In a wee-hours tweet, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott presented a meme showing celebrated British statesman Winston Churchill saying: "The fascists of the future will call themselves anti-fascists."
In his 1:10 a.m. Aug. 7, 2018 tweet, Abbott prefaced his citation of Churchill, who twice served as England’s prime minister: "Some insights are timeless." Why Abbott posted the quotation might be explained by the headline on the meme above the purported Churchill quotation; it says: "Churchill on the left wing."
Later the same morning, multiple others--including Wes Wilson of Austin’s KXAN TV news staff--responded on Twitter by asserting that Churchill didn’t make the statement shared by Abbott.
Also, within 10 hours of the Abbott tweet's appearance, it was no longer posted. Abbott then told reporters, Patrick Svitek of the Texas Tribune reported, that it was irrelevant to him "who may or may not have said that in the past. I didn’t want to be accused of plagiarism for saying it. If no one else said it, attribute the quote to me because it’s what I believe in."
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Text down the left side of the Abbott-shared meme mentioned the 9gag.com site, which TechCrunch, a technology news website, described in 2017 as "a Hong Kong-based site that hosts and distributes funny pictures, videos and memes."
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Separately by email, the chief curator of the National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Missouri, Timothy Riley, told us that there’s no evidence to suggest Churchill made the quoted statement in over 15 million words that he wrote encompassing his speeches, articles, books and other writings.
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Separately, the research director of a Hillsdale College project that has been publishing Churchill’s papers responded to us by advising that its internal archive folding in Churchill’s writings, speeches and official biography show no sign of Churchill making the Abbott-quoted statement.
Soren Geiger said: "I feel confident in saying that Churchill never said the statement."
Since I was I child I was told by various people Churchill said "if you aren't a liberal when you are young you have no heart, if you aren't conservative when you get older you have no brain" I never had reason to doubt them. And it took the Internet to lay that claim to rest. And yet I still see it, going on 30 years of that crap as if even if he did say it, it would have to be some sort of Gospel.
LordMortis wrote: ↑Wed Aug 08, 2018 4:58 pm
Since I was I child I was told by various people Churchill said "if you aren't a liberal when you are young you have no heart, if you aren't conservative when you get older you have no brain" I never had reason to doubt them. And it took the Internet to lay that claim to rest. And yet I still see it, going on 30 years of that crap as if even if he did say it, it would have to be some sort of Gospel.
Abbott's twitter post was basically 90% memes like this before he removed the tweet:
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Wednesday that he has no plans to recuse himself from a recount process in the race for governor because any counting of ballots would take place at the county level.
“The recount thing is done on a county level, so the secretary of state does not actually participate directly in the recount,” Kobach said at a campaign event in Topeka after initial results showed him winning by fewer than 200 votes.
“The secretary of state’s office merely serves as a coordinating entity overseeing it all but not actually counting the votes,” Kobach said, contending that his role puts him at arm’s length from the actual recount.
No law requires Kobach to recuse himself, but legal and political experts said that he should do so to maintain trust in the election.
Gee, ya think?
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
I wouldn't take a glass of water from a business owner when I was public official, but this guy thinks it's crazy anyone would suggest he recuse himself? What in the actual hell is wrong with people?
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:27 pm
I wouldn't take a glass of water from a business owner when I was public official, but this guy thinks it's crazy anyone would suggest he recuse himself? What in the actual hell is wrong with people?
Two counties have also already reported discrepancies with what Kobach's office has as the official vote count, and the number they reported to his office. Gods what an immoral cretin.
The county sent updated results later that night, but hundreds of new votes were not made public until Thursday.
Colyer received 220 votes in Haskell County, up from the 103 previously reported. Kobach received 257 votes, up from 110 previously reported.
I know those are small numbers but over 50% of the votes were unreported the first time around? That or over 100% new votes were "discovered." Either way, that's crazy.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton MYT
I gotta say, though, a narrow Kobach win along with an extended recount with several shady decisions made by Secretary of State Kobach is kind of a dream scenario for the Democratic candidate.
And obviously, hoping for the Republicans to nominate a crazy / terrible / extreme candidate is playing with fire electorally (see: 2016 election), but even if Kobach won...at least he'd be confined to Kansas, as opposed to taking some sort of national role.
El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:07 am
at least he'd be confined to Kansas, as opposed to taking some sort of national role.
I mean, I know, and I would feel bad for the people of Kansas. But at the same time, it's not like Kansans haven't brought this on themselves to a significant degree, what with electing Brownback twice and putting Kobach in his SoS role.
El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:07 am
at least he'd be confined to Kansas, as opposed to taking some sort of national role.
I mean, I know, and I would feel bad for the people of Kansas. But at the same time, it's not like Kansans haven't brought this on themselves to a significant degree, what with electing Brownback twice and putting Kobach in his SoS role.
I get what you are trying to say, but us lefties in Kansas who campaigned and voted against Brownback at every opportunity didn't bring this on ourselves.
El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:07 am
at least he'd be confined to Kansas, as opposed to taking some sort of national role.
I mean, I know, and I would feel bad for the people of Kansas. But at the same time, it's not like Kansans haven't brought this on themselves to a significant degree, what with electing Brownback twice and putting Kobach in his SoS role.
I get what you are trying to say, but us lefties in Kansas who campaigned and voted against Brownback at every opportunity didn't bring this on ourselves.
I know. And you're doing the Lord's work, I'll add. The main thing is just that I do want Kobach to be the nominee because that's the best odds of a democratic governor of Kansas, and the downside of him becoming nominee is significant but could be worse.
El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:07 am
at least he'd be confined to Kansas, as opposed to taking some sort of national role.
I mean, I know, and I would feel bad for the people of Kansas. But at the same time, it's not like Kansans haven't brought this on themselves to a significant degree, what with electing Brownback twice and putting Kobach in his SoS role.
I get what you are trying to say, but us lefties in Kansas who campaigned and voted against Brownback at every opportunity didn't bring this on ourselves.
As a liberal living in Utah, I know those feels all too well.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
"It was not my intent to deceive or mislead anyone," Howard said in statement Monday. "I made a mistake in saying that I completed my degree. What I did was wrong and set a bad example for someone seeking public service. I am staying in the race and intend to win and lead by example from now on."
FLA News Online, a political news website, reported last week that Howard did not graduate from Miami University in Ohio as she had claimed on her website. To refute the report, which her campaign called "fake news," Howard flew to Ohio and posted a photo on social media of her posing with what appeared to be a Miami University diploma.
Wow, does that comes close to being a good summary example of my feelings on can't vote R until they clean house. It has all the elements. Fake news. Caught in lies. No remorse. No concession. Claim it's a positive. All it needs now is for to have a good showing. A show of force of approximately 30% of voters in that primary that vote that this is acceptable.
"It was not my intent to deceive or mislead anyone," Howard said in statement Monday. "I made a mistake in saying that I completed my degree. What I did was wrong and set a bad example for someone seeking public service. I am staying in the race and intend to win and lead by example from now on."
I love this part so much. I intend to inspire the next generation and lead with honesty and integrity starting....*now*.
She finally admitted defeat and dropped out yesterday, BTW.
Kobach might be extreme and divisive enough to actually lose to the Democrat.
Of course there's also a third candidate, a centrist independent who has had some success in state politics in the past. He'll probably siphon off enough votes from Dems and Kobach-shy Republicans to give Kobach the win. Yay politics!
Dallas County Republicans will appeal a ruling that blocked efforts to remove scores of Democrats from the November election ballot.
A formal intent to appeal was filed Monday on behalf of Missy Shorey, the chairwoman of the Dallas County Republican Party, with the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.
Shorey argues that Dallas County Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Donovan did not properly certify candidate petitions and forward them to the Texas Secretary of State's office. The lawsuit, originally filed in January, showed that Donovan did not sign 127 candidate petitions.
"The case was inappropriately dismissed," local GOP lawyer Elizabeth Alvarez Bingham said in an email Tuesday night.
But Donovan said nothing had changed with the Dallas County Republican Party's lawsuit.
"The trial court found the Republican Party's lawsuit to be frivolous, and their appeal is frivolous as well," Donovan said in a text message.
In April, state District Judge Eric Moyé dismissed the case. Lawyers for the Dallas County Democratic Party argued that Shorey did not have standing to bring the suit. They also said Donovan isn't required by law to sign candidate petitions, and that the matter is moot because the election is already under way. In his order, Moyé didn't elaborate on the reasons he dismissed the controversial lawsuit.
LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:24 pm
If I were a democrat
what do you mean by that, in the context of today.... I mean - I am not "a democrat", I don't think - but I'm pretty sure I'm a democrat in regards to the options.
LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:24 pm
If I were a democrat
what do you mean by that, in the context of today.... I mean - I am not "a democrat", I don't think - but I'm pretty sure I'm a democrat in regards to the options.
Had to find the context of what you were talking about. That was about deciding who would be the chair for the DNC. Who am I to decide who should chair the DNC, when I have no intention of being a card carrying democrat? Where as I have vested interest in deciding who is running as a democrats through my voting precinct because I'm stuck in the position of "caucusing" with the party. Given the opportunity I'd run back to a reasonable or conservative party who votes with my interests or even lodge protest votes with libertarians who aren't off their rockers but that stakes are too high and ever climbing to insist on governance I prefer while the governance I think we need is being dismantled and replaced.
There are Three different versions of the model, one with just polls, one with some other data points like fundraising, and one with the works (including experts ratings)
Currently, it gives the Democrats ~70% chance of getting the House. About where Clinton was in 2016...
Election officials in a rural southwest Georgia county are defending a plan to suddenly close seven of the county’s nine polling places against allegations of racial discrimination, saying the ones it wants to close are not sufficiently accessible to people with disabilities.
Randolph County, the site of the proposed changes, is more than 60 percent black, with a little over 30 percent of residents in poverty ― more than double the national level. The Georgia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the election board earlier this week warning of a lawsuit because the proposed closures discriminated against black voters. Those voters, the group said, were less likely to own a car and would be required to walk over three hours to one of the two remaining polling locations because there is no public transportation to get them there. The ACLU also noted the voter makeup of one of the polling places officials wanted to close was 96.7 percent black.
Its' just shocking that they happened to notice this just a couple months before a critical election. What are the odds of that?
Of course, they're going to decide to close them entirely, and not just, you know, do what they can to make them accessible.
Conservatives are terrified of people actually voting.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
This morning brought the first three-way poll since former New Mexico governor and Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate last week. And boy, is it a doozy: 39 percent for Democratic incumbent and frontrunner Martin Heinrich, 21 percent for Johnson, and just 11 percent for Republican nominee Mick Rich, according to an August 17–18 Emerson College e-poll of 500 registered voters.
That 21 percent figure, coming as it does before any real campaigning has begun, would mark the second-highest vote total of any Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in the party's 47-year history. (Alaska's Joe Miller, a Tea Party guy, received 29 percent in 2016.) Also, an unusually large 30 percent of respondents said they were undecided, perhaps not surprising in a race that until last month showed little interest.
"The world is suffering more today from the good people who want to mind other men's business than it is from the bad people who are willing to let everybody look after their own individual affairs." - Clarence Darrow