Political Randomness

[Skinypupy]

Since Columbus Day is a political hill to die on now, I found this really good:

Christopher Columbus was an American hero.

I think Mandel likely isn't actually this mind-bogglingly stupid and just likes to pander to his moronic "'MURICA, FUCK YEAH" base, but...

[LordMortis]

Am I the only who insterts singing G.I. Joe after that? Anyone? Bueller?

[Isgrimnur]

Just watched a commercial on TV to help feed elderly Jews in Israel and Russia.
And I couldn't but wonder why not the Palestinians? I bet there are a hell of a lot more of them in dire straights.
Not that the elderly Jews don't need help too.

Because the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has the money to post the ads. And being a Palestinian charity tends to get you sued:

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed a suit brought by the Jewish National Fund and 12 individual Americans living in Israel against Just Peace in the Middle East, a U.S. charity also known as the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR). The suit, filed in November 2019, made claims under the Anti-Terrorism Act for damages caused by incendiary devices launched into Israel from Gaza by unnamed persons. JNF argued that USCPR was liable because it collects funds from U.S. donors for the Boycott National Committee (BNC) in Palestine and one of BNC’s members is a coalition that includes Hamas, which the State Department has designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). USCPR’s motion to dismiss, filed March 5, 2020, argued that the plaintiffs did not alleged facts to support their conclusions, that USCPR’s activities are lawful and that plaintiffs relied on guilt by association. The motion was granted March 29, 2021. The court said the plaintiff’s arguments “are, to say the least, not persuasive.” Diala Shamas, one of USPCR’s attorneys, said, “we hope this marks a turning point that discourages private actors seeking to weaponize terrorism laws to silence their critics.”

Charity Navigator is probably a good place to start for those interested in donating to Palestinian causes. Just make sure it's not for those in Texas.

[LordMortis]

Charity Navigator is probably a god place to start for those interested in donating to Palestinian causes.

Heh.

[Isgrimnur]

[Smoove_B]

This might be the most perfect political ad.

[Defiant]

Maybe he got tired of people calling him Shittarelli?

[Holman]

Maybe he got tired of people calling him Shittarelli?

[Laughs in Santorum]

[Smoove_B]

I guess this goes here? I don't even know anymore

NEW: A school administrator in Southlake, Texas, advised teachers last week that if they have a book about the Holocaust in their classroom, they should also have a book with an "opposing" perspective.

Listen to the audio recording obtained by @NBCNews:

A book with an opposing perspective to the Holocaust??? What in the actual F is happening in TX this month???

[TheMix]

A teacher should have responded with "I don't have any Nazi propaganda. Will you be able to supply that?"

[Isgrimnur]

Fuck Southlake. That is all.

[Daehawk]

So for The Bible they will have on hand The Stanic Bible?

[Freyland]

So for The Bible they will have on hand The Stanic Bible?

Does that one cover the Mark of Stan more thoroughly? I've always wanted more details.

[Daehawk]

Stan the Man or Stan Stan part of the Klan?

[Defiant]

A conservative politician was stabbed and killed in the UK

The police tweeted about it here:



Could they have made it less informative? Given the way they write the tweet, it could be referring to anything from one man to four men.

[LordMortis]

I thought it was referring to Araya's mentor... That or a refrain from "Call Me Al" by Paul Simon.

[Unagi]

That or a refrain from "Call Me Al" by Paul Simon.

[Carpet_pissr]

A conservative politician was stabbed and killed in the UK

The police tweeted about it here:



Could they have made it less informative? Given the way they write the tweet, it could be referring to anything from one man to four men.

Needs more “man”

[Freyland]

A conservative politician was stabbed and killed in the UK

The police tweeted about it here:



Could they have made it less informative? Given the way they write the tweet, it could be referring to anything from one man to four men.

Needs more “man”

Okay.
"We are not looking for any other man."

[Carpet_pissr]

Perfect!

[Defiant]

A man. err, I mean: Amen.

[Isgrimnur]

[Daehawk]

District attorneys refuse to prosecute some GOP-led laws

Progressive prosecutors around the country are increasingly declaring they just won’t enforce some GOP-backed state laws.

NASHVILLE (AP) — When Republican lawmakers in Tennessee blocked a policy to ease up on low-level marijuana cases, Nashville's top prosecutor decided on a workaround: He just didn't charge anyone with the crime.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, the Gwinnett County solicitor vowed not to punish anyone for the crime of distributing food or water to voters in line. Tampa’s chief prosecutor says a law that allows law enforcement to detain protesters until their court date is “an assault on our democracy.” And a district attorney in Douglas County, Kansas, promised not to enforce a new state law that makes it harder for nonpartisan groups and neighbors and candidates to collect and return absentee ballots for voters.

Progressive prosecutors around the country are increasingly declaring they just won’t enforce some GOP-backed state laws, a strategy at work in response to some of the most controversial new changes in recent years — near-total abortion bans, voting restrictions, limits on certain protest activity, laws aimed at LGBTQ people, and restrictions on mask requirements.

The elected law enforcement leaders say they’re just doing what is right as support has grown for changing a system they believe has relied too heavily on locking people up, particularly for low-level, nonviolent offenses.

But politics is also at play here. These lawyers live in deep blue districts where their decisions are popular with voters, and they have to be reelected.

Reading that entire article can really piss a person off with what GOP leaders try to do to people. They liken it to laws against interracial marriage in the past or allowing those of color to sit at a food place to eat. Then further down it shows that conservative prosecutors will do evil shit too like not enforce fines if the law to wear masks is not followed for schools or one fucktard not doing anything for abuse in gay relationships because he himself believes it should only protect 'real' marriage.

Country is packed with assholes and idiots that should just die.

[Daehawk]

[Smoove_B]

If you told me I'd be reporting elected officials (federal and state) that are on Twitter for hate speech in 2021, I would have said you were insane.

I feel like everything is on fire and no one cares anymore.

[Holman]

If you told me I'd be reporting elected officials (federal and state) that are on Twitter for hate speech in 2021, I would have said you were insane.

I feel like everything is on fire and no one cares anymore.

The internet is bad for civil society, actually.

(What if we had known this in, say, 1986?)

[Isgrimnur]

I'd be interested in a Twitter reaction of March 30, 1981.

[Kraken]

Local elections never draw much turnout or interest. My district doesn't even have a competitive town council race two weeks from now, and I don't vote for unopposed people. That leaves only the schools committee, where seven people are running for three openings. Since I don't have kids or any knowledge of the school system I was inclined to sit this one out.

However. I'm old, and I consider voting a civic duty. Democracy only works if we pay attention and participate. So I started reading profiles of the seven.

The first was the Patch's profile of a 35-year-old Afghan war vet named Matthew Lynch. The Patch asks everyone the same questions and lets readers draw their own conclusions. I like that standard format. Well, I drew some definite conclusions about Mr Lynch.

Why are you seeking elective office?

To Make Braintree Wamps Again.

OK, that's a two-tone dog whistle. First, the slogan construction is an obvious homage to trump. The issue is that last year, Braintree HS changed its team name from the Wampanoags, with their (inaccurate) Indian-head mascot, because tribal leaders opined that they don't appreciate being lumped in with animals and mythical figures. So second, he's also assailing political correctness, or cultural sensitivity if you prefer. (As you might expect, the real townies are up in arms about not being Wamps anymore.)

Then he went on to imply that he opposes public health measures.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The state locked our kids out of school, put them in a losing posture with remote learning and caused trauma at levels we don't even know about yet. What did our school board do? Ignored parents, got rid of the mascot, changed the color of graduation gowns and renamed "house master" to "vice principal". What's the old saying "Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times." Well not hard to see where we are at.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Power was quickly centralized to the state and federal level, they had no say in it. I give them all credit for showing up, though.

And he finished with this gem:

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

God, Family, and Country

So I mentioned to Wife that even though school committee elections aren't normally on our radar, this guy creeps me out, so we should go vote for three other people (so far I've chosen one; I still need to vet the other five).

Tonight the Patch reported that the FBI Visited Braintree School Board Hopeful after Capitol Riot. Uh-oh. I'll bet I know which one. Sure enough:

BRAINTREE, MA — A candidate for Braintree school committee and a former teacher at Braintree High School said he has been visited twice by the FBI since participating in the Jan. 6 rally in support of President Donald Trump that turned violent as some attendees stormed the Capitol.

Matthew Lynch resigned from his teaching position in February. He had been a teacher in the district for about 10 years. In an email exchange with Patch, Lynch confirmed he had been questioned by FBI agents investigating the Jan. 6 riot, which left five people dead and injured at least 138 police officers.

Boy, was I right about him. I live in one of the more conservative towns in Mass., where Clinton edged out trump by a couple hundred votes in 2016. Those people will sneak into power if we aren't vigilant. And school committee members have the power to affect what children are taught. Electing a snake like this because he'll Make Braintree Wamps Again is genuinely dangerous.

Pay attention to your local elections, however boring they might seem.

[Zaxxon]

School board elections are enormously important this year. There are a lot of folks exiting after the 'contentious' (read: abusive) COVID years, and a lot of conservative PAC-backed slates running. Kudos to you for participating.

[Smoove_B]

School board elections are enormously important this year. There are a lot of folks exiting after the 'contentious' (read: abusive) COVID years, and a lot of conservative PAC-backed slates running. Kudos to you for participating.

For example, Portland last night

I’m at a Portland Public School Board meeting where members of People’s Rights, a far-right group started by Ammon Bundy, is attending to argue against a vaccine mandate for students 12 years and older.

[Kraken]

School board elections are enormously important this year. There are a lot of folks exiting after the 'contentious' (read: abusive) COVID years, and a lot of conservative PAC-backed slates running. Kudos to you for participating.

I finished researching the local school board candidates today. Remember that seven people are running for three seats. In addition to the Capitol rioter that I found earlier, I discovered an anti-masker...a woman whose husband works for Geoff Diehl, the same trump Republican who led me to boycott my favorite beer bar after they held a fundraiser for him...and one who expressed opposition to CRT in her "meet the candidate" interview, even though teaching that isn't on the local agenda -- a clear dog whistle.

Fortunately we have three qualified candidates without any apparent skeletons in their closets, but I was dismayed that the majority are deplorable to some degree, and very glad that I did the legwork. Now Wife and I can vote on Tuesday with a sense of purpose.

[LawBeefaroni]

Can I just say that the "Let's go Brandon" shit is so incredibly high school dip-bro douchebag that I cringe every time I see some grown ass wo/man smarmily using it. Especially politicians.

[Holman]

Can I just say that the "Let's go Brandon" shit is so incredibly high school dip-bro douchebag that I cringe every time I see some grown ass wo/man smarmily using it. Especially politicians.

Without researching it, I do understand that the phrase is a stand-in for "Fuck Joe Biden."

But... how? Where did it start? Why did it stick?

[stessier]

Can I just say that the "Let's go Brandon" shit is so incredibly high school dip-bro douchebag that I cringe every time I see some grown ass wo/man smarmily using it. Especially politicians.

Without researching it, I do understand that the phrase is a stand-in for "Fuck Joe Biden."

But... how? Where did it start? Why did it stick?

From the Politics Covid thread

Brandon?

At a Nascar event, Brandon Brown was being interviewed. The crowd was chanting 'Fuck Joe Biden' - the reporter said it was a, 'Let's go Brandon' chant. Hence a middle school level chant was born. This is fairly new but seeing an army of cops chant it sort of rips away the illusion that many of these police are anything but the enemy. Not a big shock for anyone in the area. NYPD is chock full of racists and MAGA. It's infested with bad apples.

[Holman]

Ah. Thanks.

[Alefroth]

Dip-bro pilot under investigation for signing off with the phrase.

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/01/10510748 ... west-pilot

[Skinypupy]

Was researching the two candidates for City Mayor of my Salt Lake suburb (around 75K people) ahead of voting tomorrow. My two options are the incumbent and another guy who is a retired cop. The largest newspaper in the state (Salt Lake Tribune) published a "voter guide" last week asking a few basic questions. Here were the responses:

Question 1: As the Salt Lake Valley continues its booming growth, what are your solutions for affordable housing, preserving community character and creating a high quality of life for city residents?

Incumbent: No response

Other guy: My take, and I’ll use it on all your questions, teaching people how to fund themselves. So you don’t live payday to payday.

[Fonua has a plan, in which CITY residents who make less than $250,000 a year, would pay a monthly sum of money to the government. The city would then be in charge of making payments for their housing, auto loans and health insurance. A single person would pay $750 for access to these services, Fonua said.]

Housing, it’s got to be included. Everything that I’m doing is included in the funding. The reason I’m doing it in CITY, is because I need a pilot program. Once you pilot a program, everybody can use it. Funding for everything, then there’ll be no more deadbeat dads. No more poverty, there’ll be no more homeless, there’ll be no more repossessions of homes. No more repossessions of cars. The funding I’m doing is actually going to wipe all that stuff out.

Question 2: Besides affordable housing, what are the two biggest challenges facing the city in the next four years, and what are some specific programs or policy changes you will introduce to solve them?

Incumbent: No response

Other guy: I’d like to introduce that any immigrants or anyone who comes into my city have to take anger management. We got to have that for any immigrant that wants to come live in South Jordan. Don’t bring your anger issues, don’t bring your illegal stuff. Go by the books. Because most people who come in here think they’re entitled to something. You’re not entitled, dude, you’re entitled to living peacefully, helping the community, the children, we don’t need any of that anger and being upset. Because I’m going to have a program that teaches children how to be kind to one another.

Question 3: What are your ideas for investing federal pandemic aid in the city, including funds left over from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act?

Incumbent: No response

Other guy: Like I said before, I’m going to do funding without using taxpayers’ money. So you don’t have to worry about any funding from the federal government, any funding from the state, any funding from anywhere. If people learn to fund themselves, you don’t need credit, you don’t need credit scores, you don’t need any of that stuff. Because that’s what suppressed people from trying to get ahead. [...] The CARES Act, if people learn how to fund themselves, they really won’t need the CARES Act.

Given that Utah is in exceptional drought, what steps would you propose to address the situation and incentivize water conservation across all CITY water users served by the Conservancy Water District?

Incumbent: No response

Other guy: There is no shortage of Water. God gave us the same amount of water every year. Upon coming here in 1967, Population in Utah was 1.019 Million. As of Now, Utah Population is 3.34 Million. My point is that we have 2.3 Million more Toilet, Shower, Lawn and Farming with the same amount of water that God had provided for us here in the Desert. So, for Water in the future, Man Made Aqueduct by the State and Federal is needed to be built and funded. I want to thank you for your questions, but running a City, Funding is the most important part of moving a City and it's Community forward.

So I'm choosing between an incumbent who can't be bothered (her sole web presence is her Twitter account...filled almost exclusively with scripture quotes and pictures of her church activities) and a guy living in fantasy-land.

Yay for awesome choices!

[Carpet_pissr]

Does your mayor have the power to print money?

Also, I am intrigued by what kind of immigrant anger issues are occuring there.

[Alefroth]

Holy shit that's some dysfunction. Who do you think will win?

[Skinypupy]

Holy shit that's some dysfunction. Who do you think will win?

The incumbent, for sure (which is probably why she didn’t even bother responding).

The other dude came out of the blue with no experience and some very nutty ideas and positions. While it frustrates me not being able to find any info on the incumbent’s positions at all, the city does seem to be generally well run, as far as I can tell.