I’m noticing quite a few comments urging Ruben Gallego to take a less cautious/nuanced stance toward border & immigration issues. Not sure how many are from his AZ voters though. My county voted for him over Lake. If the Republican candidate would’ve been less terrible? I dunno.
If Gallego’s platform had been some of the comments here, I’m sure you’d call him more liberal but I don’t believe we’d be calling him Senator.
I appreciate Gallegos' effort to prioritize the issues he pushes to incumbents or relents to incumbents. Prioritization is severely lacking amongst Democrats as a national group but at least he is aligned to his constituents' mindset. Sounds like he understands the need to make unpopular decisions.
I'm not a Schumer fan but I understand why he made an unpopular decision on the CR.
It's nerve wracking but considering we are at the start of a minimum 4 year devolution, I am not bothered by the Democratic Party individual response style. Since communication is not its strength, it's good that the public hears from a range of elected Dems and evaluates what is working with whom.
Lake is a serious, multiple loser. The sooner she accepts it, the better we all will be. Nobody likes whiners and that is the most prominent attribute the GOP has.
Karen - apparently a million and a half of my AZ neighbors DID like the whiner, much as it astounds me. Fortunately a couple percent if us AZ voters had better judgment.
If that woman approached me I'd run away. I realize one should not denigrate people because of their appearance --one should denigrate them for their character -- but what the heck.
She looks like a fading "professional escort" and back-of-the-chorus line bit part actress whose career apex role was being cut up by a chainsaw in a misogynist slasher movie -- struggling to keep her weight down, and trying to compensate by stuffing herself into inappropriately tight clothing that frankly would have been tacky and weird even when she was in her youthful bloom -- whose salad days of feminine allurement have been a fading memory now for at least a good decade and a half. Looking at her, one can't help wondering how many dalmatians may have gone missing in her neighborhood over the years.
On the positive side, though, as far as we can see from what is visible publicly, she doesn't seem to have any tattoos. So possibly she isn't a member of any gang except the one currently looting and pillaging America.
You know, there are times when I despair of American representative democracy. This is one of those times. I'm active in several military family organizations, and I donated several thousands of dollars to Senator Gallego and to Senator Kelly--the latter in both of his runs--and I actually live IN Scottsdale. Yet I had no notice of any kind, from either Senator, of this meeting. Which has not, I might add, deterred either of them from sending several texts each week asking for more money. Honestly, shame on both of them.
Ruben Gallego's response was polite and appropriate. However, the more correct response would have been, "What does it feel like to be bat-shit crazy?"
The fact Kari Lake would do that in a private club with no cameras or press. I’m probably giving her too much credit but I think she’s got something wrong with her. Tim Miller said she lashed out at him too and he’s a sweetheart. A tough interview maybe but she sounded not in control of herself. Reminds me of Sarah Palin.
Lake jumped on the MAGA train thinking that she, as a TV personality and a woman, would become a right wing superstar. But she's a bit of a whacko, so she kept losing elections and doubling down on "Stop the Steal." Now she's plateaued at VOA. She's become the perfect MAGAoid: full of resentment and grievances because of her own failures.
The following link takes to a possible explanation of Kary Lake’s explosive behavior as described in this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude#cite_note-20. Also, the recent DSM-V may shed additional light on Lake's behavior.
Just to remind everyone, Venezuelans are fleeing an authoritarian government with a proven record of oppressing its own people and singling out its critics and opponents for persecution. In other words, and unlike economic migrants from other countries, they have a prima facie case for asylum eligibility under treaties to which the United States are a party. Gang members should certainly be identified and excluded, as should supporters of the Maduro regime -- but these identifications must be proven, not taken for granted. Venezuelans -- like Uyghurs, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Burmese, to name some other obvious cases -- cannot simply be assumed to be lying and denied entry or expelled without a fair hearing.
As to the Venezuelans' authoritarian government and its record of oppressing its own people, singling out for special persecution its critics and opponents, and brutally ensconcing itself in power -- the revealed Republican attitude, so far from disapproval, is clearly "Gee, we want one like that too!"
We're about to have yet another demonstration of the Republicans' attitude toward asylum seekers, legitimate or not. Eduardo Bolsonaro, middle son of ex-President, convicted election tamperer, and formally charged insurrectionist Jaír Bolsonaro, has requested a leave of absence from his responsibilities as a Federal Deputy in Brazil's Congress and announced his intention to request political asylum in the United States on the basis of "persecution", and because he's afraid that, if he doesn't flee, his passport will be confiscated and he won't be allowed to leave.
Eduardo is, in my view, the most dangerous Bolsonaro, because he's the smartest Bolsonaro (not a high bar to overcome in that family, but still) and he has the most extensive international network, as a close associate of Steve Bannon, on friendly terms with Viktor Órban, and a frequent guest at CPAC.
Brazil's courts are still operating freely, they just turned down a request from the Public Prosecutor to take Eduardo's passport as having no probable cause, and he has legislative immunity, but I have no doubt that his asylum request will be received favorably and expedited, and that he'll never see the inside of a Salvadoran jail.
If it were me, I would've punched her in the face. She's a bitch, she's no lady. Gallego's wife should not be disappointed he merely put her in her place, at the bottom of the hellhole that is the Trump administration.
Tim Miller had a great spot on running into Kari Lake at a CPAC conference he went to, recently and she tracked him down and went bonkers on him. It was both hilarious and disturbing. So fitting that Trump would send her out to destroy the VOA. There's only a handful of Republican's in Congress that would vote to kill VOA if they were put on the spot but they'll all stand by and watch Musk/Trump do it and then try'll and have it both ways.
I respect the hell out of Rubin Gallego. He should be the leading voice of the democratic party. Immigration is the one thing Republican's best democrats on, it's what won them the election (among other things), please keep platforming him
Ruben HAS heard the famous poem, right? "First they came for .... but I was not...." These Venezuelans (who may or may not be gang members) are just to soften us up for the next lot. When they come for Senator Gallegos, who will stand up for him?
Maybe a handful such as Mark Kelly. But heroes are always in short supply, and the stock is quickly exhausted when subjected to persistent assault.
It's only 8 weeks in and the bars are moving rapidly. As of yesterday, the regime asserts that it may now abduct and imprison persons legally in the country, regardless of whether they have been convicted of or even charged with any crime.
Today there is a sort of restriction: the target is first deemed, --substantiation optional-- to support "terrorism." And the definition of "terrorism" is equally optional and entirely fluid.
Actually even the deeming part may already be optional. If the remarks yesterday by the person (or homunculus) purporting to be the White House "press secretary" are to be relied upon -- (?) -- it seems that simple 100% confidence that such and such a target supports "terrorism", that's all it takes. And by implication even asking questions about how this "confidence" works, or who has to have it, or in fact what "terrorism" consists of, is itself support for terrorism.
"Terrorism" will do for now, because there is limited police state infrastructure at present, so they are focusing on immigrants and foreigners. Mostly. But as they ramp up the apparatus of oppression, they will be able to take on more and more targets. And even so arbitrary a term as "terrorism" will sit more and more awkwardly on the people being rounded up. The regime will want better words to use.
Those of us old enough to recall the cold war days of Soviet propaganda are wondering when the "press secretary" will first use the term "hooliganism".
Ladies and gentlemen, fellow hooligans, this is everyone at the Bulwark and all of us who read the Bulwark or subscribe to the New York Times or urge people to boycott Tesla or post on social media or still have a Harris or or Black Lives Matter yard sign or imprudently express distaste for the regime in the wrong company.
Because the conservatives had a good point about government agencies growing out of control. It's pretty clear now that the FBI, DOJ, and ICE are gearing up to replicate here the examples of Venezuela, China, Cuba, etc. And one thing a police state apparatus needs is enemies. If you run out of enemies, what do all the thugs and concentration camp guards do all day? Ask Anne Applebaum, but one reason -- maybe the main reason -- that Gulags and dictatorships metastasize is simply that like invasive species, once a police state apparatus is set up, it runs out of control, because every organism must feed or die.
I think it's as safe a bet as sunrise each morning that when the regime wants enemies to gobble up, if they don't exist, they will be manufactured.
We desperately need to find some way to live with this doom and remain decent human beings. I fear it's too late to turn it back. How did ordinary people in the Eastern block manage it? Because even those of us who are citizens and have unthreatening jobs and don't go out of our way to make trouble are going to start being picked off and disappeared.
To those who approve of tRump's moves on immigration & the border, have you forgotten this is the same guy who was going to build a wall ten years ago & make Mexico pay for it? SMH 😱
I’m noticing quite a few comments urging Ruben Gallego to take a less cautious/nuanced stance toward border & immigration issues. Not sure how many are from his AZ voters though. My county voted for him over Lake. If the Republican candidate would’ve been less terrible? I dunno.
If Gallego’s platform had been some of the comments here, I’m sure you’d call him more liberal but I don’t believe we’d be calling him Senator.
I appreciate Gallegos' effort to prioritize the issues he pushes to incumbents or relents to incumbents. Prioritization is severely lacking amongst Democrats as a national group but at least he is aligned to his constituents' mindset. Sounds like he understands the need to make unpopular decisions.
I'm not a Schumer fan but I understand why he made an unpopular decision on the CR.
It's nerve wracking but considering we are at the start of a minimum 4 year devolution, I am not bothered by the Democratic Party individual response style. Since communication is not its strength, it's good that the public hears from a range of elected Dems and evaluates what is working with whom.
Lake is a serious, multiple loser. The sooner she accepts it, the better we all will be. Nobody likes whiners and that is the most prominent attribute the GOP has.
I think the Whiner in Chief proves that it's not the whining that's hated, it's the whining in a DRESS that is despised.
Excellent point.
Karen - apparently a million and a half of my AZ neighbors DID like the whiner, much as it astounds me. Fortunately a couple percent if us AZ voters had better judgment.
Yes, you did J AZ. I don't think Trump likes her at all. Gave her the position and shut it down. Bye-Bye whiner.
If that woman approached me I'd run away. I realize one should not denigrate people because of their appearance --one should denigrate them for their character -- but what the heck.
She looks like a fading "professional escort" and back-of-the-chorus line bit part actress whose career apex role was being cut up by a chainsaw in a misogynist slasher movie -- struggling to keep her weight down, and trying to compensate by stuffing herself into inappropriately tight clothing that frankly would have been tacky and weird even when she was in her youthful bloom -- whose salad days of feminine allurement have been a fading memory now for at least a good decade and a half. Looking at her, one can't help wondering how many dalmatians may have gone missing in her neighborhood over the years.
On the positive side, though, as far as we can see from what is visible publicly, she doesn't seem to have any tattoos. So possibly she isn't a member of any gang except the one currently looting and pillaging America.
If she was wearing those leather pants I hope Gallego knows he can sue for emotional and visual trauma
You know, there are times when I despair of American representative democracy. This is one of those times. I'm active in several military family organizations, and I donated several thousands of dollars to Senator Gallego and to Senator Kelly--the latter in both of his runs--and I actually live IN Scottsdale. Yet I had no notice of any kind, from either Senator, of this meeting. Which has not, I might add, deterred either of them from sending several texts each week asking for more money. Honestly, shame on both of them.
Ruben Gallego's response was polite and appropriate. However, the more correct response would have been, "What does it feel like to be bat-shit crazy?"
Karo Lake is a bitter, narcissistic, cruel, derisive, whiner. Sooner rather than later may she retire into oblivion.
Wasn’t she gonna be in charge of VOA? …then Trump dumped it. So maybe she’s in forced retirement before actually assuming the job. Sad
Still not soon enough, alas.
The fact Kari Lake would do that in a private club with no cameras or press. I’m probably giving her too much credit but I think she’s got something wrong with her. Tim Miller said she lashed out at him too and he’s a sweetheart. A tough interview maybe but she sounded not in control of herself. Reminds me of Sarah Palin.
Lake jumped on the MAGA train thinking that she, as a TV personality and a woman, would become a right wing superstar. But she's a bit of a whacko, so she kept losing elections and doubling down on "Stop the Steal." Now she's plateaued at VOA. She's become the perfect MAGAoid: full of resentment and grievances because of her own failures.
The following link takes to a possible explanation of Kary Lake’s explosive behavior as described in this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude#cite_note-20. Also, the recent DSM-V may shed additional light on Lake's behavior.
Just to remind everyone, Venezuelans are fleeing an authoritarian government with a proven record of oppressing its own people and singling out its critics and opponents for persecution. In other words, and unlike economic migrants from other countries, they have a prima facie case for asylum eligibility under treaties to which the United States are a party. Gang members should certainly be identified and excluded, as should supporters of the Maduro regime -- but these identifications must be proven, not taken for granted. Venezuelans -- like Uyghurs, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Burmese, to name some other obvious cases -- cannot simply be assumed to be lying and denied entry or expelled without a fair hearing.
As to the Venezuelans' authoritarian government and its record of oppressing its own people, singling out for special persecution its critics and opponents, and brutally ensconcing itself in power -- the revealed Republican attitude, so far from disapproval, is clearly "Gee, we want one like that too!"
We're about to have yet another demonstration of the Republicans' attitude toward asylum seekers, legitimate or not. Eduardo Bolsonaro, middle son of ex-President, convicted election tamperer, and formally charged insurrectionist Jaír Bolsonaro, has requested a leave of absence from his responsibilities as a Federal Deputy in Brazil's Congress and announced his intention to request political asylum in the United States on the basis of "persecution", and because he's afraid that, if he doesn't flee, his passport will be confiscated and he won't be allowed to leave.
Eduardo is, in my view, the most dangerous Bolsonaro, because he's the smartest Bolsonaro (not a high bar to overcome in that family, but still) and he has the most extensive international network, as a close associate of Steve Bannon, on friendly terms with Viktor Órban, and a frequent guest at CPAC.
Brazil's courts are still operating freely, they just turned down a request from the Public Prosecutor to take Eduardo's passport as having no probable cause, and he has legislative immunity, but I have no doubt that his asylum request will be received favorably and expedited, and that he'll never see the inside of a Salvadoran jail.
"In and around the lake..." (Yes)
If it were me, I would've punched her in the face. She's a bitch, she's no lady. Gallego's wife should not be disappointed he merely put her in her place, at the bottom of the hellhole that is the Trump administration.
Or at least screamed at her: "Eat Trumpian shit, you bitch!"
Why degrade the level of our locution to that of the shit eaters? Let us deploy a more erudite contumely.
It's superfluous to direct them to eat Trumpian shit. They've already gorged themselves at that banquet.
Simply call them what they are : copraphagists.
Same.
Tim Miller had a great spot on running into Kari Lake at a CPAC conference he went to, recently and she tracked him down and went bonkers on him. It was both hilarious and disturbing. So fitting that Trump would send her out to destroy the VOA. There's only a handful of Republican's in Congress that would vote to kill VOA if they were put on the spot but they'll all stand by and watch Musk/Trump do it and then try'll and have it both ways.
She was a perfect choice for VOA. A silenced Voice on the beach of a dried-up Lake.
Or perhaps instead of "beach", a word that rhymes with "witch".
I seriously fear that she might physically assault someone soon. The woman is clearly out of her mind.
I respect the hell out of Rubin Gallego. He should be the leading voice of the democratic party. Immigration is the one thing Republican's best democrats on, it's what won them the election (among other things), please keep platforming him
Ruben HAS heard the famous poem, right? "First they came for .... but I was not...." These Venezuelans (who may or may not be gang members) are just to soften us up for the next lot. When they come for Senator Gallegos, who will stand up for him?
Maybe a handful such as Mark Kelly. But heroes are always in short supply, and the stock is quickly exhausted when subjected to persistent assault.
It's only 8 weeks in and the bars are moving rapidly. As of yesterday, the regime asserts that it may now abduct and imprison persons legally in the country, regardless of whether they have been convicted of or even charged with any crime.
Today there is a sort of restriction: the target is first deemed, --substantiation optional-- to support "terrorism." And the definition of "terrorism" is equally optional and entirely fluid.
Actually even the deeming part may already be optional. If the remarks yesterday by the person (or homunculus) purporting to be the White House "press secretary" are to be relied upon -- (?) -- it seems that simple 100% confidence that such and such a target supports "terrorism", that's all it takes. And by implication even asking questions about how this "confidence" works, or who has to have it, or in fact what "terrorism" consists of, is itself support for terrorism.
"Terrorism" will do for now, because there is limited police state infrastructure at present, so they are focusing on immigrants and foreigners. Mostly. But as they ramp up the apparatus of oppression, they will be able to take on more and more targets. And even so arbitrary a term as "terrorism" will sit more and more awkwardly on the people being rounded up. The regime will want better words to use.
Those of us old enough to recall the cold war days of Soviet propaganda are wondering when the "press secretary" will first use the term "hooliganism".
Ladies and gentlemen, fellow hooligans, this is everyone at the Bulwark and all of us who read the Bulwark or subscribe to the New York Times or urge people to boycott Tesla or post on social media or still have a Harris or or Black Lives Matter yard sign or imprudently express distaste for the regime in the wrong company.
Because the conservatives had a good point about government agencies growing out of control. It's pretty clear now that the FBI, DOJ, and ICE are gearing up to replicate here the examples of Venezuela, China, Cuba, etc. And one thing a police state apparatus needs is enemies. If you run out of enemies, what do all the thugs and concentration camp guards do all day? Ask Anne Applebaum, but one reason -- maybe the main reason -- that Gulags and dictatorships metastasize is simply that like invasive species, once a police state apparatus is set up, it runs out of control, because every organism must feed or die.
I think it's as safe a bet as sunrise each morning that when the regime wants enemies to gobble up, if they don't exist, they will be manufactured.
We desperately need to find some way to live with this doom and remain decent human beings. I fear it's too late to turn it back. How did ordinary people in the Eastern block manage it? Because even those of us who are citizens and have unthreatening jobs and don't go out of our way to make trouble are going to start being picked off and disappeared.
I'm wondering how long till they decide to deport Ilhan Omar and AOC....
Before they come after me… probably
To those who approve of tRump's moves on immigration & the border, have you forgotten this is the same guy who was going to build a wall ten years ago & make Mexico pay for it? SMH 😱