Master Index of Archived Threads


Justice Kavanaugh

Yup.

12 votes

Nope.

9 votes

Edgy MD Sep 24 2018 02:44 PM

We're at a crossroads in the nomination, and one thing going against the judge is that almost everything President Trump touches goes to shit.

d'Kong76 Sep 24 2018 03:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

The gentleman from New York abstains, courteously. Rare photo of Stump ass-hat malfunction.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 24 2018 03:40 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I voted No, but not with a lot of confidence. Things seem to be spinning out of control for him, and I would imagine that at least a couple of GOP Senators will worry about getting heat from voters for a yes vote. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if McConnell managed to push this through anyway, because who cares about the will of the voters?

Ceetar Sep 24 2018 03:41 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

We're going to fire him from his current job too right?

Edgy MD Sep 24 2018 03:41 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

That's the next poll.

Centerfield Sep 24 2018 04:20 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Edgy MD wrote: That's the next poll. Right? Does the next conservative rapist turn down a nomination and say "No, I'm good here at Appeals. Maybe try Frank?"

Centerfield Sep 24 2018 04:24 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

But anyway, I think there will be enough here to clog things up, and they will just nominate another conservative judge who thinks a sitting president can't be prosecuted. Maybe a woman. Like me? Yeah. Basically.

Edgy MD Sep 24 2018 04:44 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I was leaning in favor of believing he'd be confirmed going into the weekend. But I actually wished out loud that if the White House was going to keep the FBI from inquiring after Professor Ford's assertions, maybe Ronan Farrow could. And damned if Farrow wasn't at that moment researching and preparing to publish another woman's account. I sure know that if I was in a he-said/she-said situation, I wouldn't want Farrow telling my accuser's story. OE: Jane Meyer = also a dangerous opponent. I think the nomination is on the rocks and taking on water.

Lefty Specialist Sep 24 2018 05:33 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I'd have thought he was a lead-pipe cinch a few days ago. But the women are starting to come out of the woodwork. Avenatti has one and apparently police in Montgomery County, MD are investigating another accusation. If any of them are credible in public, he'll be doomed. And if Republican senators go after Professor Ford like attack dogs the optics will be awful for the GOP. There still isn't a single Republican senator who's come out against him. I still think he may squeak through.

Ceetar Sep 24 2018 05:47 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: I'd have thought he was a lead-pipe cinch a few days ago. But the women are starting to come out of the woodwork. Avenatti has one and apparently police in Montgomery County, MD are investigating another accusation. If any of them are credible in public, he'll be doomed. And if Republican senators go after Professor Ford like attack dogs the optics will be awful for the GOP. There still isn't a single Republican senator who's come out against him. I still think he may squeak through. just like all those Trump accusers.

Lefty Specialist Sep 24 2018 07:28 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ohhh myyy. Michael Avenatti ‏Verified account @MichaelAvenatti 5h5 hours ago Warning: My client re Kavanaugh has previously done work within the State Dept, U.S. Mint, & DOJ. She has been granted multiple security clearances in the past including Public Trust & Secret. The GOP and others better be very careful in trying to suggest that she is not credible. 2,125 replies 15,295 retweets 47,663 likes

MFS62 Sep 26 2018 12:15 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

And the shame is, when the interviews are shown, millions of Americans will abuse the buttons on their remote to turn the station to watch some home video show with a dog that farts "Billie Jean". Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 26 2018 02:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Avenatti is the New Allred? It does have that spiraling-out-of-control feel to it, doesn't it? I wouldn't put it past the GOP to panic and try to push this through, anyway-- the goal line is in sight, and though there is a conga line of Kavanaughs-minus-the-warts behind him, there's no vetting time before November... and the Repubs are terrified of November. They'd probably be best off if dude withdrew his name from consideration, posthaste. It would give them time to get Coney Barrett or someone similar vetted and scheduled before those famed midterms.

d'Kong76 Sep 26 2018 03:08 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

MFS62 wrote: And the shame is, when the interviews are shown, millions of Americans will abuse the buttons on their remote to turn the station to watch some home video show with a dog that farts "Billie Jean". Bro, you need to stop warming the car up with the garage door closed.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 26 2018 03:25 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Avenatti just dropped a bomb

Benjamin Grimm Sep 26 2018 03:35 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Julie Swetnick has made a sworn declaration which says she was gang-raped by Brett Kavanaugh, Mark Judge and other boys at a high school party Swetnick's statement was released by her attorney Michael Avenatti She says Kavanaugh and his friends would spike 'punch' with grain alcohol or drugs to 'cause girls to lose their inhibitions and their ability to say "No"'

d'Kong76 Sep 26 2018 03:49 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

CNBC is saying accuser team is bringing four signed affidavits.

A Boy Named Seo Sep 26 2018 04:08 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

But hasn't the GOP already signaled they don't give a shit by scheduling a vote on Friday? They're not even pretending that they'll listen and consider Thursday's testimony. Those guys are sickening.

seawolf17 Sep 26 2018 04:13 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

They're going to ram him through along party lines. I don't even know why they're pretending to listen.

Nymr83 Sep 26 2018 04:26 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

A Boy Named Seo wrote: But hasn't the GOP already signaled they don't give a shit by scheduling a vote on Friday? They're not even pretending that they'll listen and consider Thursday's testimony. Those guys are sickening. As usual, liberal sources are just full of accusations like this without context. the rules require 3 days notice to schedule vote, so Republicans have put that on the calendar with the required notice. if the hearings on thursday dont make them feel comfortable, they'll just reschedule. this is part of the necessary effort to counter the democrats "delay until january" plan and there is nothing sinister about it. given what has come out since though, they should probably move on already. it would be nice if the latest accuser could have found a reputable non-partisan lawyer instead of a democrat attack dog in Avenatti, whose presence alone makes the accusations seem purely political. that doesnt mean they aren't true - but i'd be far more inclined to believe them if he wasn't representing her

Nymr83 Sep 26 2018 04:28 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

seawolf17 wrote: They're going to ram him through along party lines. I don't even know why they're pretending to listen. i'm betting they won't at this point, not with multiple accusers. if Ford somehow completely discredits herself with contradictions or alleged "facts" that Kavanaugh can dispprove that may change things, but if it remains a "he said, she said" after the hearing i think they move on.

Lefty Specialist Sep 26 2018 04:30 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

They're setting up to crucify this woman, and will use another woman to do it because they don't want to get their hands dirty. They will ram this vote through before any more shoes drop. The hand-wringing Republicans will vote for him anyway and he'll sneak through 51-49. And yes, that's even after the gang-rape accusations today from Avenatti's client.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 26 2018 04:31 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

A Boy Named Seo wrote: But hasn't the GOP already signaled they don't give a shit by scheduling a vote on Friday? They're not even pretending that they'll listen and consider Thursday's testimony. Those guys are sickening. I dont think the GOP gives a shit either. This is a thought out political calculation. Cementing a reliable and extremely radical conservative majority of political operatives .more than actual justices is worth anything. And everything. They may be right. What do they give a shit when they might have the SCOTUS in their pockets, perhaps long after everyone here on this forum is dead. They've been positioning themselves for this for decades. The Dems were outmaneuvered. They're like a teen age chess player playing against a chess master who can see the board 10 or 15 moves into the future.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 26 2018 04:41 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 26 2018 04:48 PM

Dont even get me started. Wanna know what the Dems do when they control the Senate? They beat up Anita Hill and confirm Clarence Thomas, the most radically conservative member of the court for decades. They kinda deserve this. One day, Amy Klobuchar is gonna pass a rule that requires Dems to get 60 votes to confirm a SCOTUS judge while the GOP would need only 51.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 26 2018 04:47 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Then you have voters who wouldn't vote for Trump in 200 million years but on the most important election of their lives, decide to make useless symbolic statements by voting for Jill Stein, who wasn't gonna win the election in 200 million years.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 26 2018 04:53 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

They're too gutless to pack the courts so the game plan, I guess, is to hope that Neil Gorsuch dies 15 or 20 years before the actuarial tables say he's supposed to die. And then hope that they control both the WH and the Senate when that happens. Yeah, that's a sound plan.

A Boy Named Seo Sep 26 2018 05:02 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: A Boy Named Seo wrote: But hasn't the GOP already signaled they don't give a shit by scheduling a vote on Friday? They're not even pretending that they'll listen and consider Thursday's testimony. Those guys are sickening. As usual, liberal sources are just full of accusations like this without context. the rules require 3 days notice to schedule vote, so Republicans have put that on the calendar with the required notice. if the hearings on thursday dont make them feel comfortable, they'll just reschedule. this is part of the necessary effort to counter the democrats "delay until january" plan and there is nothing sinister about it. given what has come out since though, they should probably move on already. it would be nice if the latest accuser could have found a reputable non-partisan lawyer instead of a democrat attack dog in Avenatti, whose presence alone makes the accusations seem purely political. that doesnt mean they aren't true - but i'd be far more inclined to believe them if he wasn't representing her My point is this - do you think we will hear anything in the next 48 hours that will make McConnell say, "this stuff is serious, guys. We should pump the brakes on Kavanaugh on check all this out properly." Cause I don't. And them scheduling a vote Friday morning after Doc Ford's scheduled testimony kinda indicates to me that they don't care what they're gonna hear on Thursday afternoon. You disagree?

Benjamin Grimm Sep 26 2018 05:26 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I think that if enough GOP Senators (and it won't take many) say, "Mitch, I'm not going to be able to vote to confirm this guy" then they'll try to find some graceful way for Kavanaugh to withdraw.

Ceetar Sep 26 2018 05:37 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: A Boy Named Seo wrote: But hasn't the GOP already signaled they don't give a shit by scheduling a vote on Friday? They're not even pretending that they'll listen and consider Thursday's testimony. Those guys are sickening. As usual, liberal sources are just full of accusations like this without context. the rules require 3 days notice to schedule vote, so Republicans have put that on the calendar with the required notice. if the hearings on thursday dont make them feel comfortable, they'll just reschedule. this is part of the necessary effort to counter the democrats "delay until january" plan and there is nothing sinister about it. given what has come out since though, they should probably move on already. it would be nice if the latest accuser could have found a reputable non-partisan lawyer instead of a democrat attack dog in Avenatti, whose presence alone makes the accusations seem purely political. that doesnt mean they aren't true - but i'd be far more inclined to believe them if he wasn't representing her Doesn't matter. They shouldn't even schedule a vote until he presents a convincing case that he's not a serial sexual abuser, nor a drunk, nor in debt up to his eyeballs to who knows what. And he'd be far more believable if he didn't only present his case only on the propaganda machine of Fox News. They're rushing through this for purely political reasons because they suspect they'll lose congress in the next election and have to present an actually fair candidate that's a decent human being. Just that rushing is already a sign that this is political, which only makes Kavanaugh's further 'justifications' seem even flimsier.

d'Kong76 Sep 26 2018 05:40 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think that if enough GOP Senators (and it won't take many) say, "Mitch, I'm not going to be able to vote to confirm this guy" then they'll try to find some graceful way for Kavanaugh to withdraw. That's what will happen. I remove myself from courteous abstention and vote, "nope."

Nymr83 Sep 26 2018 05:54 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

A Boy Named Seo wrote: A Boy Named Seo wrote: But hasn't the GOP already signaled they don't give a shit by scheduling a vote on Friday? They're not even pretending that they'll listen and consider Thursday's testimony. Those guys are sickening. As usual, liberal sources are just full of accusations like this without context. the rules require 3 days notice to schedule vote, so Republicans have put that on the calendar with the required notice. if the hearings on thursday dont make them feel comfortable, they'll just reschedule. this is part of the necessary effort to counter the democrats "delay until january" plan and there is nothing sinister about it. given what has come out since though, they should probably move on already. it would be nice if the latest accuser could have found a reputable non-partisan lawyer instead of a democrat attack dog in Avenatti, whose presence alone makes the accusations seem purely political. that doesnt mean they aren't true - but i'd be far more inclined to believe them if he wasn't representing her My point is this - do you think we will hear anything in the next 48 hours that will make McConnell say, "this stuff is serious, guys. We should pump the brakes on Kavanaugh on check all this out properly." Cause I don't. And them scheduling a vote Friday morning after Doc Ford's scheduled testimony kinda indicates to me that they don't care what they're gonna hear on Thursday afternoon. You disagree? yes I disagree, the only thing it indicates to me is that they are playing the same game Feinstein played by saving the letter for the last minute - keeping their options open to move forward if they decide they want to. Doesn't matter. They shouldn't even schedule a vote until he presents a convincing case that he's not a serial sexual abuser, nor a drunk, nor in debt up to his eyeballs to who knows what. And he'd be far more believable if he didn't only present his case only on the propaganda machine of Fox News. They're rushing through this for purely political reasons because they suspect they'll lose congress in the next election and have to present an actually fair candidate that's a decent human being. Just that rushing is already a sign that this is political, which only makes Kavanaugh's further 'justifications' seem even flimsier. They should schedule the vote for the reasons already mentioned, they can always cancel it. Kavanaugh DOES NOT need to prove any of those things, his accusers need to prove them if they are true. not to the same standard as a criminal court, but at least preponderance of the evidence. and the debt thing is maybe the dumbest argument of all. Kavanaugh is being accused of the great crime of carrying debt like most Americans? so is personal wealth now a criteria for a judicial appointment? maybe Trump should have nominated his sister to pass your test! they are rushing it through just like democrats rushed to stop it and came out against the nominee before even knowing who it was. because guess what? like Obama said, "elections have consequences". when you lose the presidency and both of houses of congress you just don't get that big a say on how things run. Republicans should rush*, they have every right to do so. *om edit - rush to appoint someone, not necessarily this someone if they decide the evidence weighs against him

Ceetar Sep 26 2018 06:03 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Is it possible to be any more wrong? no. The accusers are to be believed. The republicans don't get to just hand wave anyone that damage their agenda as 'partisan'. Stop nominating, electing, supporting rapists. OPEN UP ALL THE FINANCES THEN. he's a fucking Trump appointee, what if his debt is to Russia? There are thousands of other candidates that DON'T cast doubt as to their extreme biases. You can blather on about 'political opinion' even though abortion isn't that, it's personal freedom and PROTECTED BY LAW and this soon to be ex-judge is just saying 'fuck that law' which is extremely partisan and not at all based on legal standing. lol elections have consequences. Yes, we've got a fucked up system based on racism that put a racist in the white house that the people didn't support and was heavily funded by Russian meddling. They don't have any fucking right to do so, this isn't a pissing match between two political parties, it's government that's supposed to represent the people, and Republicans don't.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 26 2018 10:36 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Along with blather about a "high-tech lynching," Justice Thomas said plenty during his confirmation hearings about his respect for precedents and the principle of stare decisis (derivation of legal principle from precedents, an essential part of our legal system). When he hasn't been breaking records about not speaking in public, he's spent most of his quarter-century on the big bench actively flipping stare decisis the bird. Captain 100 Kegs has already admitted not being crazy wedded to stare decisis, and his writings have apparently shown a lean toward "natural law" that would shame hyperverbal hypocrite Scalia (Rest in Power). He's unfit to serve... and that's BEFORE you get into the lying under oath and frat boy shit.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 02:18 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Pre-read her prepared statement here.

Nymr83 Sep 27 2018 04:15 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

There is apparently someone out there claiming that they, not Kavanaugh, committed the acts that Ford accuses him of. It makes you wonder who really remembers what and how much of that "memory" is being "jogged" by people with bad intentions. But what it REALLY makes you wonder, is how much your reputation is worth, in dollars? The statute of limitations on any crime is long past here. So how many of Trump's dollars would it take for someone to agree to "confess"? /end conspiracy theory

MFS62 Sep 27 2018 11:57 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 27 2018 01:02 PM

Nymr83 wrote: There is apparently someone out there claiming that they, not Kavanaugh, committed the acts that Ford accuses him of. It makes you wonder who really remembers what and how much of that "memory" is being "jogged" by people with bad intentions. But what it REALLY makes you wonder, is how much your reputation is worth, in dollars? The statute of limitations on any crime is long past here. So how many of Trump's dollars would it take for someone to agree to "confess"? /end conspiracy theory They would find someone who would say they disguised themselves as Mrs O'Leary's cow and started the Chicago fire if it would get a Republican elected. Remember. This is the party that found the Swift Boaters who claimed that even though Kerry was awarded three Purple Hearts (given to someone wounded in action) he wasn't wasn't wounded in real action. Of course, this was in defense of a candidate who to this day has not proven that the didn't go AWOL from his reserve unit. Later

seawolf17 Sep 27 2018 01:00 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

MFS62 wrote: This is the party that found the Swift Boaters who claimed that even though Kerry was awarded three Purple Hearts (given to someone wounded in action) he wasn't wasn't wounded in real action. URG. Remember that? Ugh, the GOP has been harboring assholes for literally years.

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 01:10 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: There is apparently someone out there claiming that they, not Kavanaugh, committed the acts that Ford accuses him of. It makes you wonder who really remembers what and how much of that "memory" is being "jogged" by people with bad intentions. But what it REALLY makes you wonder, is how much your reputation is worth, in dollars? The statute of limitations on any crime is long past here. So how many of Trump's dollars would it take for someone to agree to "confess"? /end conspiracy theory No it doesn't. Women are dragged through the coals for reporting this stuff and very few are found to be lying. Meanwhile, thousands of rich elitist assholes are abusing women and given the benefit of the doubt. It takes a real twist of logic to think it's the women making this up.

seawolf17 Sep 27 2018 01:13 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ceetar wrote: Nymr83 wrote: There is apparently someone out there claiming that they, not Kavanaugh, committed the acts that Ford accuses him of. It makes you wonder who really remembers what and how much of that "memory" is being "jogged" by people with bad intentions. But what it REALLY makes you wonder, is how much your reputation is worth, in dollars? The statute of limitations on any crime is long past here. So how many of Trump's dollars would it take for someone to agree to "confess"? /end conspiracy theory No it doesn't. Women are dragged through the coals for reporting this stuff and very few are found to be lying. Meanwhile, thousands of rich elitist assholes are abusing women and given the benefit of the doubt. It takes a real twist of logic to think it's the women making this up. No, I think you're misreading nymr's conspiracy theory here. The thought is that they throw a couple thousand bucks and a Mar-A-Lago membership at some lackey to "confess" that it was him, not Kavanaugh, who did all this bad stuff, allowing the GOP to get him onto the court and destroy America.

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 01:23 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

That just underscores how stupid this administration is though. That's not how things work. I can't accuse you of punching me and nymr is all like "I punched you, i'm sorry. Leave him alone." It's just a dirty tactic trying to muddy the water and give their dumb base something to pretend is true so they'll still vote for all these criminals in November.

seawolf17 Sep 27 2018 01:36 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Yes, that's exactly what it would be. "See? Kav's a good dude. Wouldn't touch a woman inappropriately. Such a virgin for so many years, so pious. Gonna be just the most Christian judge ever."

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 02:10 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

IN-HEARING THREAD!! Senator Hatch being a cock!

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 02:46 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I'm listening to the audio and Dr. Ford's pain and anguish sure sounds authentic to me.

TransMonk Sep 27 2018 02:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Based on her opening statement, I think it would be very hard not to find Dr. Ford's account credible. It is very evident to me that she believes what she is saying.

A Boy Named Seo Sep 27 2018 03:13 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Good morning, I just tuned in. There is a female Arizona attorney "representing" (speaking for?) Hatch?

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 03:14 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Grassley yielded his time to Rachel Mitchell, the prosecutor from Arizona.

Centerfield Sep 27 2018 03:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Grassley yielded his time to Rachel Mitchell, the prosecutor from Arizona. That's brilliant. Bring in a woman to do the dirty work. Escape all accountability.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 03:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

It seems that each Republican is yielding to Rachel Mitchell, but the Democrats are addressing Dr. Ford directly.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 03:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ms. Mitchell is pretty much speaking for all the Republican side. This woman should be on a postage stamp.

A Boy Named Seo Sep 27 2018 03:17 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Yeah, thanks, guys. Now she's speaking for Lindsey Graham.

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 03:30 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It seems that each Republican is yielding to Rachel Mitchell, but the Democrats are addressing Dr. Ford directly. All the democrats should be doing here is saying "I believe you" and sitting back down.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 03:43 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Michael Gerson wears women's glasses.

Centerfield Sep 27 2018 04:03 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

This is just appalling. I can't believe there is no FBI investigation. The only people who say no to an FBI investigation are the ones that don't want the results to come out. We call these people guilty. Republicans are acting like they are guilty.

TransMonk Sep 27 2018 04:04 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Senator Grassley is a defensive, rambling, incoherent mess.

A Boy Named Seo Sep 27 2018 04:06 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

She has overcome her fear of flying at times, therefore SHE IS A LIAR.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 27 2018 04:08 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

unreal

Centerfield Sep 27 2018 04:15 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Really. Tell me if I'm oversimplifying things. Do an FBI investigation. Await results. Respond like a decent human being should to those results. Yes?

Nymr83 Sep 27 2018 04:25 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

the FBI doesn't need to be investigating an alleged incident that happened 30+ years ago and wouldn't have constituted a federal crime even if completely true. it is the senate's job to vet nominees Juannitta Broadrick showed up today! anyone want an FBI investigation of her claims too?

Gwreck Sep 27 2018 04:35 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Whataboutism is unseemly. You know better.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 04:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: the FBI doesn't need to be investigating an alleged incident that happened 30+ years ago and wouldn't have constituted a federal crime even if completely true. it is the senate's job to vet nominees Juannitta Broadrick showed up today! anyone want an FBI investigation of her claims too? It damn as hell is the FBI's job to vet every candidate for a federal judgeship, especially someone who's nominated for a seat on the SCOTUS. You're either a goddamned idiot or a bald-faced bullshit artist.

Nymr83 Sep 27 2018 04:40 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Gwreck wrote: Whataboutism is unseemly. You know better. no, that is not what this is at all, i provided a relevant example of a very similar type of incident that was not investigated by the FBI and which I'm guessing all you democrats would agree shouldn't be in order to prove my point. the senate should do its job here.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 04:44 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: Gwreck wrote: Whataboutism is unseemly. You know better. no, that is not what this is at all, i provided a relevant example of a very similar type of incident that was not investigated by the FBI and which I'm guessing all you democrats would agree shouldn't be in order to prove my point. the senate should do its job here. The Senate doesn't have the resources to conduct a thorough investigation. Nor is it a crime to lie to a senate investigator. It's a crime to lie in front of a congressional body but the scumbag Republicans that are in control of this process won't subpoena Mark Judge or any of the other numerous witnesses to testify. Idiot.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 04:49 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

TransMonk wrote: Senator Grassley is a defensive, rambling, incoherent mess. He's so infuriating that he should come with a trigger warning. Useful observation here: [tweet]https://twitter.com/DouthatNYT/status/1045350610520944641[/tweet]

Nymr83 Sep 27 2018 04:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

perhaps and indication that they are ready to bail on him after the hearing?

TransMonk Sep 27 2018 04:54 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

[tweet:3u9q1on0]https://twitter.com/gabrielsherman/status/1045350130080239616[/tweet:3u9q1on0] This is what happens when you limit your perspective to FOX News and sniveling sycophants.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 04:59 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

He probably assumed that she would be some ditzy bubblehead, because that's the kind of guy he is.

Centerfield Sep 27 2018 05:00 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Do we really think Donald Trump has the ability to discern who does and does not appear credible?

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 05:04 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: He probably assumed that she would be some ditzy bubblehead, because that's the kind of guy he is. Or because that's the type of woman he likes to assault.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 05:05 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Centerfield wrote: Do we really think Donald Trump has the ability to discern who does and does not appear credible? He has the ability to hear other people's reports about her credibility.

Nymr83 Sep 27 2018 05:21 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Centerfield wrote: Do we really think Donald Trump has the ability to discern who does and does not appear credible? Yes. Being a practiced liar himself

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 05:47 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: Centerfield wrote: Do we really think Donald Trump has the ability to discern who does and does not appear credible? Yes. Being a practiced liar himself he's a (probably) senile idiot. He lacks even the smallest ounce of compassion. I don't know how he could possible assess someone's credibility when he can't even understand their point of view or why they feel. He thinks women are supposed to be like she was at that party, how he could possibly think she's credible if he's not even capable of understanding that it was trauma?

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 06:05 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

He certainly has had a lot of practice in lying, but he's not particularly good at it. I guess he fools some of the people all of the time, but it's pretty obvious to anyone who cares to see it that his lies are not at all skilled or convincing.

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 06:09 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: He certainly has had a lot of practice in lying, but he's not particularly good at it. I guess he fools some of the people all of the time, but it's pretty obvious to anyone who cares to see it that his lies are not at all skilled or convincing. Exactly. He's lying in that toxic masculinity way where you just say what your version of reality is and expect everyone to conform. It's why he doubles down on the stupid, like crowd size. And why he's so flummoxed when people laugh at his lies. It's the bully on the playground saying to the kids playing ball "This is my court." and making them get off.

Lefty Specialist Sep 27 2018 06:15 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: the FBI doesn't need to be investigating an alleged incident that happened 30+ years ago and wouldn't have constituted a federal crime even if completely true. it is the senate's job to vet nominees Juannitta Broadrick showed up today! anyone want an FBI investigation of her claims too? Boy, I haven't seen her since she showed up to harass Hillary at the debates. Good times. Unfortunately the Starr Commission didn't have enough time to investigate her claims or anything, since they were on such a tight schedule. Even Republicans are seeing how bad this looks. Kavanaugh better be Atticus Finch if he wants to keep up.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 07:13 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Holy shit! This guy is shrieking!

Centerfield Sep 27 2018 07:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Edgy MD wrote: Holy shit! This guy is shrieking! What's happening?

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 07:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Who's shrieking??? (I'm not currently listening.)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 27 2018 07:19 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

yeah who?

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 07:23 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Kavanaugh. I think, during his opening statement.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 07:24 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Shrieking, wow. Like James Brown?

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 07:25 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

More like a really angry version of Eugene from Grease. He's denying it and painting himself as a victim, snarling like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men. I don't even want to be in the same neighborhood as this guy.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2018 07:29 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

He makes Jeff Wilpon seem identifiable.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2018 07:31 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

He should have listened to me and did a James Brown impression.

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 07:35 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Now that he's shown everyone how he is in fact an unhinged rage monster, I assume the odds of confirmation drop to like 80-85%?

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 07:41 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ceetar wrote: Now that he's shown everyone how he is in fact an unhinged rage monster, I assume the odds of confirmation drop to like 80-85%? He's getting confirmed unless he admits everything. And that fraud Susan Collins is gonna pretend that Kavanaugh wont rule on Roe like he's been groomed to rule for 35 freakin' years.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 08:09 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Just because they're senators, doesn't mean they know how to ask a question or follow up. BK was asked why, if he sez he's innocent, shouldn't there be an FBI investigation to prove him right. Whereupon he went on a 5 minute ramble without answering the question. And this 5 minute rule, does that include testimony, or just the questions?

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 08:18 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

MSNBC commentator and former federal prosecutor calls Kavanaugh's opening statement a temper tantrum and a 15 minute rant. Eugene Robinson, WAPO, calls it "weird ".

Centerfield Sep 27 2018 08:38 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Kavanaugh: THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! A NATIONAL DISGRACE!!!! FBI: Want us to investigage? Kavanaugh: Nah I'm good.

Nymr83 Sep 27 2018 08:48 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Graham ripping the democrats a new one.

Ceetar Sep 27 2018 08:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: Graham ripping the democrats a new one. he has zero credibility, so i doubt it.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 27 2018 08:53 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nymr83 wrote: Graham ripping the democrats a new one. What a farce. It's supposed to be questions eliciting answers. But Graham can't even bother to ask softballs. Instead he makes a self promoting rant speech proclaiming Kavanaugh's innocence and promising to vote for him because he's the greatest American ever.

MFS62 Sep 27 2018 09:21 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Nymr83 wrote: Graham ripping the democrats a new one. What a farce. It's supposed to be questions eliciting answers. But Graham can't even bother to ask softballs. Instead he makes a self promoting rant speech proclaiming Kavanaugh's innocence and promising to vote for him because he's the greatest American ever. I wanted to either hurl something at the tv, or just hurl. Later

Lefty Specialist Sep 28 2018 03:01 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Kavanaugh was a combative asshole, and thereby got approval from Trump and Republicans. All that mattered is that he denied everything, played the victim, and floated conspiracy theories. The woman was irrelevant, believable as her story was. Remember, this wasn't a battle for the soul of country; it was a battle for the votes a handful of Republican senators.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2018 12:01 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I dunno. He's lost the ABA. He could lose some of that handful. And the margin for error is small.

Fman99 Sep 28 2018 01:00 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

He seems about as jurisprudent as Trump does presidential. What a farce. Any Republican senator who gets in line behind either of these two has sold their soul to advance a party agenda and maintain their own position of power. Shame on all of them, what an embarrassment and a travesty.

Lefty Specialist Sep 28 2018 01:09 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

It's more likely that Joe Manchin votes for him than Flake, Murkowski, and Collins vote against him.

metsmarathon Sep 28 2018 01:10 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

the way the hearing went down, you've just gotta wonder exactly how many congressmen have the exact same shitstain in their own personal history. i'm guessing a lot. they seem to be awfully upset about the notion that gang-raping young girls at teenage parties is a bad thing that people should not do. they seem to be awfully upset that a victim might surface, years later, and attempt to seek some meager fraction of justice. i... cannot help to wonder why. "it has to be now ok that he did that back then, because i'm not a criminal, either."

Ceetar Sep 28 2018 01:34 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

metsmarathon wrote: the way the hearing went down, you've just gotta wonder exactly how many congressmen have the exact same shitstain in their own personal history. i'm guessing a lot. they seem to be awfully upset about the notion that gang-raping young girls at teenage parties is a bad thing that people should not do. they seem to be awfully upset that a victim might surface, years later, and attempt to seek some meager fraction of justice. i... cannot help to wonder why. "it has to be now ok that he did that back then, because i'm not a criminal, either." Oh, this was definitely another 'warning shot' to other women. They weren't interested in hearing her side of things really, they were just looking for an opportunity to attack her, demean her, hurt her credibility. It's the same dick-waving alpha male toxic masculinity stuff that it's always been. We need to stop holding this up as the model.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2018 01:34 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: It's more likely that Joe Manchin votes for him than Flake, Murkowski, and Collins vote against him. It ain't over 'til.

MFS62 Sep 28 2018 01:37 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Edgy MD wrote: I dunno. He's lost the ABA. He could lose some of that handful. And the margin for error is small. He's lost his educators: https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/ar ... ndorsement Later

Centerfield Sep 28 2018 01:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

He's going to be confirmed today. I watched the recaps last night, including Graham's rant. Graham wasn't yelling at the Democrats or the media or anyone else. He was yelling at the members of his party. This is war. If you don't vote to confirm you're a traitor to your party. The hearings, as we feared, were a sham. A formality. Government as we know it is dead.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2018 01:40 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Flake certainly appears to be off the table.

Centerfield Sep 28 2018 01:45 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

So it begins. They're all going to fall in line. Jeff Flake is the biggest hypocrite of them all. Feigning compassion and morals and falling in line with the party's agenda each time. Fuck him to hell. I agree that the Republicans should be able to appoint a conservative to the court. They have the presidency, they have both houses. This is a right that they have earned. But you know, not a rapist? The Senate should be locked in a room with no food and no pay until they can both agree upon a candidate. Democrats have to concede that the judge will be conservative, and Republicans have to concede that he cannot be a rapist.

Ceetar Sep 28 2018 01:49 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Centerfield wrote: So it begins. They're all going to fall in line. Jeff Flake is the biggest hypocrite of them all. Feigning compassion and morals and falling in line with the party's agenda each time. Fuck him to hell. I agree that the Republicans should be able to appoint a conservative to the court. They have the presidency, they have both houses. This is a right that they have earned. But you know, not a rapist? The Senate should be locked in a room with no food and no pay until they can both agree upon a candidate. Democrats have to concede that the judge will be conservative, and Republicans have to concede that he cannot be a rapist. he's supposed to be non-partisan. above politics. not 'conservative'. not working to repeal laws past by previous courts. also it should probably be Merrick Garland. Democrats/Obama trying to play both sides is a big part of what kept 2016 voters away from the polls.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 28 2018 02:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 28 2018 03:08 PM

Centerfield wrote: I agree that the Republicans should be able to appoint a conservative to the court. They have the presidency, they have both houses. This is a right that they have earned. Kavanaugh's more than just a conversative. He's an extreme conservative who, with Trump's other pick, will move the court way more to the right than the liberal wing would move the court to the left. Kavanaugh's a political hack operative. This isn't simply about I'm on this side and you're on that side and my ideology is better than yours. These radical judges are cruel, and have an agenda to take away, rather than support people's civil rights. More people will be harmed rather than helped by their decisions and it won't be close. On the labor front, their goal is to take away as many rights away from workers as is possible and give all those rights to their employers until labor is rendered essentially a slave class. Certain political views are simply untenable. Like the idea that extreme partisan gerrymandering is constitutional and it's ok for a scumbag state like Michigan to draw it's congressional lines so that its GOP could maintain its majority with perhaps as little as 25% of the statewide vote. The idea that states could pass voter ID/suppression laws that make it more difficult for tens and hundreds of thousands of minority voters to vote while those same states struggle to come up with more than three or four documented cases of voter fraud in support of those terrible laws and that the SCOTUS shouldn't apply strict scrutiny analysis --- is reprehensible, no matter how many supreme court justices vote in favor of voter suppression. Just because a case has the imprimatur of the SCOTUS, doesn't necessarily make it right. The SCOTUS has made some incredibly shameful decisions in the past. Like Dred v. Scott. Like Plessy v. Ferguson, the separate but equal decision that gave the deep south the legal cover to treat its african americans like third class citizens for over 100 years after the end of the civil war and reconstruction. Like Bush v. Gore and Citizens United and that laughable decision that states that MLB isn't violating the antitrust laws. (baseball reference!) Want another baseball reference? These new extreme judges are the equivalent of the old baseball guard wanting to interpret baseball's reserve clause in the draconian way that the reserve clause was interpreted for the first 100 years of baseball, up to the mid 70s. And these new Trump judges are going to bring this country back to the ways of the old reserve clause. They're not just "conservatives".

MFS62 Sep 28 2018 02:45 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

And let's not forget the primary reason he, and not other conservative judges who were considered, has been nominated. He has gone on record saying that the President cannot be indicted or prosecuted. Trump has placed himself above country. Later

Lefty Specialist Sep 28 2018 02:54 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

The fix was in on this a long time ago. It was always going to be 51-49.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 28 2018 03:03 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Of course. To cement a SCOTUS majority, they'd gouge out their own mothers' eyeballs. And Susan Collins and Jeff Flake are out and out Republicans. Collins in particular, is a despicable phony sellout whose game is only to appear to have Dems interest at heart. It's a game she plays because Maine isn't exactly ruby red and she needs centrist and even some Dem votes to stay in the senate. Soon Collins'll give another insulting and condescending speech about how Kavanaugh won't take away any abortion rights even though he's been groomed to do so for his whole life, calls abortions immoral, refers to birth control as abortion inducing drugs, denied a detained minor immigrant her right to an abortion by running out her clock, has the Federalist Society's stamp of approval which is impossible to get unless you're commited to overruling Roe v Wade and was nominated by Trump, who himself vowed to nominate judges that would overrule Roe v Wade.

Lefty Specialist Sep 28 2018 05:02 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I just pray that Clarence Thomas stays perfectly healthy until January 21st, 2021. Then the cigar smoking can catch up to him.

A Boy Named Seo Sep 28 2018 05:20 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Flake is spineless. This vid is heart-wrenching. [youtube:6fn7s682]bshgOZ8QQxU[/youtube:6fn7s682]

Ashie62 Sep 28 2018 06:48 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

One week delay, per Flake I guess, for the FBI to do that thing they do. Chaos ensues

Edgy MD Sep 28 2018 08:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Tremendous. I guess what matters now is whether the FBI findings are made public or just get turned into the president and filed away in the trash. Also, it strikes me FBI Director Christopher Wray was two years behind Kavanaugh at Yale, so they may well know each other.

Lefty Specialist Sep 28 2018 09:01 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Wow. Most exciting infrastructure week ever. Depends on how far Trump will let the FBI go, but any delay and investigation is a good thing.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 28 2018 09:21 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

They wouldn't agree to an investigation unless the fix is in. They probably got to Mike Judge and are confident that his statements won't hurt Kavanaugh. In other news, Avennati sez that the new litmus test for Democrats should be a willingness to pack the courts. Maybe that'll jumpstart a National conversation on that crucial topic.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2018 09:23 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I have no doubt they've gotten to Mike Judge, but an actual FBI probe takes so much out of their hands. I'm not saying that Wray isn't part of the fix, but onward we must go.

Ceetar Sep 28 2018 11:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

apparently there's a very crucial court case about preventing people pardoned by the president by being tried by the states coming up that they need this jackass for.

Lefty Specialist Sep 29 2018 11:23 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Flake is spineless. This vid is heart-wrenching. [youtube]bshgOZ8QQxU[/youtube] You cannot watch that without being affected. That was apparently the case for Flake as well. Those two women maybe, just maybe, changed the course of history in a small way yesterday.

Ashie62 Sep 29 2018 10:07 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: A Boy Named Seo wrote: Flake is spineless. This vid is heart-wrenching. [youtube]bshgOZ8QQxU[/youtube] You cannot watch that without being affected. That was apparently the case for Flake as well. Those two women maybe, just maybe, changed the course of history in a small way yesterday. This scene was right out of central casting

Lefty Specialist Sep 29 2018 10:21 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ha. Trump is severely limiting who the FBI can talk to. The fix is back in, kids. Wasn’t aware there was central casting for sexual abuse victims.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 29 2018 10:51 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

The fix was in as soon as Trump imposed any kind of limits on the investigation. The investigation should be able to go wherever it leads to and take as long as it needs to take. There shouldn't be a shot clock here. If the GOP doesn't like that, tough on them. Let them rescind Kavanaugh and come up with a cleaner candidate, which they should've done initially. God knows what kind of curses McConnell's hurling at Trump right now.

MFS62 Sep 30 2018 01:39 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I can't believe that our CPF poll is getting closer. Later

TransMonk Sep 30 2018 02:24 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I switched my vote from no to yes. I don't believe there is any way he should be confirmed (for a long list of reasons), but I also don't believe this FBI investigation will find anything that will cause the Rs on the fence to oppose voting for him and simply gives them cover to say that they did their due diligence before confirming him.

d'Kong76 Sep 30 2018 02:34 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

TransMonk wrote: simply gives them cover to say that they did their due diligence before confirming him. And Bingo was his name-o. I hope the entire panel is haunted in their sleep for years to come. Disgraceful, "look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Edgy MD Oct 01 2018 02:13 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

TransMonk wrote: I switched my vote from no to yes. I don't believe there is any way he should be confirmed (for a long list of reasons), but I also don't believe this FBI investigation will find anything that will cause the Rs on the fence to oppose voting for him and simply gives them cover to say that they did their due diligence before confirming him. They don't have to oppose voting for him. They can desperately want to vote for him and pull out anyhow if that becomes the expedient thing to do. And if the FBI inquiry is a whitewash, which it certainly might be, it's always possible an agent leaks. And there will also be a simultaneous investigations conducted by any number of media outlets.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 01 2018 05:44 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer report in The New Yorker that the Trump White House has limited the FBI to questioning only four witnesses in the Kavanaugh investigation. Senate Democrats have demanded that Trump release the document requesting the investigation, which Trump has refused, while continuing to claim that there are no limits on the investigation. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-des ... -kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist Oct 01 2018 12:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

It's a sham investigation and they know it. This is to provide fig leaves for the wavering Republicans to vote for him. The stench from this White House is unbearable.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 01 2018 01:57 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

In private, Trump unleashed a tirade on Mitch McConnell, blaming him for letting the nomination process slip away and then threw a temper tantrum because there wasn't a full Senate vote on Kavanaugh on Friday morning. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/30/us/p ... crats.html

Lefty Specialist Oct 01 2018 02:27 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

McConnell was smarter than Trump (yeah, big surprise, huh?). He knew Kavanaugh was problematic from the git-go. Of course he's got to take the blame now, but I'm still betting he rams him through, misgivings and all.

Edgy MD Oct 01 2018 02:41 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Yeah, please don't believe this is over. Sure, there's a fix, but it's been fixed by stupid, greedy, blustering men, and enough folks were fully expecting this to be done by now.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 01 2018 03:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I voted yes last Thursday. The FBI will turn over the minimum amount of stones to allow Jeff Flake to sleep at night and that will be that.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 01 2018 04:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Susan 'the Fraud" Collins sez she's confident the FBI will be able to conduct a thorough investigation. The thing is, though, why the fuck should Collins even care about this investigation as far as her vote is concerned? Collins should have already decided not to vote for Kavanaugh on ideological grounds, being that she's on record as vowing never to support a Supreme Court nominee that would overrule Roe v. Wade. What the fuck is Collins's methodology for determining whether or not Kavanaugh's hostile to abortion rights and would kill Roe? What a fucking count fraud!

Lefty Specialist Oct 01 2018 04:56 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Collins has to negotiate tricky waters. She knows if she votes him down she'll get a primary challenger and little or no help from the national party in 2020; I'm betting that threat's already been made. She also needs to spin it so that 80% of the women in Maine don't vote against her. So the sham FBI 'investigation' is extremely useful in that regard.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 01 2018 05:12 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

But if she votes "yes" she'll lose the centrist votes. There's no way she'll get re-elected in that state, voting yes on BK, being that she ran and was elected in good part, on promising to uphold abortion rights. She's a phony moderate, her no vote on Obamacare repeal notwithstanding. That was probably a calculated vote anyway, being that she voted for the Trump tax cut, which is specifically designed to send Obamacare into a death spiral. She's a Republican. Just like Jeff Flake. And blah blah Mccain. I don't know why liberals and Democrats keep on deluding themselves into thinking that Republicans are gonna help the Dem agenda. I guess it's easier to say that then to admit how powerless Dems are and what a shambles they're in. This Kavanaugh thing is a debacle on so many levels to the Dems, including what no one's talking about right now - that even if BK's nomination fails, the GOP will confirm some other judge just as monstrous, and as much as a political hack operative as BK is, maybe even worse. And if the nominating and confirming process for SCOTUS justices stays the way it is, with lifetime appointments, the high court will be an extreme right radical conservative majority, representing an ever shrinking minority of the nation, maybe forever, not just for 20 or 30 years, which is horrible enough ... unless something radical and drastic occurs.

Edgy MD Oct 01 2018 05:43 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I don't know why liberals and Democrats keep on deluding themselves into thinking that Republicans are gonna help the Dem agenda. They aren't looking to them to help the Democratic agenda. They're looking at them to help forestall the Trump agenda. And with only two defections needed on any given vote, it's worth the effort to lobby potential swing voters aggressively.

Lefty Specialist Oct 01 2018 05:47 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

If this nomination fails (and I don't think it will), they may not have time to jam through another miscreant before the lame duck session ends. Of course, if Democrats don't take the Senate back this is all moot anyway.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 01 2018 05:49 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Edgy MD wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I don't know why liberals and Democrats keep on deluding themselves into thinking that Republicans are gonna help the Dem agenda. They aren't looking to them to help the Democratic agenda. They're looking at them to help forestall the Trump agenda. And with only two defections needed on any given vote, it's worth the effort to lobby potential swing voters aggressively. I'm with you. I was talking about the liberal and Dem press and media.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 01 2018 05:53 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: If this nomination fails (and I don't think it will), they may not have time to jam through another miscreant before the lame duck session ends. Of course, if Democrats don't take the Senate back this is all moot anyway. In the old days, lame duck senators would likely never vote on a SCOTUS nominee, thinking it inappropriate. Not so in today's polarized times, and with the ideological balance of the court on the line. But Merrick Garland.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 02 2018 06:37 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: If this nomination fails (and I don't think it will), they may not have time to jam through another miscreant before the lame duck session ends. Of course, if Democrats don't take the Senate back this is all moot anyway. I'm not so sure. Right now, the GOP has plenty of time, I think, to confirm another justice if BK's nomination fails. Based on what I've been reading and historical trends, the BK confirmation process would have to be prolonged for another five or six weeks before the GOP hits that redline danger zone where perhaps there won't be enough time to confirm a judge other than BK should the Dems take back the Senate. And it would be naive to think that the GOP isn't aware of these deadlines and danger zone markers. I'll bet that soon enough, there's a decent chance that the GOP will even extend the FBI investigation by another week. This is because there's plenty of time to play with, the GOP knows it, and the GOP will play it as if they're models of fairness, bending over backwards to comply with the Dems unreasonable demands. That's why they're still pushing for BK, despite the messiness. Because they still have plenty of time to rescind his nomination and put up another nominee should the FBI investigation uncover some real ugly and problematic stuff. It's a pipe dream that the Dems are going to be able to keep this seat open for more than a month or two. The good thing from this is that the Dem base is finally waking up and getting an education on the importance of the SCOTUS. I'm kind of hoping BK gets confirmed, being that the GOP, one way or another, will fill Kennedy's seat with an extreme arch conservative political hack anyway. Keep the rage raging.

Lefty Specialist Oct 02 2018 07:32 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Well, there are procedural roadblocks that Democrats can put in front of any nominee. And there's a lot of recess time after the election with the holidays. Plus, the new congress gets sworn in on January 3rd. So realistically there are very few actual working days in the lame-duck session. I know Mitch will probably have them working Christmas Day if he needs to, but still, it takes time to announce and prepare a Supreme Court candidate.

Ceetar Oct 02 2018 07:35 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: Well, there are procedural roadblocks that Democrats can put in front of any nominee. And there's a lot of recess time after the election with the holidays. Plus, the new congress gets sworn in on January 3rd. So realistically there are very few actual working days in the lame-duck session. I know Mitch will probably have them working Christmas Day if he needs to, but still, it takes time to announce and prepare a Supreme Court candidate. you gotta hunt down 45 on his golf course and teach him how to say whoever's name it is you want to nominate too.

Edgy MD Oct 02 2018 07:36 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

The president has time, but not an extended surfeit of time. I don't give him or his administration the same credit for knowing what they're doing as you do. (They apparently knew at least one of these accusers was out there all along!) And as that Michael Lewis article suggests, even the appearance in the administration of somebody who does know what he or she is doing doesn't necessarily mean the president will listen to that person. And any number of disastrous New York Times articles about the president and/or his allies can break at any moment, throwing further wrenches into the machine, more flies into the ointment, and an occasional spanner into the works.

Edgy MD Oct 02 2018 07:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ceetar wrote: you gotta hunt down 45 on his golf course and teach him how to say whoever's name it is you want to nominate too. "Mr. President, we've got a squeaky clean candidate who checks all the boxes. Time is short and you should announce him immediately. His name is 'Al DePantzeu.'" #theresistancewithin

batmagadanleadoff Oct 02 2018 07:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I thought the new Senate gets sworn in in the middle of January instead of on the 3rd. So that knocks about two weeks off my estimate on how much time the GOP has. But they still have too much control over the process and the ejector button. If this gets ugly, they can always rescind BK's nomination instead of letting it play out while their clock runs.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 02 2018 07:58 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I thought the new Senate gets sworn in in the middle of January instead of on the 3rd. So that knocks about two weeks off my estimate on how much time the GOP has. But they still have too much control over the process and the ejector button. If this gets ugly, they can always rescind BK's nomination instead of letting it play out while their clock runs. And that being the case, it's unlikely that the FBI gets additional time to investigate.

seawolf17 Oct 02 2018 08:30 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I'm sure they thought they could just get him through quickly, because in theory, they had the votes to do it. They didn't anticipate the setbacks, or at least not to the extent that there have been setbacks. But that said, I think there's a 100% chance BK is on the Court before midterms.

Ashie62 Oct 03 2018 01:09 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

"I like beer" will make the court

Ceetar Oct 03 2018 02:53 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I'm not eligible.

Lefty Specialist Oct 03 2018 12:30 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Yeah, there's every indication the FBI investigation was still truncated. And senators will not get a copy of the report, they'll be able to SEE a copy of the report, so that they can't leak the whole thing to the press as someone inevitably would. Fix. In. Keggernaugh will be confirmed because there isn't video of him manhandling women. And that whole 'lying to Congress' thing about his activities on behalf of the Bush Administration and Starr investigation will be buried.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 03 2018 01:21 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Trump openly mocked Ford at one of his rallies in Mississippi yesterday. I'm beginning to think that the President of the United States may be something of an asshole.

Lefty Specialist Oct 03 2018 02:57 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Trump openly mocked Ford at one of his rallies in Mississippi yesterday. I'm beginning to think that the President of the United States may be something of an asshole. And then they wonder, "Gee, why didn't the women come forward?" Well, this is why, numbnuts.

seawolf17 Oct 03 2018 03:43 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Trump openly mocked Ford at one of his rallies in Mississippi yesterday. I'm beginning to think that the President of the United States may be something of an asshole. Every day, there's a dozen things that make me angrier than I was yesterday. It's so damn hard right now.

Edgy MD Oct 03 2018 04:02 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Which is why I think none of us should be 100% certain of anything. A lot of X factors would be in play even without the president being who he is. With him, it's X's all over the place.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 03 2018 04:06 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Questions: 1) Why don't the R's just withdraw this nomination and go for Amy Coney Barrett? From a policy standpoint, seems she would be just as horrific for progressives as Kavanaugh but her confirmation would likely be a breeze compared to this? They really hold all the cards and it's beyond disturbing that supporting Kavanaugh to the very end (including re-nominating him if the first try fails!) is a cause they want to champion. It's so gross. 2) Speaking of re-nomination and Lindsey Graham, what the fuck has gotten into Lindsey Graham with regard to Kavanaugh? You see the vid of him at the Atlantic? The guy has lost his shit. 3) Lastly, conservative women- why? Please tell me why?

TransMonk Oct 03 2018 04:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Questions: 1) Why don't the R's just withdraw this nomination and go for Amy Coney Barrett? From a policy standpoint, seems she would be just as horrific for progressives as Kavanaugh but her confirmation would likely be a breeze compared to this? They really hold all the cards and it's beyond disturbing that supporting Kavanaugh to the very end (including re-nominating him if the first try fails!) is a cause they want to champion. It's so gross. 2) Speaking of re-nomination and Lindsey Graham, what the fuck has gotten into Lindsey Graham with regard to Kavanaugh? You see the vid of him at the Atlantic? The guy has lost his shit. 3) Lastly, conservative women- why? Please tell me why? 1. a) Trump is not a guy who has ever really retreated on ANYTHING. b) Kavanaugh's record of being against the indictment of sitting presidents is likely in play. 2. Lindsey is likely auditioning for the Attorney General position that will probably come open next month. 3. Yes, why?

A Boy Named Seo Oct 03 2018 04:45 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Probably right about AG. What a turd he is. [tweet:o8ui3uf3]https://twitter.com/johniadarola/status/1047512397492047872[/tweet:o8ui3uf3]

Edgy MD Oct 03 2018 05:03 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Not only was that a shit-headed and bigoted thing to say, he's EXACTLY quoting James Carville's statement on Paula Jones. What in the world happened? He did he wake up one morning and say, "You know, anybody can privately be a hateful and shallow fuck. I'm going to be OUT THERE about it."

Benjamin Grimm Oct 03 2018 05:22 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I suspect that Lindsey Graham isn't nearly as "out" as he could be.

Lefty Specialist Oct 03 2018 05:46 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Questions: 1) Why don't the R's just withdraw this nomination and go for Amy Coney Barrett? From a policy standpoint, seems she would be just as horrific for progressives as Kavanaugh but her confirmation would likely be a breeze compared to this? They really hold all the cards and it's beyond disturbing that supporting Kavanaugh to the very end (including re-nominating him if the first try fails!) is a cause they want to champion. It's so gross. 2) Speaking of re-nomination and Lindsey Graham, what the fuck has gotten into Lindsey Graham with regard to Kavanaugh? You see the vid of him at the Atlantic? The guy has lost his shit. 3) Lastly, conservative women- why? Please tell me why? 1) Kavanaugh has publicly said you can't indict a president while he's in office. He's not to be touched. That's why Trump's fighting so hard for him. 2) Lindsay Graham has made the calculation that sucking up to Trump is a good career move and he doesn't have John McCain to talk sense into him any more. 3) Republican women? https://www.salon.com/2018/10/02/think- ... ink-again/

Centerfield Oct 03 2018 05:53 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: 3) Republican women? https://www.salon.com/2018/10/02/think- ... ink-again/ Yup. Gender inequality, and a little bit of sexual assault here and there, is a small price to pay for getting to be racist as fuck.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 03 2018 06:11 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

The low point? [youtube]809yRtq1cp8[/youtube] This Vicious Buffoon Is a Vessel for All the Worst Elements of the American Condition Donald Trump, American president*, disgraces his office once more. By Charles P. Pierce Oct 3, 2018 Everyone who does not agree with me is a traitor and a scoundrel. —HRH George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland This video should be the only news from now until Election Day, and probably beyond that, all the way to the next Election Day in 2020 as well. This video captures perfectly where we are as a nation at this moment in history. It shows with startling clarity the end result of civic disengagement and democratic apathy. It shows without question that we have allowed our republic to fall into the hands of a sociopath whose feeling for his fellow human beings can be measured against a poker chip. It shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the better angels of our nation have been sold out to anger, and greed, and stone hatred. It shows precisely the depths to which our fellow citizens will follow this bag of old and rancid sins. Some of those citizens know better. Some of them don't. All of them are dangerous blockheads. Look at the man behind the seal of the President of the United States, mocking the recollections of a survivor of sexual assault. In my life, I have watched John Kennedy talk on television about missiles in Cuba. I saw Lyndon Johnson look Richard Russell squarely in the eye and and say, "And we shall overcome." I saw Richard Nixon resign and Gerald Ford tell the Congress that our long national nightmare was over. I saw Jimmy Carter talk about malaise and Ronald Reagan talk about a shining city on a hill. I saw George H.W. Bush deliver the eulogy for the Soviet bloc, and Bill Clinton comfort the survivors of Timothy McVeigh's madness in Oklahoma City. I saw George W. Bush struggle to make sense of it all on September 11, 2001, and I saw Barack Obama sing "Amazing Grace" in the wounded sanctuary of Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina. These were the presidents of my lifetime. These were not perfect men. They were not perfect presidents, god knows. Not one of them was that. But they approached the job, and they took to the podium, with all the gravitas they could muster as appropriate to the job. They tried, at least, to reach for something in the presidency that was beyond their grasp as ordinary human beings. They were not all ennobled by the attempt, but they tried nonetheless. And comes now this hopeless, vicious buffoon, and the audience of equally hopeless and vicious buffoons who laughed and cheered when he made sport of a woman whose lasting memory of the trauma she suffered is the laughter of the perpetrators. Now he comes, a man swathed in scandal, with no interest beyond what he can put in his pocket and what he can put over on a universe of suckers, and he does something like this while occupying an office that we gave him, and while endowed with a public trust that he dishonors every day he wakes up in the White House. The scion of a multigenerational criminal enterprise, the parameters of which we are only now beginning to comprehend. A vessel for all the worst elements of the American condition. And a cheap, soulless bully besides. We have had good presidents and bad—a Buchanan is followed by a Lincoln who is followed by an Andrew Johnson, and so forth. But we never have had such a cheap counterfeit of a president* as currently occupies the office. We have had presidents who have been the worthy targets of scalding scorn, but James Callender went after giants. We never have had a president* so completely deserving of scorn and yet so small in the office that it almost seems a waste of time and energy to summon up the requisite contempt. Watch him make fun of the woman again. Watch how a republic dies in the empty eyes of an empty man who feels nothing but his own imaginary greatness, and who cannot find in himself the decency simply to shut the fuck up even when it is in his best interest to do so. Presidents don't have to be heroes to be good presidents. They just have to realize that their humanity is our common humanity, and that their political commonwealth is our political commonwealth, too. Watch him again, behind the seal of the President of the United States. Isn't he a funny man? Isn't what happened to that lady hilarious? Watch the assembled morons cheer. This is the only story now. https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/p ... l-assault/

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 03 2018 06:14 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Go Charles

Ceetar Oct 03 2018 06:16 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Centerfield wrote: 3) Republican women? https://www.salon.com/2018/10/02/think- ... ink-again/ Yup. Gender inequality, and a little bit of sexual assault here and there, is a small price to pay for getting to be racist as fuck. There's definitely a rich aspect to it. Money buys yourself out of a lot of things, and they probably think it was something they did to avoid sexual abuse and why can't everyone just do that? Hell, even the coverage/discussion of the topic is focused on rich people. politicians, movie stars, etc. No one's talking about the creepy Applebees manager taking advantage of young waitresses who desperately need the money, may not speak English that well, and might be at risk (and i'm sure this is getting better) for deportation if they stand up for themselves.

Edgy MD Oct 03 2018 07:13 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Go Charles I didn't even know Hawkeye and Charles had married, although I always thought there something there.

Lefty Specialist Oct 03 2018 08:37 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

When he was trashing Dr. Ford, some in the audience chanted "Lock her Up!" Trump is a symptom. They're the disease. Deplorables indeed.

Edgy MD Oct 04 2018 01:18 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Think about it. Dr. Ford said the most memorable part of the incident was Kavanaugh and Judge laughing at her helplessness. And the president decided to respond to that ... by joining in the laughing. Publicly. And encouraging an arena of people to come into the room and do that with him.

Lefty Specialist Oct 04 2018 12:40 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

The FBI "Investigation" is in and they couldn't find any corroborating evidence because they weren't allowed to talk to any corroborating witnesses. This is how they do things in Russia.

Edgy MD Oct 04 2018 01:34 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: The FBI "Investigation" is in and they couldn't find any corroborating evidence because they weren't allowed to talk to any corroborating witnesses. They apparently weren't allowed to talk to any material witnesses. It is difficult to imagine an investigation that did not talk to the accused and accuser could be taken seriously.

seawolf17 Oct 04 2018 01:37 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Edgy MD wrote: Think about it. Dr. Ford said the most memorable part of the incident was Kavanaugh and Judge laughing at her helplessness. And the president decided to respond to that ... by joining in the laughing. Publicly. And encouraging an arena of people to come into the room and do that with him. Because he's a colossal shithead who doesn't care what he says, as long as people are agreeing with him and cheering for him. And the GOP doesn't care, because they're getting everything they want anyway.

Centerfield Oct 04 2018 01:47 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

It's not the shithead that troubles me. It's the roomful of people joining in the laughter. It goes to show you how desperate people were to have someone tell them that their racism and bigotry is justified. They will excuse literally anything from someone who tells them that this is ok. If Donald Trump were convicted of child molestation, they would shame the 12 year old victim and say that the kid was dressing too provocatively. I have no doubt about this.

MFS62 Oct 04 2018 01:50 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

batmagadanleadoff wrote: The low point? Don't worry. Give him time. He'll go lower. This is the person who has courted (and received) the support of racists, pedophiles, Nazis, and child abusers. So sexual abuse of an adult female is a "gimmie" for him and his supporting rabble. Later

Ceetar Oct 04 2018 02:02 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Centerfield wrote: It's not the shithead that troubles me. It's the roomful of people joining in the laughter. It goes to show you how desperate people were to have someone tell them that their racism and bigotry is justified. They will excuse literally anything from someone who tells them that this is ok. If Donald Trump were convicted of child molestation, they would shame the 12 year old victim and say that the kid was dressing too provocatively. I have no doubt about this. We've already seen that show with Roy Moore no? 45 routinely walked into miss teen usa dressing rooms unannounced. Can you be dressed too provocatively if you're not dressed at all?

MFS62 Oct 04 2018 02:05 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Look at Donald, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley and Orrin Hatch. The only way they could get laid is forcibly. Of course they're supporting Kavanaugh. Later

seawolf17 Oct 04 2018 02:45 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Centerfield wrote: It's not the shithead that troubles me. It's the roomful of people joining in the laughter. Yup. And those folks aren't changing. They're not. Even if Hillary had won, even if Congress flips next month, even if the GOP decides to punt Kavanaugh and nominate Barack Obama for the empty seat -- they're not going anywhere. And I don't know what that means for the future, but it's ugly.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 04 2018 03:35 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Collins says the FBI probe was very thorough. Anyone wanna get their yes votes in on this poll while they still can?

batmagadanleadoff Oct 04 2018 03:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 04 2018 03:46 PM

Centerfield wrote: It's not the shithead that troubles me. It's the roomful of people joining in the laughter. Well, you shuldn't be surprised. This is precisely why the scumbag was elected in the first place -- to put scumbags like Bret Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch onto the Supreme Court. That crap about HRC not going to some midwest states enough was just that, total crapola. They held their noses and pulled the lever for Trump to get their wingnut Supreme Court. Of course, holding their noses implies that they know all along what a scumbag Trump is. Not like some people, who get the chance to meet the scumbag for five minutes to have a meaningless how's the weather type of conversation and then have the nerve to come here and post that Trump's "a nice guy". It'd be a refreshing breath of fresh air for those shills to admit that the guy's a scumbag but they voted for him because they'd prefer the judges Trump would nominate over HRC's picks. But to tell us he's a nice guy is a fucking condescending insult to everyone's intelligence. MFS62 wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: The low point? Don't worry. Give him time. He'll go lower. This is the person who has courted (and received) the support of racists, pedophiles, Nazis, and child abusers. So sexual abuse of an adult female is a "gimmie" for him and his supporting rabble. Later Oh, I'm not worried. That wasn't the low point and if it was, it won't be for long and there'll never be a have you no shame moment with this scumbag president because his shamelessness has no limits.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 04 2018 03:43 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Collins says the FBI probe was very thorough. Anyone wanna get their yes votes in on this poll while they still can? This shouldn't be any kind of surprise. That Collins the fraud isn't already committed to not voting for Kavanaugh on ideological grounds tells you everything you need to know about what a fraud she is. What methodology does Collins use to determine that Kavanaugh won't vote to overrule Roe v. Wade: that episode of Seinfeld where Costanza does the exact opposite of whatever his honest instincts tells him he oughtta do?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 05 2018 03:25 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I've switched. Let's get to the ballot boxes, shall we, young folk?

MFS62 Oct 05 2018 11:32 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

OK, so it looks like the majority of us think he will be appointed to the Court.(the vote is 11-10 "yes" as I type this). So, How many of you "yes" voters will be happy if he is? Later

Lefty Specialist Oct 05 2018 07:25 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Susan Collins a 'yes' so that's it. Feel free to boof if you want to. Women, grab your ovaries before someone else does.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 05 2018 08:03 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

She's the one who said that she wouldn't vote for anyone who would overturn Roe v. Wade. She's not terribly reliable is she? Flake said that he wouldn't vote yes unless there was a comprehensive investigation. There wasn't, but he's a yes too. I hear Murkowski is reportedly a no. I think we need somebody to hypnotize Mike Pence into voting no on the tie-breaker.

Lefty Specialist Oct 05 2018 08:10 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Susan Collins has been playing this game forever. She's a 'Moderate' except that she isn't. She makes a great show of how she's agonizing when she's already in the tank. Donated $20.20 to the fund for her challenger in two years. Maine can do better; she's a bullshit artist.

Ceetar Oct 05 2018 08:41 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: Susan Collins has been playing this game forever. She's a 'Moderate' except that she isn't. She makes a great show of how she's agonizing when she's already in the tank. Donated $20.20 to the fund for her challenger in two years. Maine can do better; she's a bullshit artist. Save your money, I think we gotta nuke the whole thing before then anyway.

Centerfield Oct 05 2018 09:03 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

We're fucked.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 05 2018 10:05 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: Susan Collins has been playing this game forever. She's a 'Moderate' except that she isn't. She makes a great show of how she's agonizing when she's already in the tank. Donated $20.20 to the fund for her challenger in two years. Maine can do better; she's a bullshit artist. Same. Cowards, all of them. Although, honestly, Flake is the one who gets me. I understand Minchin and Collins. (I would happily fund their opponents, but I get them.) But Flake asked for a bullshit-investigation deferment week, ostensibly for political cover for his eventual "yes" vote. But he's quitting. He needs no cover. So this is him.

Lefty Specialist Oct 06 2018 12:42 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Ceetar wrote: Lefty Specialist wrote: Susan Collins has been playing this game forever. She's a 'Moderate' except that she isn't. She makes a great show of how she's agonizing when she's already in the tank. Donated $20.20 to the fund for her challenger in two years. Maine can do better; she's a bullshit artist. Save your money, I think we gotta nuke the whole thing before then anyway. Um, nuke the whole thing? How, exactly? Revolution? Armed insurrection?

Fman99 Oct 06 2018 03:28 AM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Yeah, seriously, I mean, the Republicans have "gamed the system," through gerrymandering, and voter restriction laws, to keep pushing their agenda forward, despite representing maybe 3 in 10 American adults of voting age. So how do you overcome that?

Lefty Specialist Oct 06 2018 01:23 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Well, you don’t overcome it by throwing up your hands and surrendering. Because that just makes their job easier.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 06 2018 03:46 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

I'm glad Kavanaugh will be confirmed. Let the GOP put up the most incendiary and reviled candidate it can muster, the candidiate so far out of the mainstream, that he's bound to rile up the base. Kavanuagh's so unqualified for the Supreme Court, that people are already forgetting how bad Neil Gorsuch is. Plus, this'll very likely cost the GOP at least one senator in 2020 (Collins). She's toast: Dead Senator Walking. And this is already stirring important discussions that I've barely ever heard before. This morning on AM Joy with Joy Reid, there was an in depth discussion about the high court where guest Elie Mystal, editor of abovethelaw.com vowed not to vote for a single Democrat who doesn't promise to pack the Supreme Court. Mystal opined that the Supreme Court is so obviously political that its justices should be covered and recognized by Americans the same way celibrities and famous athletes are recognized. People should be able to recognize John Roberts, for example, the same way they recognize Mike Trout. It was a terrific discussion because Mystal didn't talk about the GOP controlling the court for decades, which is dreadful in and of itself -- Mystal didn't use the word "decades", he used the word "forever", which is more realistic. Conservatives have already had the majority for almost 50 years. It's enormously difficult if not impossible to flip a seat being that justices plan their retirements. And if they die while active (Scalia) or suddenly get so sick that they can't continue (Thurgood) you still have to hope that your party controls the WH and the senate in order to flip that seat. So yeah, forever is more likely than decades.

Lefty Specialist Oct 06 2018 07:39 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Understand that this is still a 5-4 court. If Clarence Thomas decides to retire next year with a Democratic Senate, things could get interesting. If he retires or dies when Democrats control both the White House and Senate, things could flip. Yes, things look bleak right now, but I wouldn't lock in a 50-year reign just yet.

MFS62 Oct 06 2018 10:02 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Nobody has said if they are happy with this. The CPF-ers deserve credit for reason and sense of justice. Later

batmagadanleadoff Oct 07 2018 04:28 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

Lefty Specialist wrote: Understand that this is still a 5-4 court. If Clarence Thomas decides to retire next year with a Democratic Senate, things could get interesting. If he retires or dies when Democrats control both the White House and Senate, things could flip. Yes, things look bleak right now, but I wouldn't lock in a 50-year reign just yet. But when was the last time a Supreme Court justice unexpectedly left the bench due to death or declining health when the opposite party controlled both the WH and the senate? I guarantee you that Clarence Thomas will not willingly retire under a Dem controlled senate. And if you're rooting for an unplanned vacancy, it's likelier that The Notorious RBG will be the justice leaving the bench under those circumstances rather than Thomas. I'm not locking anything in either because anything is technically possible, but I think an arch conservative dominated SCOTUS for beyond our lifetimes is likelier than flipping Thomas's seat. It's likely that the Dems won't be able to flip the SCOTUS without taking drastic measures.

seawolf17 Oct 08 2018 12:30 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

batmagadanleadoff wrote: People should be able to recognize John Roberts, for example, the same way they recognize Mike Trout. Which means nobody will recognize him either. Bazinga!

batmagadanleadoff Oct 08 2018 03:29 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

E.J. Dionne writes: ... there should now be no squeamishness about the urgency of enlarging the Supreme Court if Democrats have the power to do so after the 2020 elections. The current majority on the court was created through illegitimate means. Changing that majority would not constitute politicizing the court because conservatives have already done this without apology. “Court-packing” [is] the only plausible response to the conservative court-packing project that reached fruition on Saturday. (emphasis added) https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... dc455fef1e

batmagadanleadoff Oct 08 2018 04:24 PM Re: Justice Kavanaugh

[fimg=888:17duzwaq]https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/10/06/opinion/06winter13/merlin_144922488_69596d64-d449-41f9-81b6-aaa47c326ec9-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp[/fimg:17duzwaq]