Wednesday AM

Lots to talk about but no time to talk about it.

Comments

[Jack is Back!ll]

Eerst.

Ik ook Brussels / Je Suis Bruxelles

[Beester]

Continued prayers for all Belgians and especially JIB's family. Godspeed.

[narciso]

We aren't to speak of vengeance Romans 12, but there should be an attempt at accountability.

Je suis bruxelle.

[clarice]

Were you surprised by the Utah Dem primary results?

The dumbest editorial of the week is in the WaPo which argues that the Brussels's attack rebukes Trump's policies --revamping NATO. Not addressed by these geniuses is how a mutual defense pact against outside aggression is to work when the euro partners have welcomed in the enemy and subsidize their terror inducing mosques and imans.

[narciso]

The European top men whether in London Paris or Brussels find it shibboleth to speak the truth, and gag those who attempt to.

[clarice]

Yes, I'm afraid that is so, narciso. Same here but less successful--maybe because the most subservient types stayed in the old country.

[henry]

Drudge has some reports of strange events at the Utah caucuses... R ones.

[narciso]

Well the week is still yong, Carlos slims chimp have not had their say yet.

[Jack is Back!ll]

Reposting:

If you talk to any Belgian or French they will tell you that NATO is America, period. We contribute over 80% to its cost and most of its ordanance, aircraft etc. It has always been impotent since although we have the financial burden each country controls their own participation (ie. France for example). We have SHAFE in Mons which is basically a feel good PR exercise for our military in Europe but NATO needs full reform from its post-WW2 origins and mission.

narc,

Belgian security is gauze thin and under severe stress due to lack of personnel, G2 and management. But you have to give the taxi driver credit for situational awareness. Perhaps they should give him a job in Belgian security.

[narciso]

So one question did saleh give up any names, or was this a stalling tactic, rhetorical.

[narciso]

They did online voting, for that primary, that couldn't go wrong could it.

[Threadkiller]

The loons suggested that the online voting was connected to Soros.

Loons...

[narciso]

My senses were right about Ben afglecks current project, even hail gadot couldn't save it.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/20/soros-board-member-chairs-firm-running-online-balloting-for-tuesdays-utah-caucuses/

[The Wolf Who Cried Boy]

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the lumpenproles
Just seize me some means of production, Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the Commies,
If we don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three cheers for Fidel
At the old ball game.

[James D]

narciso, I'm as big a geek as you can find, but I don't think I'm going to see Batman v. Superman.

I couldn't get through all of "Man of Steel" on TV. I had to turn it off after Kevin Costner committed suicide-by-tornado to demonstrate to the future Superman that helping people is wrong.

Sorry, that's not a story I'm interested in watching.

[Dave (in MA)]

J. Lileks: "The West’s Response to Mass Murder: Pretty Lights"

https://ricochet.com/wests-response-mass-murder-pretty-lights/

He's in the #nevertrump camp but his suggestion for a course of action seems quite Trumpian to me.

[NK]

I was never a comics geek. But I liked watching Man of Steel on cable. Suicide by tornado? Not as far as I was concerned. Self-sacrifice for the well-being of your son. I thought that was noble. Killing Zod was more old-fashioned western morality than comic; Zod was a man who needed killing, so I liked that personally.

[NK]

Dave-- I am #nevertrump, and I am all for more direct action against Jihadis, support western civilization against Islamist tyranny, and speaking the truth about Jihad. How are those inconsistent?

[Man Tran]

I keep waiting to read some insightful prognostication maybe in the form of thriller novel where you see history running backwards. Start say 10 years ahead of now when what's left of the 'free world' launches nuclear strikes at all Mooslem countries. All the way back to the present we have what is happening now. What are the intermediate steps? Escape from LA type walled cities guarded from the outside? Systematic demolition of mosques by forced labor of the faithful? Blood oaths by pissing on Qurans, then burning them to prove rejection of the faith? Inquiring minds want to prepare.

[Dave (in MA)]

I suppose I could be considered to be sympathetic to the #nevertrump cause, but #NEVERHILLARY trumps #nevertrump.

Lileks' proposed MOABs over ISIS cities seems to be quite in line with Trump's "take out their families" policy.

[henry]

ManTran, our lurking friend has step 1.

[NK]

MOABs are not the answer right now, even amoral Putin understands that. Brave men marching into the small areas controlled by ISIS, seizing and trying ISIS for war crimes and executing them, plus politicians in Europe/USA revoking citizenship (naturalized) and deporting to North Africa/ME Sharia seeking Islamists is the correct start.

[henry]

You may be right on that NK... but today I want MOABs anyway. If it makes your moral sense ha[ppier, we can alternate MOABs between the beltway and ME.

[Porchlight]

#NEVERHILLARY trumps #nevertrump.

Right you are, Dave.

[Porchlight]

And on that note:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/poll-most-republicans-want-the-gop-to-unite-behind-trump/article/2586615

[Theo]

Sorry to be so gloomy today, but I do not see a good way forward for the Republican Party. Unless the proverbial unforeseen happens, there are two possibilities. Trump is nominated OR Trump is not nominated. In either instance a significant chunk of the Republican electorate is appalled and horrified and steaming mad and either splits off to vote for someone else or stays home. In either instance Rodham wins.

Does anyone see any other outcome that could be called more than theoretically possible?

[Porchlight]

Yes, Theo. The butthurt party gets over it and votes for the nominee and Hillary is defeated.

[Threadkiller]

Sorry to be so gloomy today, but I do not see a good way forward for the Republican Party.

My thoughts since Bush abandoned the free market to save the free market.

[Theo]

Porchlight --

I asked for a REALISTIC possibility, not your personal wish.

Not. Going. To. Happen. The #nevertrump people are numerous and serious. 35% of the voters in last week's contests said that they would consider voting for a third party candidate if Trump were the nominee. Not all of those will break off of course. Some will "get over it." But it would not take all that many to be true to their "#nevertrump stance to make winning in the fall impossible.

[Thomas Collins]

GOP is in a far better position in March 2016 than it was in March 1980, Theo, when Carter had a lead over Reagan approaching 2-1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_polling_for_U.S._Presidential_elections#United_States_presidential_election.2C_1980

And keep in mind that the March 1980 Reagan was not the Reagan we now remember. There were so many concerns about the Gipper that his camp apparently seriously entertained a co-Presidency arrangement with Ford.

Cruz, Trump or Kasich can beat The Hill. I am optimistic that the GOP is going to come out of Cleveland with a ticket behind which the GOP is unified. The biggest problem in a 47/47/6 nation is reaching the 6, most of whom are super low information voters (especially the ones with "Grade A" academic credentials).

[Miss Marple 2]

I am done talking about all of this for the rest of the day (I think).

I have to take granddaughter to a violin lesson and go to the grocery. Then carpet cleaning.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Th US's allowance of the Euroweenies to increasingly shirk their share of NATO allowed Europe to infantalilze and indulge in all their welfare state multi cultural suicide missions safe in the knowledge Daddy Warbucks would keep the wolf, or the bear, from their door.

In the short run we kept them from being overrun. In the long term we made it inevitable, in one form or another or perhaps several.

[Thomas Collins]

Theo, Trump has gone too far to commit political suicide. Trump would pick a Veep, whether it will be Kasich or Haley or some other establishment type, who will help unify the party.

Trump-Kasich, Trump-Cruz, Trump-Haley, Kasich-Cruz, Cruz-Kasich, Cruz-Haley, Haley-Cruz (how's that for a surprisingly strong brokered convention ticket) all would be quite competitive against whatever the Blues come up with.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Not. Going. To. Happen.--

Is there something in the water that prompts otherwise sensible people to believe they know the future?

Having said that, let me reiterate, Hillary will never be president.
It's funny when I do it. :)

[Porchlight]

I asked for a REALISTIC possibility, not your personal wish.

I believe it to be a realistic possibility.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/poll-most-republicans-want-the-gop-to-unite-behind-trump/article/2586615

Your gloom and doom is tedious and counterproductive.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Is this the same TC?
Sounds like he's beginning to suffer from Stockholm Trump Syndrome.

[Porchlight]

BTW, on a lighter note, I had a dream last night that I met Kasich and he was a really nice guy and had a stage set up in his backyard for SXSW and had some vaguely cool bands playing.

I woke up thinking WTH but maybe it's a sign. :)

Lyn Nofziger says in his memoir that he had a similar sign (from above?) when the Reagan team was dithering over whether Reagan should agree to debate Carter in October 1980. He, Stuart Spencer (another campaign aide), and Reagan himself all woke up one morning with the clear idea that the debate needed to happen. And the rest is history.

[Thomas Collins]

Reagan was so weak during the Feb.-May 1980 period that it took John Anderson being added to the polls to help the Gipper close the gap with Carter to less than 10 points(although a fairly staunch conservative throughout most of his political career, Anderson became the flavor of the moment for virtue signaling blues in 1980).

[Thomas Collins]

Reagan was so weak during the Feb.-May 1980 period that it took John Anderson being added to the polls to help the Gipper close the gap with Carter to less than 10 points(although a fairly staunch conservative throughout most of his political career, Anderson became the flavor of the moment for virtue signaling blues in 1980).

[Theo]

TC --

I do not think that your historical parallel is particularly apt here. The party was relatively unified at the time. Reagan was an unknown (as a political figure) to much of the country. Carter suffered a lot in 1980 due to the hostage crisis, inflation and (as I recall) oil prices.

I do not believe that they seriously considered a co presidency. My understanding is that they offered Gerry Ford the chance to be VP again and he said he would consider it on a co-presidency type basis and was turned down cold. Reagan was notoriously indifferent and or strategic about his running mates. Recall Richard Schweiker in 1976.

This situation is different. I see no basis for optimism that the party will be unified after the convention. It will either be Trump, despised by a big chunk of the GOP voters (and a bigger chunk of voters overall) or not Trump, in which case the Trumpsters will not, in Porch's description, "get over it and vote for the nominee."

It is not just about getting to the "6." It is also about getting your "47" to turnout. I do not see that happening here under any circumstances.

[Threadkiller]

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump

Lyin' Ted Cruz denied that he had anything to do with the G.Q. model photo post of Melania. That's why we call him Lyin' Ted!

[Thomas Collins]

If I had my choice among the remaining critters, Ignatz, it would be Cruz-Kasich. But if Trump ends up the nominee, it's not even close for me: Trump is way better than any conceivable blue that would come out of Philly in July.

My primary concern about Trump is that he won't be focused enough on building up our military strength. I know I'm probably an outlier in that concern, but his bloviating, I am concerned, masks weakness. But I've seen enough of him to temper my concern when I think how The Hill, Sacajawea, MassageJoe or any of the other blues would perform.

[Threadkiller]

Theo, are there any actions the GOP could take to cause them to lose your support, besides Trump winning the nomination?

[henry]

Sure TK, Trump is incapable of lying on his own... ::eyeroll::

[JM Hanes]

Thanks to Drudge, I think we know where Jeff is:
Beer, chips spill onto I-95

[Theo]

Porch --

The article you keep linking to says that a "majority" of Republicans want the party to unify behind Trump. How does that make EVERYONE (or nearly everyone) unifying behind Trump a realistic possibility? It is simply NOT GOING TO HAPPEN any more than then the Trumpsters would unify behind a nominee other than Trump. Last week's exit polls shows 35% willing to consider a third party if Trump is nominated. 35% is not a "majority" but it would kill his chance of winning.

As far as "tedious" goes, you are entitled to your opinion. As far as "counterproductive" goes, how on earth could my posting my views on this relatively obscure website possibly change the outcome of anything? I certainly know that I have no such power.

It appears to me that you do not want to face reality and hope that if we all believe with all our mights that Trump will win it will somehow happen. You can cling to your fantasies, but I prefer reality.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I was referring to your seemingly more sanguine take on Teh Donald's chances in Nov, TC.

[Threadkiller]

Well, I do call him Taqyia Ted.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Lyin' Ted Cruz denied that he had anything to do with the G.Q. model photo post of Melania.--

Did he?

[Threadkiller]

Exit polls...

[Threadkiller]

Cruz tweeted something to that effect, Ig.

[jimmyk]

We can all breathe a sigh of relief today. When you see this image, what is the first thing you think of?

Slavery, of course. Well here we go:

The Harvard Corporation has agreed to abandon the controversial Harvard Law School (HLS) shield, per the recommendation of a committee of HLS faculty, students, and alumni released early this month....

[HLS Dean Martha] Minow had appointed the committee to study the shield—which displays the crest of a slaveholding family whose fortune endowed Harvard’s first law professorship—in late fall, after portraits of African-American law professors hanging in Wasserstein Hall were found defaced with strips of black tape. Racial justice activists at HLS had been calling for the change throughout the fall, and their demands gained currency after the incident.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2016/03/harvard-corporation-to-drop-law-school-shield

I would take an even-odds wager that the activists themselves were the ones who defaced those portraits.

[Thomas Collins]

Theo, Reagan was quite well known. He was a movie actor, union head, corporate spokesman, conservative speech giver, California Guv and serious 1976 POTUS contender before his 1980 run. The GOP was not at all unified, which is one reason Ronnie needed GHWB (just as Trump will need Kasich or Haley, not Cruz, as his Veep). The parallels are very similar. Plus, if we are talking about odds, the odds in March 2016 that The Hill will go down over Email/FoundationGate are at least as great as the odds in March 1980 that Reagan would be able to paint Carter as a "There he goes again" POTUS.

Look at those 1980 polls. In the spring of 1980, it took John Freaking Anderson taking points away from Carter for The Gipper to approach striking distance.

[Theo]

TK --

Unlike some others here, I do not think that whether I personally support the party or not does not matter a hill of beans. I live in Illinois and no Republican is going to carry the state this fall.

But sure, if the Republican party came out in favor or slavery or state ownership of the means of production or against free enterprise or in support of racial purity or a thousand other things I would not support the party.

I am not sure what your point is with the question.

[Threadkiller]

Ted Cruz 

✔‎@tedcruz

Pic of your wife not from us. Donald, if you try to attack Heidi, you're more of a coward than I thought. #classlesshttps://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/712457104515317764 …

[henry]

TK, that Cruz tweet is factually true. Get a life.

[Thomas Collins]

Oh, his chances, Ignatz. Unless she is indicted, I'd still peg The Hill as the favorite. But I am more optimistic that Trumpster will come out of Cleveland with GOP unity. This conservative third party talk is more of a wet dream of the blue bumkissers such as Bill Galston than it is of red people (it still amuses me that in the USA, the conservative leaners have red as their color).

[Threadkiller]

So, if Trump wins the GOP nomination, you will support the GOP?

[Theo]

TC --

I take your point and agree with it to this extent: 1) the future is one of the hardest things to predict, 2) this has already been a year that has confounded all predictions and 3) in 1980, Reagan came back from a long way to win and maybe somehow the Republicans could do that here.

But I was not saying that the polls show the GOP losing and therefore we are lost. I am saying that the path to a unified party seems non existent to me (see #'s 1 and 2 above) and without a unified party, defeat seems inevitable.

[narciso]

Ralph Peters wrote a novel, war after Armageddon along those lines, some years ago.

They did an animated adaptation of the dark knight returns which featured this type of clash, the irony is this film is the tent peg for the series of films, I don't see it happening.

[Thomas Collins]

It's only four months until we find out, Theo. July 18th in Cleveland is the start of the convention. This campaign has gone by fast for me. It seems barely hours ago to me that we were debating who should be at the "kiddie" table.

[NK]

TC-- very different electorate in 1980. Very different. The pool of 'persuadable' voters was much larger in 80. Greatest Gen near retirees (especially ethnics) who were age cohorts of Reagan, and Boomers who were getting married and starting families, and southern non-Blue Dog Dems all became the famous Reagan Dems who made 80 and 84 and 88 into routs. That electorate changed dramatically by 2000 and is gone now.

[Captain Hate]

Trump will need Kasich or Haley, not Cruz, as his Veep

So conservatives have nobody to vote for again.

[Threadkiller]

Get a life?

An odd thing to say on a comment board that people hang out on all day long.

Didn't mean to upset you.

Trump thinks there's more, Cruz says there isn't. So I guess that is that.

I won't mention it again until the beans on Goldman Sachs Heidi are spilled.

Sorry.

[Thomas Collins]

I agree, NK. That's why I still peg The Hill as the favorite. Dems like Galston, however,
would not be talking about a third party red run if they were so sure about blue chances in November.

[Stephanie]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/2016-republican-poll-trump-cruz-kasich-221111

Boom goes the narrative.

[Thomas Collins]

That's correct, CH. If Trump is the nominee, I don't see a real red Veep. But Cruz is still viable for the top spot. And I'd rather have Trump picking the next SCOTUS Justice than The Hill.

[Thomas Collins]

I agree, NK. That's why I still peg The Hill as the favorite. Dems like Galston, however,
would not be talking about a third party red run if they were so sure about blue chances in November.

[Thomas Collins]

That's correct, CH. If Trump is the nominee, I don't see a real red Veep. But Cruz is still viable for the top spot. And I'd rather have Trump picking the next SCOTUS Justice than The Hill.

[James D]

jimmyk @ 11:56

Boy, that would really make me feel great about spending/borowing $60K a year to attend or send a child to Harvard.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--what is the first thing you think of--

Odysseus of many devices, because that shield was on the Harvard Classics book set my parents had and The Odyssey was the first one I read.
Now I'll think of cowards instead.

By the way what kind of insensitive white privilege let's a line about black professors' portraits "hanging" in Wasserstein Hall not only be used but get past an editor?

#Twodimensionalrespresentationsofwelltodoblacklivesmatter.

[Appalled]

As for predicting 2016, let me plagiarize that great mystic, Criswell, in his memorable opening of Plan 9 From Outer Space:

We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future.

2016 may be distressing, disheartening, or merely disgusting, but it will not be boring.

[James D]

jimmyk @ 11:56

Boy, that would really make me feel great about spending/borowing $60K a year to attend or send a child to Harvard.

[jimmyk]

My primary concern about Trump is that he won't be focused enough on building up our military strength.

FWIW, Trump has said he intends to spend more on defense and rebuild the military, and he has said that fairly consistently over the past 16 years:

http://www.investors.com/politics/donald-trump-ted-cruz-agree-on-need-to-rebuild-americas-military/

[Theo]

The VP pick will NOT unify the party. The nominee will either be Trump, driving away millions of reliable Republican voters, or it will not be Trump, driving away millions of reliable Republican voters.

As Simon and Garfunkel once said "shout about it, talk about it, when you've got to choose, any way you look at it you lose."

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--(it still amuses me that in the USA, the conservative leaners have red as their color)-

Heh. Don't get me started, TC.
Blue China?
Warren Beatty starring in Blues?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

oh crap

[narciso]

Since few are likely to see it, they survive and go on to form the justice league, spoiler alert, as they savage the last of childhood memories.

[narciso]

Yes that was the twist, they pulled off in 2000, blue is Tory and navy, the more traditional republican branch.

[James D]

narciso, I don't understand what they're doing with their comic universe. Yeah, Batman is (or at least can reasonably be) dark and gray and so forth, but Superman really should not be (nor should Wonder Woman, The Flash et al).

And even Batman doesn't have to be as grim as he's been portrayed (especially in the Christian Bale movies). You can do dark without going as ugly as they've gone with it.

But then nobody is giving me $150 million to make any of these movies, so what do I know?

[Threadkiller]

The Trump supporter I know have not suggested abandoning their vote if Trump does not win the nomination unless it denied to him through some unreasonable process.

Even I have pledged to vote for naturalized citizen Ted Cruz should he be the nominee.

Theo, all of your assumptions rely on monolithic voting blocs. At least it seems that way to me.

[NK]

Politico is absolutely panting to have the Repubs nominate Trump. Wonder why that is?

[Threadkiller]

...supporters...

:-)

[Captain Hate]

The story of the GOP this entire election cycle has been like a very bad mockumentary, starting with the witless selection of Cleveland as the convention site.

[NK]

Politico is indeed a major Trump for nominee supporter.

[Threadkiller]

Politico or Quinnipiac University is panting, NK?

[narciso]

This vision of Batman came in the 80s, out of the nihilism of blue hells@ballard, before broken windows, also Frank Miller's anarchist phase.

[DebinNC]

Know what's the top-grossing movie of all time at $2.8B and growing, with 3 serials soon to follow? "Avatar" (2009). That surprised me, as I never saw it or particularly wanted to.

[NK]

JamesD-- have you seen the BBC film 'Brooklyn'? So sweet, it was even respectful to Catholic parish priests, it cost $11M, made almost $60M worldwide. Hollywood hates traditional american values so much, they leave money on the table, and they love money very very much. Yes, I am looking at the execrable Weinsteins.

[derwill]

This is interesting (from Insty):

"Nearly half of the supporters of Ohio Gov. John Kasich would vote for Donald Trump, not Ted Cruz, as their second choice, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday. And more than half of Cruz’s backers suggested they would do the same with their man out of the race."

Although, maybe not all that surprising when you pause to think about it. Kasich voters would see Cruz as too conservative for their tastes, whereas as Cruz voters would see Kasich as too democrat lite.

Also, yesterday's CBS/NYT national poll had Trump at 46%, Cruz 26%, Kasich 20%. Even more interesting the poll said that 75% thought Trump would be the nominee--so acceptance already by 3/4 of the party.

This also shows that Theo's assumption that Trump is very few voter's second choice is in error now.

Even more interesting to me was that Hillary only led the Bern by 5 points. So in the end there might be an even bigger divide among the Dems. And since the Bern's support comes from the youth brigade, they might actually be the ones to sit home next November.

[NK]

Politico - Quinnipiac? Same thing. James Carroll and his grad students detest conservatives just as much as Politico editors, and Trump is a way to screw conservatives big time this year.

[Theo]

TK --

My positions are based on the OPPOSITE of "monolithic" voting blocs.

I maintain that a MAJORITY of people who say they are "#neverTrump" will in fact vote for him in November if he is the nominee. But a significant minority will not.

I maintain that a MAJORITY of the people who say that if Trump is denied the nomination by the evil GOPe they will not vote for whoever is the nominee will in fact vote for the nominee in the fall. But a significant minority will not.

Thus, my point does not depend on monoliths, but the opposite.

I see that to the dismay of both of us there were no exit polls yesterday.

[Captain Hate]

The Clintons are like the James Taylor of the donks; only the classic crock retards like them.

[James D]

I haven't seen it yet, NK. It's on my list, though.

Hollywood has been leaving money on the table for years rather than make movies that celebrate American values (and especially Christian values). And even when they do make one and it earns a ton of money for them, they can't help but crap on it even as they're taking the profits to the bank.

[Tom Bowler]

The VP pick will NOT unify the party.

TC made several suggestions on that topic the other day, one of which was a Trump/Kasich ticket with Cruz as Supreme Court nominee. Strikes me as a unifying though perhaps improbable ticket.

I expect the ticket most likely to unify the Republican party is the one with Hillary at the top. George Will said on Fox News Sunday that he would vote for a third party candidate if Trump won the nomination. That would make him one of Newt's "Lost Republicans for Hillary." I used to think Will was pretty smart.

[Threadkiller]

So polls can be skewed towards a preference.

Do you think this phenomenon happens in exit polls as well, NK?

[NK]

Mickey Carroll, excuse me.

[James D]

narciso @ 12:24

True. But the first Batman movies (the tim Burton ones) to come after Frank Miller's work in the 80's, as much as they were heavily influenced by him, had some humor, some lightness, some fun to them.

[rich@gmu]

>>>Politico is absolutely panting to have the Repubs nominate Trump. Wonder why that is?

Posted by: NK | March 23, 2016 at 12:21 PM<<<

All the dirt they are getting from the Zero Administration ...