicans to the right for the last 40 years.  Clinton's big achievements (NAFTA, the 1994 Crime Bill, welfare reform, deregulation of banks and telecoms) were longstanding Republican objectives.  Obama continued Bush's surveillance policies and Obamacare was based off Romneycare and still left private insurance in control. Biden's record in the Senate shows he was at best a moderate.  Kamala campaigned with Liz Cheney more than anyone else and Liz Cheney voted with Trump 93% of the time.

Lynn Cheney, unlike many Republicans, finally called Trump on his shit and wanted to hold him accountable after January 6. She put country over party, and I still don’t get why some leftists treated her campaigning with Kamala as an unforgivable sin. A common enemy should unite. I have no love for Cheney, but she did more to help us that the leftists that turned their noses up at Harris and let Trump win. 

Edited May 31 by Spartan Girl

[ProudMary]

12 minutes ago, Lugal said:

I keep hearing this, but as an actual leftist, all I've seen is Dems chasing Republicans to the right for the last 40 years.  Clinton's big achievements (NAFTA, the 1994 Crime Bill, welfare reform, deregulation of banks and telecoms) were longstanding Republican objectives.  Obama continued Bush's surveillance policies and Obamacare was based off Romneycare and still left private insurance in control. Biden's record in the Senate shows he was at best a moderate.  Kamala campaigned with Liz Cheney more than anyone else and Liz Cheney voted with Trump 93% of the time.

Yes, yes, yes to ALL of this! When have the Democrats EVER taken that hard left??? I've been waiting for decades. I stayed out of yesterday's discussion because I couldn't believe that people who had been voting for Democrats said they wouldn't vote for Bernie or AOC. 🤦‍♀️ Does everyone realize that in Europe, the location many would now like to relocate to, Bernie and AOC would be considered centrists!?! Scandinavian countries would laugh at you. 

Are people aware that GWB actually signed off on more anti-gun legislation than Obama did? Yet all you heard from the right was, "Obama's coming for your guns." I was very disappointed that Obama allowed the provisions of Bush's Patriot Act to stand as is. It should have been clawed back, but the surveillance state was allowed to grow. And now look where we are.

There are several polls out there showing that eligible Americans who did not vote are more interested in candidates that are further left on most of the issues. 

The Democrats have been and still are heading in the wrong direction.

 

[Dimity]

2 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

I stayed out of yesterday's discussion because I couldn't believe that people who had been voting for Democrats said they wouldn't vote for Bernie or AOC.

Bernie is 83, by the next election he will be 86-87.  I don't see not voting for him to be a slap in the face to Democrats who want the party to embrace the policies he stands for.  AOC, will not get elected.  Plain and simple.  Full stop.  Sucks.  But it's reality.  I seriously wonder when the US will be ready for a woman as president.  Beginning to believe it won't be in my lifetime.  Not even sure it will be in my daughter's lifetime.

[ProudMary]

I'm still convinced that Bernie Sanders, 74 at the time, would have beaten Trump in 2016, but the Democratic Party, led by that bitch Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was Chair of the DNC at the time, decided it was "Hillary's time" and sabotaged the Sanders campaign in various ways, ultimately leading to her resignation from the position.

Just at the grassroots level, I can't begin to tell you how many people I spoke with who were excited about Bernie's proposals, especially young voters. I also remember frequently hearing the phrase, "I guess I'll hold my nose and vote for Hillary" from many Democrats.

[tres bien]

Bad news for the Jake Tapper 

After being all over the cable news networks yapping about his book for two weeks and nonstop schilling by CNN allowing him to criticize President Biden Jake Tapper’s book is a bust

He’s been carrying on incessantly with few quoted sources that Biden was incompetent during his presidency 

In the first week of it’s release the book sold 53,737 copies or about 1/10th of the viewers of his show 

In comparison Bob Woodward’s book “Fear: Trump in the White House” sold 1.1 million copies in it’s first week when released in September 2018

[Affogato]

5 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

I'm still convinced that Bernie Sanders, 74 at the time, would have beaten Trump in 2016, but the Democratic Party, led by that bitch Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was Chair of the DNC at the time, decided it was "Hillary's time" and sabotaged the Sanders campaign in various ways, ultimately leading to her resignation from the position.

Just at the grassroots level, I can't begin to tell you how many people I spoke with who were excited about Bernie's proposals, especially young voters. I also remember frequently hearing the phrase, "I guess I'll hold my nose and vote for Hillary" from many Democrats.

I don’t disagree with Bernie Saunders, but most of his proposals would not have worked if he was elected. However, Biden did actually pass a lot of legislation that supported the things he supported, just not to the idealistic endpoint. Sauders did influence the direction of government, but government has to be agreed upon in a diverse legislature. Unless you are someone like Trump, and make executive orders and ignore any objections. 

I think Bernie is someone who influences the direction of the party, but would be a poor choice to lead it. It any case, he is one of the old men who really needs to be pastured out. He has apparently picked a successor, and I wouldn’t support her in a presidential run at this time, either. 

Recently. Um. Young people were loud in their objection to anyone in Biden’s administration because of the support of Palestine. They may have abstained from voting, but the end result was someone who supports Israel the current Israeli leadership with his whole heart and pocketbook.

They should have listened to Harris’s strong statements of policy supporting human rights and the rule of law, because Trump immediately dismantled them. 

[kittykat]

I was a fervent Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016 and would have preferred him over Hillary Clinton but he didn't have the votes.  He did not win primaries.  I keep hearing that the DNC screwed him over but he wasn't a viable candidate if he can't win in closed elections where only Democrats voted.  Plus he was an independent who conveniently appealed to the Democrats when the time was right and that turned a few people off.  His policies were admirable but never made it through Congress. If you can't win primaries you can't win a general election. 

I too wish the DNC would shift more left but we are also underestimating the amount of voters that still lean center left.  The far left are more vocal but center left people who actually get out and vote still outnumber the young far left voters. The two sides actually need to work with each other instead of of shutting each other down.  It was monumentally stupid of the DNC to elect the now deceased Gerry Connelly over AOC to that chair position but the far left needs to learn about compromise instead of "my way or I'm not voting." And Chuck Schumer needs to learn when to call it quits.  It's a mess overall but we need to keep pushing for the DNC to make a progressive turn and the center left voters need to take a chance that a little change isn't a bad thing especially with the direction we're headed now. I wish the DNC had taken a hint when so many voters jumped ship and even went for Trump but they seem to be doubling down on wooing center right voters that aren't coming back.  I wish I knew what to do with this apart from from flying to Washington storming Congress (peacefully but in a huff) and grabbing Schumer's clipboard and going Anne Shirley on it.

Edited May 31 by kittykat

[tres bien]

Following the death of Rep Gerry Connelly the House democrats will hold a caucus election on June 24 to fill the top seat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee 

Currently four candidates are running:

Jasmine Crockett (TX) age 44

Stephen Lynch (MA) age 70

Kweisi Mfume (MD) age 76

Robert Garcia (CA) age 47

[bluegirl147]

A lot of Bernie supporters from 2016 became Trump supporters.  Could have been because they didn't trust Democrats anymore.  Could have been they just like supporting people they think will upend the status quo.

What I do know is more and more people are voting against candidates rather than voting for candidates.  People voted against Hillary in 2016.  People voted against Trump in 20 and 24.

In 2028 I truly hope we have candidates on both sides that people will want to vote for.  

3 minutes ago, tres bien said:

Following the death of Rep Gerry Connelly the House democrats will hold a caucus election on June 24 to fill the top seat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee 

Currently four candidates are running:

Jasmine Crockett (TX) age 44

Stephen Lynch (MA) age 70

Kweisi Mfume (MD) age 76

Robert Garcia (CA) age 47

Wanna bet it will be the white guy?

[lookeyloo]

5 minutes ago, tres bien said:

Following the death of Rep Gerry Connelly the House democrats will hold a caucus election on June 24 to fill the top seat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee 

Currently four candidates are running:

Jasmine Crockett (TX) age 44

Stephen Lynch (MA) age 70

Kweisi Mfume (MD) age 76

Robert Garcia (CA) age 47

Why do I feel like it will be one of the two elderly men.  I say this as going on 82.  We need younger minds, thoughts, energy, etc.

[ProudMary]

23 minutes ago, kittykat said:

I was a fervent Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016 and would have preferred him over Hillary Clinton but he didn't have the votes.  He did not win primaries.  I keep hearing that the DNC screwed him over but he wasn't a viable candidate if he can't win in closed elections where only Democrats voted.  Plus he was an independent who conveniently appealed to the Democrats when the time was right and that turned a few people off.  His policies were admirable but never made it through Congress. If you can't win primaries you can't win a general election. 

Bernie couldn't win primaries while the DNC was actively sabotaging his campaign, which was rapidly gaining steam. Debbie Wasserman Schultz reduced the number of Democratic debates, despite all other candidates but Hillary wanting more, not less. Bernie's campaign was denied access to strategic DNC databases, and then there were the pre-pledged superdelegates. 😡 The system was stacked for Hillary to win the primaries and ultimately, the nomination. 

I'd like to be clear that I voted for Hillary in the General Election. I was not one of those people who stayed home because my preferred candidate wasn't selected as the nominee, but my Primary Election vote has most often gone to a candidate who didn't win the nomination. 

Also, regarding Bernie's age, I thought long and hard about my Primary choice in 2020, and I did factor in Bernie's age. My Primary vote went to Elizabeth Warren, who is also older, but she's still 10 years younger than Bernie is.

[tearknee]

USA:

You can vote at: 18

Stand for the House of Representatives: at age 25

Stand for the Senate: at age 30.

Time when you will have built enough influence and power in either chamber to get things done that you want to happen: long after that, when you are no longer young and your worldview, preferences and tastes are well behind the times.

[Spartan Girl]

24 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

lot of Bernie supporters from 2016 became Trump supporters.  Could have been because they didn't trust Democrats anymore.  Could have been they just like supporting people they think will upend the status quo.

Don't forget misogyny.

[Anela]

7 hours ago, Eri said:

 He's so full of crap, I need a plunger.

Immigration this, immigration that - it's practically his sole weapon to keep his base happy and distracted from all the other brilliant ideas he's masterminding with tariffs, withholding FEMA aid from red states, and engaging in some top-notch bribery and corruption. 

Has he looked outside the windows at Mar-a-Lago? Because those sure as hell aren't American citizens landscaping his property 😉

It's like Leavitt saying, "We need more plumbers, instead of queer graduates from Harvard." Just putting the bigotry right out there, like chum in the water, for sharks. 

4 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I'm almost through with Money, Lies and god.  The author says, towards the end, that even when Trump is gone that won't make much change among his disciples and they are far reaching and insidious - they really do want to make America white, Christian and Male.  What they are lacking right now is another charismatic leader who hasn't been made known to us (or them) yet.  There is a move afoot to have a "head of household" voting law that the white Christian male decides.  These things are happening but unless we actively investigate we will not be aware of.  It is hard to fight these things.  Especially when there are folks who just look at the surface and seem to like what is happening with no real thought on how deep it goes and how they will eventually fall into being powerless unless they are, you guessed it W,C,M.  

And I really wonder when someone generalizes to all of a group as if each group is so homogeneous as to all think exactly alike.  Or, on the other hand suggesting"I knew a person once, therefore, that means all" Perplexing.

Some of the MAGA I know, and loathe, talked about the great replacement theory, for years. White people becoming the minority. They aren't screaming about it, anymore, because they're getting what they want. 

4 hours ago, Affogato said:

Now, is ‘autopen Biden’ something that is generally circulated as a term these days? Snort. No, really, that’s hilarious.  Because it has no connection whatsoever to him being capable of deciding whether to sign something. 

I think we know for a fact that many republicans and Trump are actually getting rich. That it is grossly obvious and questionable behavior. Is it possible that one democrat did some insider trading? Could it even compare to Trump announcing that they should do insider trading before he did his drama queen reversal of the tariffs?

 And, really, it is taking advantage of poor people to sell Trump bibles and that sort of thing, the people that are buying them are not people who can afford the money.  This includes some of the crypto stuff, when people who buy into it are not understanding what they are buying or how the ‘game’ is played. 

I hope we will have more discussion about this. Trump is being used by a larger conspiracy. There may be a replacement for Trump already in the wings, I can guarantee it isn’t Vance. Yes, they were scared by democrats reminding their wives they can vote their own conscience and the husbands would never know, weren’t they? Gaghh. 

The book points out that this is a conspiracy, if you will, of many different groups. We see the MAGA supporter who, after a lifetime of being carried along by events, is finally moving to the forfront of the news and making an impact on history. Taking charge.  They are not a huge threat,  But there are other people hiding behind them. 

I really think that's why we got Vance as VP. He's ready to replace Trump.

Edited May 31 by Anela

[Affogato]

11 minutes ago, Anela said:

It's like Leavitt saying, "We need more plumbers, instead of queer graduates from Harvard." Just putting the bigotry right out there, like chum in the water, for sharks. 

Some of the MAGA I know, and loathe, talked about the great replacement theory, for years. White people becoming the minority. They aren't screaming about it, anymore, because they're getting what they want. 

I really think that's why we got Vance as VP. He's ready to replace Trump.

He wants to replace Trump but he has no charisma. 

[ProudMary]

6 minutes ago, Anela said:

I really think that's why we got Vance as VP. He's ready to replace Trump.

Yes. Vance was hand-picked by Peter Thiel and other broligarchs for a reason.

Speaking of Peter Thiel:

Trump Taps Palantir to Create Master Database on Every American

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-taps-palantir-create-master-142225807.html

The Trump administration is collecting data on all Americans, and they are enlisting the data analysis company Palantir to do it.

The New York Times reports that President Trump has enlisted the firm, founded by far-right billionaire Peter Thiel, to carry out his March executive order instructing government agencies to share data with each other. The order has increased fears that the government is putting together a database to wield surveillance powers over the American public.

...

Thiel has multiple ties to DOGE, both through Musk and through many of his former employees working for the effort or taking other jobs in the Trump administration. And this data collection effort could give Thiel, Musk, and Trump unprecedented power over Americans, with the president being better able to punish his critics and target immigrants.

[kittykat]

1 hour ago, tres bien said:

Following the death of Rep Gerry Connelly the House democrats will hold a caucus election on June 24 to fill the top seat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee 

Currently four candidates are running:

Jasmine Crockett (TX) age 44

Stephen Lynch (MA) age 70

Kweisi Mfume (MD) age 76

Robert Garcia (CA) age 47

Crockett or Garcia would be the best choices.

1 hour ago, ProudMary said:

Also, regarding Bernie's age, I thought long and hard about my Primary choice in 2020, and I did factor in Bernie's age. My Primary vote went to Elizabeth Warren, who is also older, but she's still 10 years younger than Bernie is.

Elizabeth Warren was my #1 choice in 2020. She's still fighting the fight every day.

 

[peacheslatour]

Joni Ernst makes a very condescending and sarcastic "apology" for her "we all die" remark. What a soulless ghoul.

“Hello, everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall,” Ernst said in the clip, with a sarcastic tone. 

On Friday, the Iowa Republican was jeered after brushing aside life or death concerns about cuts to Medicaid, a public health insurance program for low income families and individuals with disabilities. 

“See I was in the process of answering a question that had been asked by an audience member, when a woman who was extremely distraught, screamed out from the back corner of the auditorium, people are going to die,” Ernst said Saturday. 

“And I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,” she continued.  

The Iowa lawmaker then encouraged viewers who want to see “eternal and everlasting life” to “embrace” Jesus Christ. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5327320-ernst-medicaid-comment-response/

 

[shapeshifter]

 

On 5/30/2025 at 12:05 PM, Lantern7 said:

When can we start referring to Melania as “TACO Belle”?

On 5/30/2025 at 1:08 PM, shapeshifter said:

Thanks for the chuckle.
Did you invent this?
Google AI is not familiar.
Yet…

On 5/30/2025 at 2:20 PM, Lantern7 said:

I came up with that on my own . . . but I’m certain it wouldn't had taken a thousand monkeys typing for one thousand years to come up with that. I’m thinking ten monkeys, five days. At most.

Apparently the infamous 12 Monkeys are loose.
This just appeared on FB/Threads:

• the new nickname for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is 'TACO Belle,'

Sorry Melania.

[ebk57]

3 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Joni Ernst makes a very condescending and sarcastic "apology" for her "we all die" remark. What a soulless ghoul.

“Hello, everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall,” Ernst said in the clip, with a sarcastic tone. 

On Friday, the Iowa Republican was jeered after brushing aside life or death concerns about cuts to Medicaid, a public health insurance program for low income families and individuals with disabilities. 

“See I was in the process of answering a question that had been asked by an audience member, when a woman who was extremely distraught, screamed out from the back corner of the auditorium, people are going to die,” Ernst said Saturday. 

“And I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,” she continued.  

The Iowa lawmaker then encouraged viewers who want to see “eternal and everlasting life” to “embrace” Jesus Christ. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5327320-ernst-medicaid-comment-response/

 

And she recorded that while walking through a cemetery.  She's awful.

 

On a brighter note, Penzey's is having a sale this weekend - for no special reason...

 

[Annber03]

7 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

This is the type of response that shows me despite your claims of not supporting everything trump does, you will never change your mind about him and all you listen to is right wing propaganda

Your response has NOTHING to do with what I stated.  Itsa complete straw man, non sequitur 'hey but look over here'

Bidens son probably broke the law. That's private personal criminal legal cases. He was pardoned, I don't like that either but it happened. 

That is completely different than the president and a party trying to take total control and overthrowing our democratic system of govt  at the natinnal level. Not at all the same.  And trying to justify one with the other is simply ludicrous 

This. So long as one keeps defending Trump at every turn and doesn't seem to mind that he's actively breaking hte law on so many levels, and flaunting the fact that he's breaking the law besides, I do not want to hear a single word from them about "But Hunter!" or about how they just want immigrants to follow the law. No. If they don't care about the law where Trump's concerned, then they can get off their high horse when it comes to Hunter ori mmigrants or any other group of people needing to folllow laws. 

I also love the insistence that people in the past followed the law when coming to this country and acting like it's only in recent years that people are breaking the law to come here, or just choosing not to come here legally because they simply don't want to, and not because of any other reasons. Like, that's a grossly naive, to put it kindly, view of such a complex situation, and it'd be funny if it weren't so sad and infuriating. 

Edited May 31 by Annber03

[Affogato]

51 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Yes. Vance was hand-picked by Peter Thiel and other broligarchs for a reason.

 

 

Yes, but I feel he is not living up to expectations. For one thing his hillbilly elegy may have made it look like he would have a broader appeal.
 

Well, time will tell. 

Edited May 31 by Affogato

[Annber03]

17 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Joni Ernst makes a very condescending and sarcastic "apology" for her "we all die" remark. What a soulless ghoul.

“Hello, everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall,” Ernst said in the clip, with a sarcastic tone. 

On Friday, the Iowa Republican was jeered after brushing aside life or death concerns about cuts to Medicaid, a public health insurance program for low income families and individuals with disabilities. 

“See I was in the process of answering a question that had been asked by an audience member, when a woman who was extremely distraught, screamed out from the back corner of the auditorium, people are going to die,” Ernst said Saturday. 

“And I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,” she continued.  

The Iowa lawmaker then encouraged viewers who want to see “eternal and everlasting life” to “embrace” Jesus Christ. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5327320-ernst-medicaid-comment-response/

 

Shut the hell up, Ernst.