'Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told CNN in an interview that Lutnick has “a lot to answer for, but really, he should make life easier on the president, frankly, and just resign.”' Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! What is it about these Repubs that their logic is so screwy? This should have been "WE should make life easier on EVERYONE and frankly, IMPEACH AND REMOVE the President who had just as much to do with Epstein as any other major government figure."
Yes, it is frustrating. Massie is out in front of all GOP congresspeople on Epstein, obviously, so I guess we should be happy to get what we get. I don't think forcing Nutlick to resign will cause election problems for the GOP -- Trump will just throw him under the bus.
Haha yep. Why should Lutnick resign if his boss, the guy who was much much closer to Epstein, isn't going to resign? To be honest I'd rather Lutnick stick around to keep reminding everyone of how sleazy, corrupt and dishonest the entire Trump administration is.
Aaaahh! November may be such sweet sorrow after the republicans lose some of the finest cowards ever produced in America. Perhaps their inaction and gaslighting about moral corruption will be compensated by angry voters. It can’t possibly be overcompensated, even so. Fantasy now, or reality then, for most Americans? Cancer needs to be removed or shrunken to make America better.
Up to "or shrunken" you were earning a like, but that line is too mild for me. I am not an oncologist, but according to what I have read and heard, you need to remove a cancerous growth, not just reduce it for a good shot at a cure.
Just being pragmatic. Of course I work to remove the whole thing. I’ve moderated myself, but believe me, I’m holding back my loathing as I try to be pragmatic. We must aim high, but 20% fascist is still way better than 98%, no?
That’s why I said, “maybe.” Believe me, I’m disgusted by the Democrat’s just plain ineptitude and corruption, too. I often say that some donors and a lotta democrats, especially behind the curtain, hold back their party from just freaking doing the right thing, and stinking just strike when the iron is HOT, and not wait because of a relatively few, yet powerful, arrogant irresponsible idealists, AND the donors pushing in certain ways which I imagine are hiding and enabling corruption. The republicans are worse, but the Dem party polls very badly too.
If not now, WHEN? They didn’t have to lose 2024. Biden may have been the main problem in ways, but he had a lot of help from other leaders. To lose to TRUMP like that, I’d say is not just due to Republican propaganda being SMART, in its evil ways, but also to certain, often unknown to the public, leaders poisoning the message.
The donors have a veto over all Democratic policies.
But in answer to your question "if not now, when?" ... their answer would be "never".
The people who are doing the hard work TODAY aren't the Democratic leadership. It's not Schumer standing on the floor of the Senate reading the names of pedophiles. It's not Jeffries in the House.
It's freaking Ro Khanna. And a REPUBLICAN Thomas Massie. Both are outsiders to their respective parties.
It does indeed. My mother-in-law used to say, “Show me who your friends are, and I’ll show you who you are.” The hubris of this regime is breathtaking. I think they truly believe we are all blind as bats.
And most definitely not as brilliant as that stable genius, whose only connection with a stable is being the southbound end of a northbound inhabitant of one.
I dunno Katherine, I kinda like spelling it out like I did instead of finding a small pictogram that may not be as clear as the maker thought it would be.
There should be more investment in Marijuana research and treatment for abuse. However going back to prohibition is a terrible idea, for both alcohol and weed. More people are consuming weed then alcohol daily because fewer people, especially young adults, are drinking much less. Young minority men are not getting arrested for having a few joints or a dime bag of weed.
I am old enough to remember having to buy Marijuana furtively. It's a whole lot nicer experience to walk across the street to the licensed dispensary when the mood strikes.
Totally agree about NOT going back to prohibition! I just hope we can discourage marijuana use by making it not so readily available. However, if that means people going back to alcohol.... sheesh.
A major problem with legalized marijuana is the same problem you have with tobacco - it’s commercially grown with the same carcinogenic pesticides and herbicides. Smoking that stuff can kill you. If you like a buzz, grow your own.
I am a 77 year old woman..using cannabis is MY business...we voted for the right to use recreational marijuana in my state of OH...and now they are trying to mess w the will of the people...govt STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS...
Probably when you began using marijuana, it was almost like 321 beer was to regular beer. Very weak. The product has been improved and if that wasn’t enough, other chemicals were added to enhance the experience. It’s changed and needs more regulation or more people will find themselves in the hospital or dead.
that is their choice…quit trying to protect people from themselves…how many times should we give someone NARCAN?? we need to deal w the root cause of addiction instead of regulation
Who said anything about protection? I am talking about talking about how potent a product is. Underage people were allowed to drink 321 beer because it had far less alcohol than regular beer. Now you can buy “lite” beer or beer with an alcohol content over 7%. Your choice. But I want you to know the difference so you can make a good choice. That is not regulation, that is caring.
Then let’s get government out of alcohol and gambling! I’m all for it, but that’s not the world we live in. The best regulation would be one that doesn’t impact you but provides guardrails for others.
I don't know about that..weren't Republicans always the party of small govt...one of my MAGA friends is big on she wants the govt out of her business and yet she seems fine w any bullshit they pull..she is ONLY still my friend because it has been a 70 yr friendship...Those of us who are old use gummies or smoke or vape for a variety of reasons..I was able to replace dangerous drugs like ambien and clonezepam w gummies...and I am very careful in my use...I also have a lot of pain and it helps w that...my nephew died at 28 of alcoholism...no drugs...he drank himself to death and no one could help him..he did not want help..I am a retired high school teacher and also have a master's in counseling..I have learned that you cannot protect people from themselves...if someone wants drugs they will get them..until we find the cure for addiction it is impossible to actually regulate substances like cannabis...
I don’t think it’s that big a deal that Lutnik lied. This whole administration seems to believe that if they aren’t under oath, lying is acceptable. Trump, Leavitt, Bondi, Noem and others routinely make bald-faced lies and no one is screaming that they need to resign (for that reason alone). Either everyone needs to go for lying (I’m for that, just for the record) or Lutnik is just the new shiny object of the moment. When the Dems are in power again, perhaps we need a new law that says people speaking on behalf of an administration may not flat out lie in their official capacities whether they are under oath or not.
As for marijuana are its effects worse than alcohol? We already have laws against driving under the influence. Of course more people use it now than when it was illegal. DUH! I came of age in the 70’s. Fear of being arrested, not knowing where and how the weed was produced, etc. all led to many not being regular users. Also, there are more people now. No one ever claimed there were no downsides to pot mostly that it wasn’t necessary to classify it the same as heroin. I think that’s still true. Legalize it, regulate it, tax it and let there be penalties for misuse, same as alcohol.
Amen to everything you said on both issues. There are downsides to marijuana; there are many more downsides to alcohol. It's good that more people are using weed to relax rather than drinking. I'm old, I have a lot of aches and pains and stresses. I use THC/CBD gummies every day. Otherwise my doctor would be prescribing opioids, which are certainly worse than marijuana in every way.
Same. Have used various ways to ingest pot for 40 + years. Can do without easily. I never would have survived autoimmune disease and all its gut punches without it. Please don’t take my pot away. My kids are not drawn to pot. It’s not nearly as bad for every level of one’s health as ETOH.
But Lutnick didn’t need to lie the way that he did! It’s almost like he was doing his reality TV show at the NY Post, forgetting that anyone, not just Trumpists, had access to see the interview.
None of them need to lie in the ways that they do. It doesn’t matter what they say and if the brazenness of the lie bothers you, that’s just a bonus for their supporters.
The worst mj downside I have read about is its ability to ramp up things for people who are subject to various mental health disorders. Scott Alexander talked in one of his pieces about trying to treat mental health issues for a kid who couldn't/wouldn't quit pot. It ended awfully.
Since people are using chemicals to treat mental health issues on their own instead of finding (above average) mental health care, it's only going to get worse. I live in DTLA. There are a lot more outdoor angels having chats with invisible people than there were seven years ago when I got here.
Because we are awful about locking up black men, we legalized quicker than the studies could be finished. The speed at which stronger mj was produced would make the studies have reduced value, too. For sure, there is little room for going backwards, so we need to move forward carefully. Clear labeling and educating about the general effects of dosage amounts would be a start. The education of the public has been woeful. Why have I been taught about administering Narcan for a potential opioid overdose, but I've never been seen any educational info about mj potency? We went from "Mj is bad" to "Come and get it!" without any transition time. Bad Jobs R Us.
LV Jan. I think you meant that the Republicans don’t think lying is a big deal. They learned that from Felon Trump’s 35,000 lies, clocked by Fact Finder and other organizations in his first administration. He got away with it, so it’s okay for Republicans. If there actually is a Republican who someone wants to vote for, make it clear and plain that they don’t lie. A polygraph test would be a good start for these people.
Paraphrasing James Comer, "We're too busy interviewing a couple who was in the White House 30 years ago to bother with a man who is currently in a senate-confirmed cabinet position."
The marijuana legalization was always about the money, about making it a big business without much regulation and downplaying all the bad side effects in order to increase the customer base as much as possible. It was easy to see from the start that this was happening and all the right sympathy buttons were pushed to make any opposition quiet down for fear of seeming like a prude.
I have to agree with you on the business side of things. It seems to me that when Big Money enters the room, some people's brains turn off and they lose any semblance of good or moral judgment. Or good character.
Re: "...there may be ten emails connecting me with [Epstein]."
Okay, Howard, so how many emails would it take to show that you had more dealings with Epstein than you said you did?
And are you saying that what the FBI released is the complete record? No other communications? No phone calls? No texts? No in-person conversations? No trips to Kid Rock not mentioned in these ten emails?
Is that what you expect us to believe? Really, Howard?
Lutnick (I do love Nut-lick) in his Epstein pickle----just not indecent enough for the Guardians of Pedophiles to do anything about. If only Biden or Obama had pursued it. If only. Mr. Nut-Lick is just one of so many ---and James Comer has only time enough for five. I do believe I'm going to be sick. Where's the marijuana?
The Trump regime revolts me on so many levels. It’s all about projection, fear, incompetence, lies, and greed. As for pot, like any other drug, it can cause harm depending on who is taking it. The War on Drugs didn’t solve the problem. Placing some restrictions on mamajuana use makes sense. I personally don’t use pot, but like booze, it can be overdone. Americans seem to have a penchant for overkill. “If a little is good, a lot is alot better.” That philosophy backfires every time.
The cannabis industry cannot be properly regulated until prohibition has truly ended. The Times board are judging a system that has widely different regulations from county to county state to state. We are a large country and there should be a well regulated market with interstate commerce. Until then any judgments are truly more on the failure of the regulatory process and not cannabis product
What’s missing from Ludnik and Mareno’s effort to wave away Ludnik’s relationship with Epstein is an acknowledgement that Ludnik lied about it. And lied about it in a way that attempted to burnish his own virtue. No repercussion? No shame?
These people have no shame. At least we can now confidently say that we can't believe anything he says. We can just brush him off as an incompetent liar, not worthy of even listening to him.
'Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told CNN in an interview that Lutnick has “a lot to answer for, but really, he should make life easier on the president, frankly, and just resign.”' Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! What is it about these Repubs that their logic is so screwy? This should have been "WE should make life easier on EVERYONE and frankly, IMPEACH AND REMOVE the President who had just as much to do with Epstein as any other major government figure."
Yes, it is frustrating. Massie is out in front of all GOP congresspeople on Epstein, obviously, so I guess we should be happy to get what we get. I don't think forcing Nutlick to resign will cause election problems for the GOP -- Trump will just throw him under the bus.
Agreed! Trump is up to his neck in this! Why should anyone make life easier for him? Things have been far too easy for him for far too long.
Haha yep. Why should Lutnick resign if his boss, the guy who was much much closer to Epstein, isn't going to resign? To be honest I'd rather Lutnick stick around to keep reminding everyone of how sleazy, corrupt and dishonest the entire Trump administration is.
Nothing will happen to Nut-Lick, they will let the whole thing die. That is until November, then we'll see.
Aaaahh! November may be such sweet sorrow after the republicans lose some of the finest cowards ever produced in America. Perhaps their inaction and gaslighting about moral corruption will be compensated by angry voters. It can’t possibly be overcompensated, even so. Fantasy now, or reality then, for most Americans? Cancer needs to be removed or shrunken to make America better.
Up to "or shrunken" you were earning a like, but that line is too mild for me. I am not an oncologist, but according to what I have read and heard, you need to remove a cancerous growth, not just reduce it for a good shot at a cure.
Just being pragmatic. Of course I work to remove the whole thing. I’ve moderated myself, but believe me, I’m holding back my loathing as I try to be pragmatic. We must aim high, but 20% fascist is still way better than 98%, no?
November?
Do you mean when Democrats overwhelming win? And take control of Congress? And then lay down the law?
Just a reminder, starting in 2008, Democrats have held either the House, the Senate or the Presidency almost continuously. About 14 years I think.
In that time they have NEVER held anyone associated with the Epstein files legally accountable, including Epstein while he was still alive.
Why do you think they'd do anything in November?
That’s why I said, “maybe.” Believe me, I’m disgusted by the Democrat’s just plain ineptitude and corruption, too. I often say that some donors and a lotta democrats, especially behind the curtain, hold back their party from just freaking doing the right thing, and stinking just strike when the iron is HOT, and not wait because of a relatively few, yet powerful, arrogant irresponsible idealists, AND the donors pushing in certain ways which I imagine are hiding and enabling corruption. The republicans are worse, but the Dem party polls very badly too.
If not now, WHEN? They didn’t have to lose 2024. Biden may have been the main problem in ways, but he had a lot of help from other leaders. To lose to TRUMP like that, I’d say is not just due to Republican propaganda being SMART, in its evil ways, but also to certain, often unknown to the public, leaders poisoning the message.
Rick - you are absolutely right.
It's the donors.
The donors have a veto over all Democratic policies.
But in answer to your question "if not now, when?" ... their answer would be "never".
The people who are doing the hard work TODAY aren't the Democratic leadership. It's not Schumer standing on the floor of the Senate reading the names of pedophiles. It's not Jeffries in the House.
It's freaking Ro Khanna. And a REPUBLICAN Thomas Massie. Both are outsiders to their respective parties.
The GOP sure is chill about their boys having close friendships with convicted pedophiles. Almost seems a little....weird.
It does indeed. My mother-in-law used to say, “Show me who your friends are, and I’ll show you who you are.” The hubris of this regime is breathtaking. I think they truly believe we are all blind as bats.
And most definitely not as brilliant as that stable genius, whose only connection with a stable is being the southbound end of a northbound inhabitant of one.
👍 Was looking for a horse’s rear end emoji. Alas there is none. But their should be!
I dunno Katherine, I kinda like spelling it out like I did instead of finding a small pictogram that may not be as clear as the maker thought it would be.
There should be more investment in Marijuana research and treatment for abuse. However going back to prohibition is a terrible idea, for both alcohol and weed. More people are consuming weed then alcohol daily because fewer people, especially young adults, are drinking much less. Young minority men are not getting arrested for having a few joints or a dime bag of weed.
I am old enough to remember having to buy Marijuana furtively. It's a whole lot nicer experience to walk across the street to the licensed dispensary when the mood strikes.
Totally agree about NOT going back to prohibition! I just hope we can discourage marijuana use by making it not so readily available. However, if that means people going back to alcohol.... sheesh.
A major problem with legalized marijuana is the same problem you have with tobacco - it’s commercially grown with the same carcinogenic pesticides and herbicides. Smoking that stuff can kill you. If you like a buzz, grow your own.
The top two comments at the NYT editorial suggested banning using it in public.
I am not a user or even an American and have no opinion. It’s been legal here in Canada for a decade.
Cannabis = gambling.
Both destructive, neither should be illegal, both should be heavily regulated.
I am a 77 year old woman..using cannabis is MY business...we voted for the right to use recreational marijuana in my state of OH...and now they are trying to mess w the will of the people...govt STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS...
Probably when you began using marijuana, it was almost like 321 beer was to regular beer. Very weak. The product has been improved and if that wasn’t enough, other chemicals were added to enhance the experience. It’s changed and needs more regulation or more people will find themselves in the hospital or dead.
that is their choice…quit trying to protect people from themselves…how many times should we give someone NARCAN?? we need to deal w the root cause of addiction instead of regulation
Who said anything about protection? I am talking about talking about how potent a product is. Underage people were allowed to drink 321 beer because it had far less alcohol than regular beer. Now you can buy “lite” beer or beer with an alcohol content over 7%. Your choice. But I want you to know the difference so you can make a good choice. That is not regulation, that is caring.
and btw..I did not use marijuana as a kid as I was a teacher and I would have lost my job…using NOW at 77 and it is MY BUSINESS…
Then let’s get government out of alcohol and gambling! I’m all for it, but that’s not the world we live in. The best regulation would be one that doesn’t impact you but provides guardrails for others.
I don't know about that..weren't Republicans always the party of small govt...one of my MAGA friends is big on she wants the govt out of her business and yet she seems fine w any bullshit they pull..she is ONLY still my friend because it has been a 70 yr friendship...Those of us who are old use gummies or smoke or vape for a variety of reasons..I was able to replace dangerous drugs like ambien and clonezepam w gummies...and I am very careful in my use...I also have a lot of pain and it helps w that...my nephew died at 28 of alcoholism...no drugs...he drank himself to death and no one could help him..he did not want help..I am a retired high school teacher and also have a master's in counseling..I have learned that you cannot protect people from themselves...if someone wants drugs they will get them..until we find the cure for addiction it is impossible to actually regulate substances like cannabis...
I don’t think it’s that big a deal that Lutnik lied. This whole administration seems to believe that if they aren’t under oath, lying is acceptable. Trump, Leavitt, Bondi, Noem and others routinely make bald-faced lies and no one is screaming that they need to resign (for that reason alone). Either everyone needs to go for lying (I’m for that, just for the record) or Lutnik is just the new shiny object of the moment. When the Dems are in power again, perhaps we need a new law that says people speaking on behalf of an administration may not flat out lie in their official capacities whether they are under oath or not.
As for marijuana are its effects worse than alcohol? We already have laws against driving under the influence. Of course more people use it now than when it was illegal. DUH! I came of age in the 70’s. Fear of being arrested, not knowing where and how the weed was produced, etc. all led to many not being regular users. Also, there are more people now. No one ever claimed there were no downsides to pot mostly that it wasn’t necessary to classify it the same as heroin. I think that’s still true. Legalize it, regulate it, tax it and let there be penalties for misuse, same as alcohol.
Amen to everything you said on both issues. There are downsides to marijuana; there are many more downsides to alcohol. It's good that more people are using weed to relax rather than drinking. I'm old, I have a lot of aches and pains and stresses. I use THC/CBD gummies every day. Otherwise my doctor would be prescribing opioids, which are certainly worse than marijuana in every way.
Same. Have used various ways to ingest pot for 40 + years. Can do without easily. I never would have survived autoimmune disease and all its gut punches without it. Please don’t take my pot away. My kids are not drawn to pot. It’s not nearly as bad for every level of one’s health as ETOH.
IMHO.
same
But Lutnick didn’t need to lie the way that he did! It’s almost like he was doing his reality TV show at the NY Post, forgetting that anyone, not just Trumpists, had access to see the interview.
that's Nut-lick to you
None of them need to lie in the ways that they do. It doesn’t matter what they say and if the brazenness of the lie bothers you, that’s just a bonus for their supporters.
Eh, I suspect they believe lying is acceptable even if they ARE under oath.
The worst mj downside I have read about is its ability to ramp up things for people who are subject to various mental health disorders. Scott Alexander talked in one of his pieces about trying to treat mental health issues for a kid who couldn't/wouldn't quit pot. It ended awfully.
Since people are using chemicals to treat mental health issues on their own instead of finding (above average) mental health care, it's only going to get worse. I live in DTLA. There are a lot more outdoor angels having chats with invisible people than there were seven years ago when I got here.
Because we are awful about locking up black men, we legalized quicker than the studies could be finished. The speed at which stronger mj was produced would make the studies have reduced value, too. For sure, there is little room for going backwards, so we need to move forward carefully. Clear labeling and educating about the general effects of dosage amounts would be a start. The education of the public has been woeful. Why have I been taught about administering Narcan for a potential opioid overdose, but I've never been seen any educational info about mj potency? We went from "Mj is bad" to "Come and get it!" without any transition time. Bad Jobs R Us.
LV Jan. I think you meant that the Republicans don’t think lying is a big deal. They learned that from Felon Trump’s 35,000 lies, clocked by Fact Finder and other organizations in his first administration. He got away with it, so it’s okay for Republicans. If there actually is a Republican who someone wants to vote for, make it clear and plain that they don’t lie. A polygraph test would be a good start for these people.
Continuing to knock the headlines out of the park. Wow.
Paraphrasing James Comer, "We're too busy interviewing a couple who was in the White House 30 years ago to bother with a man who is currently in a senate-confirmed cabinet position."
Or the current president who was Best Friends with Epstein, according to Epstein. We’ve seen Trump’s creepy old man routine for quite a long time now.
Justin Lee. You fixed it for him perfectly!
The marijuana legalization was always about the money, about making it a big business without much regulation and downplaying all the bad side effects in order to increase the customer base as much as possible. It was easy to see from the start that this was happening and all the right sympathy buttons were pushed to make any opposition quiet down for fear of seeming like a prude.
I have to agree with you on the business side of things. It seems to me that when Big Money enters the room, some people's brains turn off and they lose any semblance of good or moral judgment. Or good character.
Re: "...there may be ten emails connecting me with [Epstein]."
Okay, Howard, so how many emails would it take to show that you had more dealings with Epstein than you said you did?
And are you saying that what the FBI released is the complete record? No other communications? No phone calls? No texts? No in-person conversations? No trips to Kid Rock not mentioned in these ten emails?
Is that what you expect us to believe? Really, Howard?
“That’s my story" is certainly an odd turn of phrase, if you want people to think you are telling the truth.
You're supposed to add, "...and I'm stickin' to it."
Lutnick (I do love Nut-lick) in his Epstein pickle----just not indecent enough for the Guardians of Pedophiles to do anything about. If only Biden or Obama had pursued it. If only. Mr. Nut-Lick is just one of so many ---and James Comer has only time enough for five. I do believe I'm going to be sick. Where's the marijuana?
"Howard Lutnick searches for a way out of his Epstein pickle."
Dirty Buttlick should resign. That's what a normal person with some sense of shame would do.
The Trump regime revolts me on so many levels. It’s all about projection, fear, incompetence, lies, and greed. As for pot, like any other drug, it can cause harm depending on who is taking it. The War on Drugs didn’t solve the problem. Placing some restrictions on mamajuana use makes sense. I personally don’t use pot, but like booze, it can be overdone. Americans seem to have a penchant for overkill. “If a little is good, a lot is alot better.” That philosophy backfires every time.
The cannabis industry cannot be properly regulated until prohibition has truly ended. The Times board are judging a system that has widely different regulations from county to county state to state. We are a large country and there should be a well regulated market with interstate commerce. Until then any judgments are truly more on the failure of the regulatory process and not cannabis product
What’s missing from Ludnik and Mareno’s effort to wave away Ludnik’s relationship with Epstein is an acknowledgement that Ludnik lied about it. And lied about it in a way that attempted to burnish his own virtue. No repercussion? No shame?
These people have no shame. At least we can now confidently say that we can't believe anything he says. We can just brush him off as an incompetent liar, not worthy of even listening to him.
No. One. Cares.
If you think hypocrisy and bald-faced lying is a problem in Trump’s Republican Party, you’re simply deluding yourself.
Their voters relish the lying and the hypocrisy because it’s a flex of raw power over the sputtering, angry objections of the “libs”.
It’s an act of symbolic dominance.