Plenty Of Blame To Go Around

Ross Douthat ruminates on how much blame for the COVID debacle should be shouldered by Trump.

He mentions the February testing debacle at the CDC and the slow-walking of Emergency Use Authorizations by the FDA and links to a ProPublica piece. The NY Times and the WaPo had similar coverage and a similar theme - it was careerists, not Trump, that let the process drift.

Which brings us to a "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" point - Trump was not elected on a "Trust The Bureaucrats" platform. Yet that's what he did in February. Ooops. But when he learns his mistake, shifts gears and starts pounding the table for plasma, vaccines, or hydroxychloroquine, the usual suspects gasp that he is politicizing the process rather than trusting the professionals.

Probably for space reason Ross slides past an interesting conversation:

Framed this way, the debate over Trump’s coronavirus culpability resembles other debates in the Trump era, dividing those who treat the president’s incompetence or malice or authoritarianism as an emergency that throws every other problem into shadow from those who think that the trends that gave us Trump are still the more important forces and that the president himself captures too much of our attention.

I've said since 2015 that Trump is a symptom, not a cause, of a badly divided country. The culture wars, Rust Belt job losses and immigration debate have been around for decades. However, if I'm sticking with medical metaphors I'd add that Trump is a symptom that compounds the disease - he thrives on the underlying divisions and exacerbates and exploits at every opportunity. Just for example - why in the world did we have a sitting President tweeting about NFL players kneeling during the anthem? To kinda-quote a forgotten French leader, Trump missed a good opportunity to shut up.

Well. Bush 43 ran as a "Uniter, not a Divider" and we saw how that worked. Obama talked about "there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America" and we saw how that played. The forces of division are strong - Trump wasn't going to overcome them, but he didn't have to choose to amplify them.

Comments

[Old Lurker]

TM "The forces of division are strong - Trump wasn't going to overcome them, but he didn't have to choose to amplify them."

Good and Evil are both very strong. Can't we all just get along? (I think Jesus had a discussion with Satan along those lines.)

Black and White are such polarizing pigments...let's just mix them.

One ounce of cat piss in a gallon of milk makes it all cat piss.

Tom's sentiment is exactly how we descended into the morass that is sinking us.

Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything.

[BeastsEngland]

’...Trump is a symptom that compounds the disease - he thrives on the underlying divisions and exacerbates and exploits at every opportunity.’

🤣🤣🤣

[boris]

Trump is not the agent of amplification.

That started before Trump took office.

The culture war has shifted US socieaty too far from Life Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. Now it's all MSM BLM Antifa vs Global Warming Racism and Capitalism.

That's not Trump. That's on them and those who would rather enable it than have Trump as POTUS.

[MissMarple2]

Forget the polls
This is real#FoxAndFriends #SundayThoughts #SundayMorning#Trump2020 #CNNSOTU #MediaBuzz #Ccot #MAGA #KAG2020 #KAG

pic.twitter.com/dFsrlShvrp

— Rad123 (@Tombx7M) September 13, 2020

For a 20-second view of the people lined up to see their President in Nevada, go to the video at this link. This is some optimism for Jane's Optimism Day!

[Captain Hate]

Nothing says amplifying divisions like an impeachment.

[James D.]

From where I sit, TM, Trump isn't "amplifying division", he's just pushing back when for the most part the GOP hasn't been doing that since at least the early 1980's.

Would it be better if his response to the current "all white people are racist and evil" message of the left was "well, they kind of have a point but really we're only 2/3 as racist and evil as they say we are" ?

Are you cool with that approach of unifying and lowering temperatures, TM? If you are, great, see what that gets you and your family in your misgoverned blue hell with your valor thief Senator and your crooked liar shitbag of a governor.

[Melinda]

Re-posting this, where TM MIGHT catch it:

This will make a serious dent in the bidness of CT politics:

US Attorney SDNY
@SDNYnews
Bridgeport police chief and personnel director charged with fraud, false statements in connection with city’s hiring of the police chief go.usa.gov/xGKyr

https://twitter.com/SDNYnews/status/13041222012857589

[Old Lurker]

Another good AT link about what happens when we ignore truth long enough:

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/09/ten_great_deceptions_designed_to_destroy_the_republic.html

[caro]

Wow, Mel, it’s gone already !

[sbwaters]

TM let’s Douthat’s mistaken premise slide:

dividing those who treat the president’s incompetence or malice or authoritarianism as an emergency

... and that needlessly tosses sand into the gears of his argument.

But then TM chucks his own sand into the gears:

he thrives on the underlying divisions and exacerbates and exploits at every opportunity

... perhaps because TM can’t—or won’t—see the relevance of the flag as a metaphor in which people of diverse past experience celebrate a common future, and in which democracy is a process, not an answer, by which citizens over time learn to do better.

No wonder TM has been a little testy in his posts and tweets in the past. With increased perspective, perhaps the value of some of Trump’s past tweets will be seen.

[Melinda]

Replanting that which @jack lets his Censorions! take away:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/bridgeport-police-chief-and-personnel-director-charged-fraud-false-statements

[Melinda]

I posted the link yesterday, but some noticed elsewhere:

Linda
@lindakay1014
Biden team hiring actors for his rallies on Craigslist!

https://twitter.com/lindakay1014/status/1304586160363188225

[Old Lurker]

SBW, thanks for returning to that premise. That was the first clue for sure.

[MissMarple2]

Axios is saying that Bloomberg will spend $100 million to help Biden win Florida.

Let's see what President Trump has to say about that:

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
13m
I thought Mini Mike was through with Democrat politics after spending almost 2 Billion Dollars, and then giving the worst and most inept Debate Performance in the history of Presidential Politics. Pocahontas ended his political career on first question, OVER! Save NYC instead.

[Jim Eagle]

Ah, Bridgeport! How many times I drove from B'port to Canterbury after the Port Jeff Ferry docked. It is one of our great "Gritty Cities". Not worth a stop however.

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
2m
In the highly competitive world of high tech, how come nobody has ever challenged Mini Mike Bloomberg and his very average, & supposedly outdated, “stuff” that he sells to so many? Did he use his position as Mayor of New York to create what is now a monopoly? Just askin’?

[Melinda]

Ol' Yeller weighing in on the scam called "Biden 2020":

Mark R. Levin @marklevinshow
47m
1. The idiot candidate, Joe Biden.
The nomination and now promotion for president of a man clearly incapable of serving in the world’s most powerful position is a grave and cynical hoax perpetrated against the American people. And the media propagandists know it.

2. It’s a total scam that endangers this country should Biden get elected.
americanthinker.com/blog/2020/09/a…

https://twitter.com/marklevinshow/status/1305132863248125952

[Melinda]

Next weeks drum thumping, today!

Adriel Bettelheim
@abettel
SCOOP: Trump officials interfered with CDC reports on Covid-19, emails show politi.co/2FtvkWs @ddiamond

https://twitter.com/abettel/status/1304607754317955072

[If you have to push out the story at 9:30 at night, chances are it's a post-"dinner and drinks" effort.]

[Melinda]

Unpossible!

Franklin town clerk resigns after mail-in ballots for Massachusetts primary go uncounted

https://www.masslive.com/politics/2020/09/franklin-town-clerk-resigns-after-mail-in-ballots-for-massachusetts-primary-go-uncounted.html

[Jane]

Don't forget! Today is Right wing Optimism Day! Find something to be happy about!

[Another Bob]

To the surprise of probably nobody here, the Apple iOS 13.7 update “improves” the contact tracing included in a previous version. It’s now a complete solution and no longer requires an app from a “public health authority”.

But it has an “off” switch, so no worries.

All that’s left is to remove the need to voluntarily report your “positive” COVID status.

Google is expected to similarly update.

[asw]

This is a ink to Ivor Cummins latest update on Covid-19. All the data you could possibly want with lots of convincing graphs. Long but worth the time for those interested.

https://twitter.com/FatEmperor/status/1304787217374736384?s=20

For non-twitters direct link on vimeo
https://vimeo.com/ivorcummins/download/457248042/53b36ab86a

[Melinda]

Here's how three authors can totally miss the big picture by aiming at Orange:

The Big Corporate Rescue and the America That’s Too Small to Save

https://features.propublica.org/cleveland-bailout/the-big-corporate-rescue-and-the-america-thats-too-small-to-save/

[Another Bob]

“remove the need to voluntarily report your “positive” COVID status”

Which would be remarkably easy. Does the outfit giving you your COVID test have your phone number? Is it your iPhone number?

[MissMarple2]

President @realDonaldTrump arrives in Las Vegas, Nevada.... pic.twitter.com/VNcQHT2mEs

— Dan Scavino🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) September 13, 2020

10-second video at the link.

[clarice]

You don't fight fire with honey.

[clarice]

https://www.jns.org/opinion/the-uae-and-the-democratic-cair-partnership/

[lyle]

How is it that after eight whole years of the national “healing” that was brought on by the mocha messiah did the country get so divided so Trump could be in a position to “compound the disease”?

(When Trump is re-elected, I’m afraid our host’s nascent mental breakdown will hit biggerly...)

[GUS]

I'm very optimistic. The SUN is out for the first time all week.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

TM seems reluctant to take the Dems at their word.
I could be here all day listing the insane Marxist and Marcusian ideological monstrosities the mainstream Dem party now endorses and is shooting for, so I won't. It's not like anyone has to go turn a rock over anymore to find the plans they have to remake America in a form entirely contrary to the one that was founded. At their very own national convention they mouthed platitudes about "America" but every single policy they advocate entails a collectivist, authoritarian government that would destroy everything that has been built over the last few hundred years. And every invocation of the past derided and excoriated America as it exists as irredeemably evil and in need of dismantling and 'fundamental transformation'.

You could seek common ground and the healing of divisions with Harry Truman and John Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey and even the feckless Carter and Tip O'Neill, though the last was reaching the limit of prog rationality.
The New Left crew [which was explicitly Marxist] and its ideological ayres that sought to bomb and burn the country down in the 60s and which hated Kennedy and Humphrey are now in charge of the Dems and they defend and excuse those seeking to bomb and burn America down today because in the end they have the same goal. Virtually all of Trump's agenda is compatible with or even to the left of JFK's and yet they describe him as the orange Ernst Roehm.
There comes a point where the only rational viewpoint is that 'it is vain sir to extenuate the matter'. You cannot embrace people who wish to make you a subject of theirs and survive. It's like wondering why Lincoln didn't heal the division with states intent on dissolving the union. The New Left of today seeks an even more radical solution to the problem that they cannot achieve their ends politically but unlike the Old South they excoriate they don't even have the honor to admit they are trying to dissolve America.
The sooner people like TM recognize what we are facing and stop living in the dead and buried past of a wrongheaded but sane 'liberal' Democratic party that no longer exists the sooner we can do what is necessary to defeat this corrosive, fundamentally hostile and malicious political movement of at best authoritarianism.
I understand the reluctance to do so. It's like admitting a marriage is over and irreconcilable or that your family is made of lunatics. It's natural to wish it weren't so and even to pretend it isn't. But what's natural often gets us killed when the reality we refuse to recognize is intent on doing just that.
The fact is Wretchard's Subotai has it exactly right; the modern day left is TWANLOC, Those Who Are No Longer Our Countrymen. We no longer share enough, if any, common ground to bridge the division, not because we haven't tried. Look at how far left the mainstream GOP is from even twenty years ago.
There comes a point where TWANLOC must become what some chump proposed as the next stage; TWWBPITS [suggested pronunciation twibpits or maybe twibbits ] Those Who Will Be Pushed Into The Sea.
If we don't submit to the prog agenda that is what they intend to do to us. The point is drawing very near where you either recognize and accept that fact, you choose to join the would-be tyrants or you get caught in the crossfire.
And all the wishful, unrealistic Kumbaya crapola in the world won't change that unfortunate and unpleasant fact one jot or tittle.

[GUS]

Vardy scores OF COURSE.

[Momto2]

I see TM did not read Jane's post about this being optimism day. Sheesh!

[lyle]

The sun here is shining brightly...presumably.

The smoke is even worse today.

[GUS]

Vardy scores again. NATCH.

[GUS]

Ig. I'm shocked that you would call them COMMIES!

[rse]

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-why-things/201309/douthat-pinker-and-scientism from 2013 helps explain why we are so divided because we are insisting that preferences that are NOT grounded in science should be treated as if they are in order to gain an advantage in implementation that is not deserved.

It actually fits with the fauci/birk assertions and the declarations of 'systemic racism' quite well as well.

I remembered douthat had been involved with a controversy surrounding the Better Angels of Our Nature phrase that I associate now with so many communitarian pushes.

[lyle]

Perhaps our esteemed host could pull his nose out of the NYT and WAPO and read something like this:

https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2020/09/is-americas-soul-up-for-election-what.html

But politics is not about things like tax cuts anymore. Now politics is all about causes. Causes like Black Lives Matter. Causes like LGBTQ+. Causes like Climate Change. Causes like Defunding the Police. Causes like Systemic Racism, and Open Borders, and Reproductive Rights, and Trans Rights, and Dismantling the Cis-Normative Patriarchy. And on. And on.

You cannot settle causes like these by vote. For one thing, they are indivisibles. They will not bear compromise. To suggest compromise may be considered a form of "violence." Nor may you watch, in silence, as the issues unfold -- for silence, too, may be considered a form of "violence." Besides, many of the issues are simply unsolvable. Politics has no answer to them.

No, it’s easier to think that getting OMB out of the WH will solve all our problems.

[CCGirl]

I like Jane’s optimism day!

There is so much going on to cause us all anxiety and stress, and downright pessimism.

In an effort fill in my Sunday of no church I started reading Matthew (once again). Matthew 6:34. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

It’s helping me! Jane I admire your optimism!

[MissMarple2]

President Trump reminds de Blasio how he SHOULD run the city:

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
20m
But people don’t want to get mugged, beaten up, or killed. Let New York’s Finest (who proudly endorsed me!) do their job. Rehire crime squad and fired police. They will bring safety back to NYC, FAST!!!
=====================================
Mayor Bill de Blasio
@NYCMayor

· 22h
It’s a beautiful Saturday, New York City.

Get out and enjoy it, but don’t forget we’re fighting back against COVID-19.

Wear your face covering.
Practice social distancing.

[Momto2]

Really surprised the AJC let this slip through today (not a subscriber...posted on FB)

[lyle]

More:

Elections cannot decide causes like these. Yet these causes dominate 2020 election journalism. The 2020 election is not about quality of life. In fact, it is not about life at all. In 2020, the election is about our "soul." Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says this election is a "battle for the soul of the nation." He has said it repeatedly and prominently. Senator Kamala Harris independently has said the same thing, even before receiving the nod for vice-presidential nominee: "The task is to fight for the soul of our country."

Supposing Joe's instincts are slipping? Supposing Kamala is making up for her lack of substance? Think again. Spencer Critchley, a consultant on the successful 2008 and 2012 Obama campaigns agrees that treating politics in the traditional way, as a way to solve problems, is for suckers. "There is more to life than reason, and people are not motivated by data," says Critchley. "They are motivated by matters of the heart and the soul."

So do not bother asking a Biden/Harris supporter what policies they support. Do not bother asking what solutions they offer. They will answer only with causes. Because in 2020 America, the Biden/Harris team is betting that voters are driven in elections by nothing less than the salvation of their souls.

Besides Ig’s always trenchant remarks, does our gracious host even read things like this? It appears not.

[MissMarple2]

Actually falling very steadily and fast. Deaths and hospitalizations way down, and even cases down despite far more Testing than any other country in the World, by far. India second! https://t.co/dZQEh2F7Cf

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2020

Link goes to tweet and chart by Scott Gottlieb, M.D.

[GUS]

He knows full well that he is pissing in our faces.

Convince me I'm wrong.

[lyle]

Here’s more about “causes”:

https://www.redstate.com/shipwreckedcrew/2020/09/13/despicable-video-from-los-angeles-blm-blocks-entrances-to-hospitals-in-celebrating-shooting-of-two-la-deputy-sheriffs/

You cool with this, TM? C’mon, just say you are and let us all know.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Great Pieces clarice.
Interestingly, not only did that large dam on the Klamath river VDH mentions never get built, Governor Brylcream is currently crowing about the "achievement" of the planned dismantling of three or four small dams on the Klamath that were built.
But of course the dismantling of the one dam that should be removed Hetch Hetchy, built in a slightly smaller version of Yosemite Valley to supply Newsom's wretched and beloved latrine trench, San Francisco, still stands as a monument to prog hypocrisy.

[Jim Eagle]

Meanwhile, back in Portland:

https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1304602426821849090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1304602426821849090%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FMrAndyNgo2Fstatus2F1304602426821849090widget%3DTweet

[lyle]

Or how about this, TM?

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/what-cuties-really-is/

You cool? I mean, c’mon, it’s just another “cause.”

[Momto2]

Funny but my fact-checker says "Mostly True!"

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Relinking the great AT article OL posted because it is spot on with pretty much every word;
Ten Great Deceptions Designed to Destroy the Republic.

[asw]

I can't read articles when ads are flashing all over and can not afford to subscribe to every site I visit. Unfortunately American Thinker has become one of those sites.

I discovered that I can save pages with ads to my Pocket app and read them there. Pocket maintains the link to the original and is especially good for me as it uses a larger font. It doesn't work for every page (eg WSJ) but it does for many

https://www.google.com/search?q=Pocket

[peter]

Jane, thank you for encouraging optimism. It's needed in my family right now

[lyle]

https://www.redstate.com/mike_miller/2020/09/12/burger-king-depicts-king-locking-lips-with-ronald-mcdonald-in-new-campaign-ad/

So woke.

[Old Lurker]

asw...what do you read on? PC or Tablet?

I get none of those flashing things on either my iPad (because in Preferences-Safari-Advanced...I click Flash Player off and only turn it on if I use the iPad to post here.

On my PC I use Chrome with AdBlocker and somewhere I told it never to run a video or play audio when opening a page unless I opt in for either. So again, I click with abandon.

I live in fear of having to start with a new device and have to re-find all the things I turned off for peace and quiet.

But I am proof it can be done.

[peter]

Bridgeport, Connecticut was once a mighty center of manufacturing, home of factories which made sewing machines, ammunition, luxury cars. Now it's a blue hell-hole with utterly corrupt government entrenched for decades.

[clarice]

Because the Republicans in Ct fought fire with honey,Peter?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Don't forget the mighty Bridgeport mill too, peter.

[GUS]

That's what Biden and the FULL COMMIE stand for.

The right for 2 clowns to kiss. 2 Gay clowns.
2 make believe peeps who sell shitty food, having a GAY MOMENT.

[lyle]

Can someone help me out with this? I keep seeing this phrase (this is from another RedState post):

In total, Biden managed to leave his basement for a few hours over the last several days. On 9/11, he called a lid and refused to take any questions, using the tragedy as an excuse to not do basic campaign functions.

I have utterly no idea what this means but I keep seeing it everywhere online in the past few days.

[Strawman Cometh]

This guy, Brandon Vestal, popped up in my youtube feed last night, pretty funny:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6PDYNWaZL0
"There's an app in California that tells ya if Republicans live in your neighborhood."

[sbwaters]

calling a lid to press corps means nothing more scheduled for today.

[Jim Eagle]

Forget 2021:The terminal date for CoVid19. It has spawned its own cottage industry.

https://propercloth.com/masks?utm_source=google&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=10749292989-101324772610&utm_content=457025308930-d-aud-461661425030-c-&utm_term=www.redstate.com&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_fOv5rzm6wIVmAizAB1OkgDREAEYASAAEgK2HvD_BwE

So, now masks are mainstream fashion, like jeans, t-shirts, hoodies and ball caps.

[lyle]

Thanks, sbw. Makes no sense to me but thanks anyway.

Here’s another great Kimball piece:

https://amgreatness.com/2020/09/12/a-collection-of-liars/

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Someone wondered whether CA's new gay pederasty bill would allow a 19 year old to have sex with a 9 year old.
Guhvnuh Brylcreem signed the bill into law. For now, it only applies to children 14 - 17. For now.
CA has the unusually high age of consent of 18, in theory. But for years heterosexual sex with a 14-17 year old was decriminalized for those up to ten years older. Scott Wiener's bill [the only more apt name for this creep would be Randy Wiener] "equalizes" this to include various sodomies.
I could see decriminalizing it for teenagers up to 19 and down to 16 or simply making the age of consent 16. But a 14 year old and 24 year old is potentially a high school freshman and someone two years out of college. There's a criminal break for actual juvenile offenders on other crimes but we don't decriminalize other crimes because "young adults" 24-27 years old commit them.
A fourteen year old minor is not capable of giving informed consent if the guy is 29 but is if the guy is 24? That is nonsensical.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

It's a signal to the press they are free to smoke dope the rest of the day, lyle.

[Jane]

Peter,

Remember: Sept 13th is Right side National Optimism Day and as far as I'm concerned. After 9-11 and 9-12 (Benghazi) we need it.

It's pouring here - which makes it cool, which makes it great. My puppy wants to go out and runs to the golf cart because she is sure it's not raining at the poopy park! Good thing she loves the rain. I think the hurricane will miss us. Something else to celebrate!

And a friend returns today from up north - WITH LOBSTERS!!!!

[asw]

OL

Thank you. I use Chrome on PC Windows with Adblocker Plus. Most pages that I have the problem with detect the ad blocker and to continue I have to unblock. You must also block pop ups because when the detection pop up comes up continuing is not usually possible for me.

I like Pocket so much that I have a paid version and the Chrome extension so it is very easy to save articles even if they don't have ads. It gives a uniform text to read that overcomes the popular small gray text so many sites use. In addition it automatically sends saved articles to my Kindle(s).

California People - have you seen anything like this? This might be the scariest thing I have seen. Directed energy used to burn down selected houses.

https://twitter.com/anonpatriotq/status/1304910093234954246

[BeastsEngland]

’Today is Right wing Optimism Day!’

The Chair recognizes Old Lurker for a five minute rebuttal. ;)

[lyle]

Ah, yes. THAT makes sense, Ig.

[JimNorCal]

TM: "Trump wasn't going to overcome them, but he didn't have to choose to amplify them"

Name one critic who, when he met Trump half way, was treated divisively.

I'll wait.

[PDinDetroit]

asw - depending upon browser, you can try out uBlock Origin, which blocks quite a bit. You can read about it at the following site and likely load it into your browser as well.

https://ublockorigin.com/

I block at the WiFi Router Level, which addresses every device in the house without having to create a specific/custom blocking list per device (and get into OL's position). The following is my GENERAL setup:

WiFi Router: https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AX88U/

WiFi Router Firmware (is easy!): https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/

(I suggest using 384.18 until Asus releases GPL codebase for 386.xxx)

Small Net Builder Community Site for Asuswrt-Merlin (so many add-ons can be run on this router firmware): https://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin.42/

Diversion Router-based Ad Blocking: https://diversion.ch/diversion/diversion.html

Skynet Router-based IP/Range/Country Banning, Malware Blocking, and Security Tool: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/release-skynet-router-firewall-security-enhancements.16798/

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
9m
Sleepy Joe Biden has spent 47 years in politics being terrible to Hispanics. Now he is relying on Castro lover Bernie Sanders to help him out. That won’t work! Remember, Miami Cubans gave me the highly honored Bay of Pigs Award for all I have done for our great Cuban Population!

[PDinDetroit]

In lighter news...

The site "hackbidensteleprompter.com" is available!

https://www.godaddy.com/domainsearch/find?checkAvail=1&domainToCheck=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackbidensteleprompter.com%2F

Well, was available!

I can imagine some political satire in the vein of the movie Bruce Almighty and the news scene...

...my tiny little nipples went to France...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iplfWUtKMzI

Since Biden is a "blank slate", he might just say ANYTHING!

[MissMarple2]

New video ad - 1 minute - at the link.

pic.twitter.com/DIYe3VIICW

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2020

[Old Lurker]

asw "Most pages that I have the problem with detect the ad blocker and to continue I have to unblock."

Ah. My policy is to just skip those pages which ask me to do that. femall.

AT gives me a blue warning box which somehow I just click through leaving AdBlocker in place.

[matt - deplore me if you must]

The major media are like a drop of gasoline that pollutes thousands of gallons of water. Anyone who is exposed to the toxic media these days contracts a virus far worse than Covid 19.

[Narciso]

It is matt, just like the mutagen from some z rated film.

[Jane]

EXCELLENT Matt!

[Narciso]

I put together a draft on events in yemen a decade back, names have been altered to protect the guilty.

[DrJ]

My policy is to just skip those pages which ask me to do that [open a hole in Adblock].

Mine too. There is little on the Internet that I cannot live without.

[henry]

I positively despise the left.

@realjameswoods

Prior to 1983, social security was not taxable. Joe Biden voted successfully in favor of taxing 50% of social security. In 1993, Joe Biden was the deciding vote in raising taxes on social security from 50% to 85%. Now he wants to tax our 401k's and IRA's (page 78, Dems' platform)

[Old Lurker]

Beasts "The Chair recognizes Old Lurker for a five minute rebuttal. ;)"

I am very optimistic because history shows me that the Dark Ages do end eventually and from those ashes, a Renaissance can spring, and during that a sound Faith can be found anew, and from that God given Natural Rights can be identified and protected and men can enjoy that for awhile. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

Then blink and repeat it all over again. The clock speed changes in each cycle I think.

[Les Nessman]

"Don't forget! Today is Right wing Optimism Day! Find something to be happy about!"

Oldest daughter is currently in labor with grandson #4.
Last night at the other grandsons football game a praying mantis landed on her belly. I said well that means you'll go into labor tonight.
Sure enough...

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--asw "Most pages that I have the problem with detect the ad blocker and to continue I have to unblock."--

Often and seemingly increasingly I see many sites offer the option [in teeny tiny letters in a far corner of the pop-up] to continue onto the site without unblocking ads.
Keep an eye out for that on sites you might think are demanding adblocker erasure.

[Narciso]

Congrats les.

[Narciso]

A parachute not a pillow

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2020/09/13/blm-extremists-block-er-entrance-chant-death-police-abc

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--California People - have you seen anything like this? This might be the scariest thing I have seen. Directed energy used to burn down selected houses.--

That happens in every fire. Grass and trees are full of water. The flammable materials in houses are not. Often, if you come back in a few days the trees and grass are brown and dead if the heat was great enough to kill the growing membranes on trees. Even in forest fires, if the heat is not high enough to burn the needles and leaves dead trees will appear ok until they succumb from the loss of transpiration or respiration that depends on greenery.
Surely we have enough to worry about already without directed energy beams burning down houses owned by Republicans.

[BeastsEngland]

I am more optimistic than ever, OL. The words and actions of the instant left are not born of confidence, but of an organism facing its imminent demise.

I believe that the ‘great awakening’ is real, and that we will see a wave election in November. Trump has exposed and fought the political and cultural rot more than I thought possible. And middle America is embracing those victories - some large, some small - and is more energized today than anytime in my life.

[Momto2]

Congratulations, Les! That is something big to be optimistic about.

My optimism for today is going out to brunch with my daughter...in a restaurant...inside! AND my little crown of thorns plant that I propagated is about to bloom.

[Comanche Voter]

I'm feeling cranky this morning, so I'll come right out and say it. Oh grow up Tom! Trump could have zipped his lip (and from time to time I wish he would) and stood mute from the day he was elected. Our faithful running dogs of the left with bylines and barrels of ink (or gazilllions of electrons) would have campaigned against him and declared him divisive. In fact that's what they did. And that's what they will continue to do.

If Trump wins in November (which is possible, and perhaps even likely) the press and the pundits at MSNBC and CNN will go to Defcon 12 levels of shrieking.

If he loses, the press and the pundits will tell us, "all is forgiven and now we will report nothing but the happy peasants are eating rainbow stew and drinking free Bubble Up on Big Rock Candy Mountain."

Finding an honest press person is like finding a single grain of black rice in a ton of coal dust.

[matt - deplore me if you must]

At least 4 arsonists have been arrested in California, Oregon, and Washington. At one site in Oregon, commercial grade fireworks were found. Luckily the neighbors jumped on it and it only burned a few square yards.

If anyone doubts the satanic intent of these Marxist scum, just look at what happened in Compton yesterday. It's open season on cops.

Some of these scum want a civil war and are doing everything they can to foment violence but we're supposed to beware of some wacky thing called Qanon and the real enemy are right wing terrorists.

[clarice]

A new baby! What can be better?

[matt - deplore me if you must]

Clarice;

It's not nice to fool Mother Nature.

[asw]

Les
A new baby! I agree with Clarice. Nothing can be better than young people who have children and raise them to be future that will keep America strong and prosperous.

And thank you

PD, I have the advice saved and will investigate getting a new router.

OL and Ignatz, I will look for the escape from ad hell.

Ignatz: Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense. I was in CA on Hwy 1 several years ago and was driving alongside a mostly contained fire. TV is as close as I ever get to be now.

I am worried about the direct energy weapons. The huge amount of money that has been spent on R&D for military purposes has not been entirely wasted.

[Old Lurker]

You might be right, Beasts.

I hope so.

[clarice]

Brave man:https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-man-who-risked-everything-to-report-from-is-controlled-mosul/#gs.g1xacd

[Manuel Transmission]

I read nearly all my stuff on Safari on my iPhone without much problem, but AG gets into a reload fit about halfway down and I can’t find where I left off. So I copy the link over to Brave and it is rock solid.

BTW still AQI >200 around here.

[lyle]

AT ads are the worst on my iPad.

Air quality is really bad here. My buddy just texted me a picture of the the Space Needle from Queen Anne in which it’s barely visible, MT. Yuck.

[asw]

Ignatz and all interested, This is interesting. This seems like a real site with a knowledgeable guy. Fascinating.

Dutchsinse catches a DEW 9/8/2020. Could it be?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDnzPkuJiX0

[BeastsEngland]

Two quick examples, OL:

- The Left is going overboard trying to retain their most loyal voter bloc. They’re playing defense. And, I speculate, at the risk of ignoring their other base: Hispanics.

- Trump boat parades. That’s amazing stuff.

And you know how much I appreciate you and your wisdom - otherwise I would harass you... :)

Taking my irrational exuberance on the water - it’s a gorgeous afternoon. 😎

[clarice]

The author is always brilliant:http://www.danielgreenfield.org/2020/09/whos-really-looting-america.html