LaxPower Back-Up Stick

Report: Saudis, UAE funnelled millions to Trump 2016 campaign

Not unbelievable given Trump's immediate bending over to the Saudis and more, also with all the reports of them spending millions at his properties. It's not like they funded 9/11 or anything.

Arguments about electability and likeability and other small beans seem to be amplified recently on the D side, while someone who should offend every American's sensibility sits in power on the R side, regardless of his policy. Kind of nuts it's even close. Sad state of the union.

Trinity wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:38 pm Why has Bernie used his brief moment in the lead to rehabilitate Fidel Castro?

This is the rest of the democratic party attempting to throw the kitchen sink at him. It's also a silly line of attack.

"I said this to President Castro in Cuba. Look you've made great progress in educating young people...Medical care. The life expectancy of Cubans is equivalent to the United States despite it being a very poor country because they have access to health care."

– President Obama

Bernie doesn’t need Florida’s electoral votes?

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:35 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:22 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:58 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:59 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:58 pm

I'm all for pride in one's nation, culture, history, etc...indeed 'patriotism'. And there's a heck of a lot of such to take pride in about America, including our philosophical embrace of diversity and the rights of the minority and the individual, while acknowledging our imperfect history of implementation of such ideals.

That looks like a pretty good description of American Nationalism. It has lasted this long. It will endure as we become a majority minority nation.

Nope, what I wrote was American Patriotism...not Nationalism.

I get it that some want to sugarcoat that word, perhaps to just feel better, but it's a really dangerous concept and should be rejected at every turn. It's plenty easy to just use Patriotism instead, if that's what is actually meant.

I can't tell whether you actually know better and are just wanting to pretend this isn't based in bigotry (and indeed that's what motivates you) or whether you are truly clueless, a sort of stubborn Pollyanna. But the latter is just stupid and however much else we don't agree on, that's not been my impression of you.

Is Chris Matthews a bigot because he likened Bernie's surge to the fall of Paris in 1940 ? ...or is he anti-Semitic ?

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... _1940.html

not a fan of Mathews but I don't think he was looking to project an anti-semitic thought with that analogy; frankly I'm not sure even why comparing Bernie's big victory in Nevada, with no one laying a glove on him in the debate, with the the fall of Paris to the Nazis without a fight in the streets would somehow suggest "anti-semitic" or even a "bigot". How do you even find that notion?

Matthews felt the need to apologize.
https://deadline.com/2020/02/msnbc-chri ... 202866277/
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... wrong.html

yup, but I still don't see any anti-semitic intent in his comment; maybe insensitive but not intent. His point was that the opposition caved without a battle to Bernie, which is arguably what the French did, not the Nazis, not the Jewish people, etc...but hey, insensitive in this hyper sensitive world.

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:04 am

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:35 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:22 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:58 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:59 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:58 pm

I'm all for pride in one's nation, culture, history, etc...indeed 'patriotism'. And there's a heck of a lot of such to take pride in about America, including our philosophical embrace of diversity and the rights of the minority and the individual, while acknowledging our imperfect history of implementation of such ideals.

That looks like a pretty good description of American Nationalism. It has lasted this long. It will endure as we become a majority minority nation.

Nope, what I wrote was American Patriotism...not Nationalism.

I get it that some want to sugarcoat that word, perhaps to just feel better, but it's a really dangerous concept and should be rejected at every turn. It's plenty easy to just use Patriotism instead, if that's what is actually meant.

I can't tell whether you actually know better and are just wanting to pretend this isn't based in bigotry (and indeed that's what motivates you) or whether you are truly clueless, a sort of stubborn Pollyanna. But the latter is just stupid and however much else we don't agree on, that's not been my impression of you.

Is Chris Matthews a bigot because he likened Bernie's surge to the fall of Paris in 1940 ? ...or is he anti-Semitic ?

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... _1940.html

not a fan of Mathews but I don't think he was looking to project an anti-semitic thought with that analogy; frankly I'm not sure even why comparing Bernie's big victory in Nevada, with no one laying a glove on him in the debate, with the the fall of Paris to the Nazis without a fight in the streets would somehow suggest "anti-semitic" or even a "bigot". How do you even find that notion?

Matthews felt the need to apologize.
https://deadline.com/2020/02/msnbc-chri ... 202866277/
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... wrong.html

yup, but I still don't see any anti-semitic intent in his comment; maybe insensitive but not intent. His point was that the opposition caved without a battle to Bernie, which is arguably what the French did, not the Nazis, not the Jewish people, etc...but hey, insensitive in this hyper sensitive world.

Exactly. A mice nuts story. It says more about the reader / listener than it does the source.

Catbird wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:40 pm

Trinity wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:38 pm Why has Bernie used his brief moment in the lead to rehabilitate Fidel Castro?

This is the rest of the democratic party attempting to throw the kitchen sink at him. It's also a silly line of attack.

"I said this to President Castro in Cuba. Look you've made great progress in educating young people...Medical care. The life expectancy of Cubans is equivalent to the United States despite it being a very poor country because they have access to health care."

– President Obama

My wife took students on two trips to Cuba to study Cuba’s healthcare system among other things. It was instructive.

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:10 am

Catbird wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:40 pm

Trinity wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:38 pm Why has Bernie used his brief moment in the lead to rehabilitate Fidel Castro?

This is the rest of the democratic party attempting to throw the kitchen sink at him. It's also a silly line of attack.

"I said this to President Castro in Cuba. Look you've made great progress in educating young people...Medical care. The life expectancy of Cubans is equivalent to the United States despite it being a very poor country because they have access to health care."

– President Obama

My wife took students on two trips to Cuba to study Cuba’s healthcare system among other things. It was instructive.

Did she and her students do the wave with Castro like Obama did?

So your wife is teaching her students bout the benefits of totalatarianism? Interesting!

6ftstick wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:36 am

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:10 am

Catbird wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:40 pm

Trinity wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:38 pm Why has Bernie used his brief moment in the lead to rehabilitate Fidel Castro?

This is the rest of the democratic party attempting to throw the kitchen sink at him. It's also a silly line of attack.

"I said this to President Castro in Cuba. Look you've made great progress in educating young people...Medical care. The life expectancy of Cubans is equivalent to the United States despite it being a very poor country because they have access to health care."

– President Obama

My wife took students on two trips to Cuba to study Cuba’s healthcare system among other things. It was instructive.

Did she and her students do the wave with Castro like Obama did?

So your wife is teaching her students bout the benefits of totalatarianism? Interesting!

"It was instructive" means "the benefits of totalitarianism"???
(corrected the spelling for you)

You don't need an authoritarian system to have a free healthcare system, do you?

6ftstick wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:36 am

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:10 am

Catbird wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:40 pm

Trinity wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:38 pm Why has Bernie used his brief moment in the lead to rehabilitate Fidel Castro?

This is the rest of the democratic party attempting to throw the kitchen sink at him. It's also a silly line of attack.

"I said this to President Castro in Cuba. Look you've made great progress in educating young people...Medical care. The life expectancy of Cubans is equivalent to the United States despite it being a very poor country because they have access to health care."

– President Obama

My wife took students on two trips to Cuba to study Cuba’s healthcare system among other things. It was instructive.

Did she and her students do the wave with Castro like Obama did?

So your wife is teaching her students bout the benefits of totalatarianism? Interesting!

https://mcb.asm.org/

A historical throughline of the 2010's is coming into focus as we move into the next decade.

Right after Sen. Bernie Sanders’s big win in last week’s Nevada caucuses, Joe Lockhart, President Bill Clinton’s former press secretary, expressed the fear gripping the Democratic establishment in an op-ed for CNN: “I don’t believe the country is prepared to support a Democratic socialist, and I agree with the theory that Sanders would lose in a matchup against Trump.”

Like much of the party establishment, he is viewing American politics through outmoded lenses of left versus right, with Sanders (I-Vt.) on the far left and President Trump on the far right. So-called moderates such as former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg and former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg supposedly occupy the political center, appealing to a broader swath of the electorate.

This may have been the correct frame for politics decades ago, when America still had a growing middle class, but it’s obsolete today. As wealth and power have moved to the top and the middle class has shrunk, more Americans feel politically disempowered and economically insecure. Today's main divide isn’t left versus right. It’s establishment versus anti-establishment.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/ ... reddit.com

6ftstick wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:36 amDid she and her students do the wave with Castro like Obama did? So your wife is teaching her students bout the benefits of totalatarianism? Interesting!

Speaking of Simpletons...we got a doozy.

..

Today's main divide isn’t left versus right. It’s establishment versus anti-establishment.

I totally agree that the typical left/right distinction isn't the most useful lens anymore.

It is more about up versus down. Which is what explains and gives Trump and Bernie stroke.

Having said that, I'm VERY skeptical of Bernie's election map/model.

Because it relies so heavily on the youngsters to turnout and actually vote. Which is something, unfortunately for Bernie, that you can't do on your phone....

dislaxxic wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 11:36 am

6ftstick wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:36 amDid she and her students do the wave with Castro like Obama did? So your wife is teaching her students bout the benefits of totalatarianism? Interesting!

Speaking of Simpletons...we got a doozy.

..

The Trump target audience

jhu72 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:39 am

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:04 am

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:35 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:22 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:58 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:59 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:58 pm

I'm all for pride in one's nation, culture, history, etc...indeed 'patriotism'. And there's a heck of a lot of such to take pride in about America, including our philosophical embrace of diversity and the rights of the minority and the individual, while acknowledging our imperfect history of implementation of such ideals.

That looks like a pretty good description of American Nationalism. It has lasted this long. It will endure as we become a majority minority nation.

Nope, what I wrote was American Patriotism...not Nationalism.

I get it that some want to sugarcoat that word, perhaps to just feel better, but it's a really dangerous concept and should be rejected at every turn. It's plenty easy to just use Patriotism instead, if that's what is actually meant.

I can't tell whether you actually know better and are just wanting to pretend this isn't based in bigotry (and indeed that's what motivates you) or whether you are truly clueless, a sort of stubborn Pollyanna. But the latter is just stupid and however much else we don't agree on, that's not been my impression of you.

Is Chris Matthews a bigot because he likened Bernie's surge to the fall of Paris in 1940 ? ...or is he anti-Semitic ?

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... _1940.html

not a fan of Mathews but I don't think he was looking to project an anti-semitic thought with that analogy; frankly I'm not sure even why comparing Bernie's big victory in Nevada, with no one laying a glove on him in the debate, with the the fall of Paris to the Nazis without a fight in the streets would somehow suggest "anti-semitic" or even a "bigot". How do you even find that notion?

Matthews felt the need to apologize.
https://deadline.com/2020/02/msnbc-chri ... 202866277/
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... wrong.html

yup, but I still don't see any anti-semitic intent in his comment; maybe insensitive but not intent. His point was that the opposition caved without a battle to Bernie, which is arguably what the French did, not the Nazis, not the Jewish people, etc...but hey, insensitive in this hyper sensitive world.

Exactly. A mice nuts story. It says more about the reader / listener than it does the source.

Think so ? Look at the response. Matthews was forced to grovel in his next appearance.
He didn't mention anything Nazi related in his analogy.
It was a military analogy citing the rapid advance of the German Army.
This is (D) identity politics UberWoke, turning on an ally who had the temerity to criticize Bernie.

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:28 pm This is (D) identity politics UberWoke, turning on an ally who had the temerity to criticize Bernie.

Because R's never turn on anyone in their party who criticize Trump.

ggait wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:00 pm

Today's main divide isn’t left versus right. It’s establishment versus anti-establishment.

I totally agree that the typical left/right distinction isn't the most useful lens anymore.

It is more about up versus down. Which is what explains and gives Trump and Bernie stroke.

Having said that, I'm VERY skeptical of Bernie's election map/model.

Because it relies so heavily on the youngsters to turnout and actually vote. Which is something, unfortunately for Bernie, that you can't do on your phone....

I am not so sure. Bernie's path is not the same path as the moderates. Common wisdom says you are right. I am just not such a big believer in common wisdom since the advent of Trump. I think it is possible to beat Trump with either path under the right circumstances. Youth turnout would have to set new records.

The Hill's latest SC poll.

Here's the latest from Dr. Rachel Bitecofer (my current favorite analyst pundit).

She's still seeing advantage Dems in her "negative partisanship" view of the world. To summarize:

1. There's basically no swing voters.
2. Independents vote just like partisan Dems or Reps. They just hide their partisan leanings.
3. People vote out of hate, not love.
4. Reps hate Dems and so will turn out big for Trump in 2020.
5. Dems were sleepy in 2016, but are woke for 2020. They REALLY hate Trump and will turn out big in 2020.
6. If both sides turn out, good for Dems. Since there's more of them.

Months ago, she said the Dem nominee wouldn't matter unless it was Bernie. She still thinks Bernie is high risk for the Dems. She thinks Bernie could easily win, but is skeptical that the Dems will run the right race to beat Trump. Which is to make the election a referendum on Trump (and not the Dem nominee).

For example, she worries about Dems doing dumb stuff like:

1. Bernie primarily focusing on himself and his commie revolution, rather on the goal of beating Trump.
2. Bernie turning down Bloomberg's fat stacks to run against Trump (who has yuge campaign cash).
3. The Dem establishment reinforcing a self-fulfilling prophecy that Bernie can't win.
4. Working to get moderate R swing voters. Dumb because such voters don't really exist.
5. Believing that Bernie will boost young voter turnout. Because youngsters generally don't vote. And if the youngsters do turnout, it will be because of Trump hate, not Bernie love.

We'll see.

https://newrepublic.com/article/156402/ ... ign=buffer

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:28 pm

jhu72 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:39 am

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:04 am

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:35 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:22 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:58 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:59 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:58 pm

I'm all for pride in one's nation, culture, history, etc...indeed 'patriotism'. And there's a heck of a lot of such to take pride in about America, including our philosophical embrace of diversity and the rights of the minority and the individual, while acknowledging our imperfect history of implementation of such ideals.

That looks like a pretty good description of American Nationalism. It has lasted this long. It will endure as we become a majority minority nation.

Nope, what I wrote was American Patriotism...not Nationalism.

I get it that some want to sugarcoat that word, perhaps to just feel better, but it's a really dangerous concept and should be rejected at every turn. It's plenty easy to just use Patriotism instead, if that's what is actually meant.

I can't tell whether you actually know better and are just wanting to pretend this isn't based in bigotry (and indeed that's what motivates you) or whether you are truly clueless, a sort of stubborn Pollyanna. But the latter is just stupid and however much else we don't agree on, that's not been my impression of you.

Is Chris Matthews a bigot because he likened Bernie's surge to the fall of Paris in 1940 ? ...or is he anti-Semitic ?

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... _1940.html

not a fan of Mathews but I don't think he was looking to project an anti-semitic thought with that analogy; frankly I'm not sure even why comparing Bernie's big victory in Nevada, with no one laying a glove on him in the debate, with the the fall of Paris to the Nazis without a fight in the streets would somehow suggest "anti-semitic" or even a "bigot". How do you even find that notion?

Matthews felt the need to apologize.
https://deadline.com/2020/02/msnbc-chri ... 202866277/
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... wrong.html

yup, but I still don't see any anti-semitic intent in his comment; maybe insensitive but not intent. His point was that the opposition caved without a battle to Bernie, which is arguably what the French did, not the Nazis, not the Jewish people, etc...but hey, insensitive in this hyper sensitive world.

Exactly. A mice nuts story. It says more about the reader / listener than it does the source.

Think so ? Look at the response. Matthews was forced to grovel in his next appearance.
He didn't mention anything Nazi related in his analogy.
It was a military analogy citing the rapid advance of the German Army.
This is (D) identity politics UberWoke, turning on an ally who had the temerity to criticize Bernie.

I think you are more right than wrong on this one, Salty.
That said, the German Army in 1940 was directed by the Nazis, so not sure you can totally separate the two as far that goes.
But more importantly, I don't see anything actually anti-semitic, merely that any time one uses a WWII analogy there's bound to be awkwardness. So, "insensitive in this hyper-sensitive world". But this smells more like a Bernie bros pushback than any "UberWoke" folks actually being offended all on their own. Plenty of clueless out there on all sides.

I think that's what 72 may be saying as well.

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:47 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:28 pm

jhu72 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:39 am

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:04 am

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:35 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:22 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:58 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:59 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:58 pm

I'm all for pride in one's nation, culture, history, etc...indeed 'patriotism'. And there's a heck of a lot of such to take pride in about America, including our philosophical embrace of diversity and the rights of the minority and the individual, while acknowledging our imperfect history of implementation of such ideals.

That looks like a pretty good description of American Nationalism. It has lasted this long. It will endure as we become a majority minority nation.

Nope, what I wrote was American Patriotism...not Nationalism.

I get it that some want to sugarcoat that word, perhaps to just feel better, but it's a really dangerous concept and should be rejected at every turn. It's plenty easy to just use Patriotism instead, if that's what is actually meant.

I can't tell whether you actually know better and are just wanting to pretend this isn't based in bigotry (and indeed that's what motivates you) or whether you are truly clueless, a sort of stubborn Pollyanna. But the latter is just stupid and however much else we don't agree on, that's not been my impression of you.

Is Chris Matthews a bigot because he likened Bernie's surge to the fall of Paris in 1940 ? ...or is he anti-Semitic ?

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... _1940.html

not a fan of Mathews but I don't think he was looking to project an anti-semitic thought with that analogy; frankly I'm not sure even why comparing Bernie's big victory in Nevada, with no one laying a glove on him in the debate, with the the fall of Paris to the Nazis without a fight in the streets would somehow suggest "anti-semitic" or even a "bigot". How do you even find that notion?

Matthews felt the need to apologize.
https://deadline.com/2020/02/msnbc-chri ... 202866277/
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... wrong.html

yup, but I still don't see any anti-semitic intent in his comment; maybe insensitive but not intent. His point was that the opposition caved without a battle to Bernie, which is arguably what the French did, not the Nazis, not the Jewish people, etc...but hey, insensitive in this hyper sensitive world.

Exactly. A mice nuts story. It says more about the reader / listener than it does the source.

Think so ? Look at the response. Matthews was forced to grovel in his next appearance.
He didn't mention anything Nazi related in his analogy.
It was a military analogy citing the rapid advance of the German Army.
This is (D) identity politics UberWoke, turning on an ally who had the temerity to criticize Bernie.

I think you are more right than wrong on this one, Salty.
That said, the German Army in 1940 was directed by the Nazis, so not sure you can totally separate the two as far that goes.
But more importantly, I don't see anything actually anti-semitic, merely that any time one uses a WWII analogy there's bound to be awkwardness. So, "insensitive in this hyper-sensitive world". But this smells more like a Bernie bros pushback than any "UberWoke" folks actually being offended all on their own. Plenty of clueless out there on all sides.

I think that's what 72 may be saying as well.

Someone trying to make a story where there was none.