2019 Dem Primary Watch

[Peter]

James Woods is always worth listening to.

From The New York Times: Victors in Iowa, Sanders and Buttigieg Are Targets in Democratic Debate by Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin 2 hrs ago. end quote

We need nicknames! Everybody knows Pocahontas because she was named by El Presidente as was Sleepy Joe. I already named Hillary "Old Hickory Clinton or Klingon."   

I think Buttigieg should be “ButtButt.”

And for Sanders how about “Birdie?” Senator Birdie Sanders has a chirp to it, like “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Yang. Maybe Wang? Dude, put your Wang back in your pants. He seems sane, but he is a Democrat.

Tom Steyer? Tom Styrofoam.

Senator Amy Klobuchar, from Minny Soda? Amy Clubchair?

Does anyone have something better?

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Man...

I really wanted this to be funny.

SNL can't even make Dem screwups funny.

In political satire, SNL has become about as lame as it gets.

Those guys need to go back to comedy school.

Michael

[Brant Gaede]

2 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Man...

I really wanted this to be funny.

SNL can't even make Dem screwups funny.

In political satire, SNL has become about as lame as it gets.

Those guys need to go back to comedy school.

Michael

The Dems turned off their brains in the age of hate and get Trump and the "deplorables." Now they can't turn them back on. I wonder how this might be affecting libertarians? Not that they've turned their brains off, but that there doesn't seem to be anything to really write about.

This is the age of cultural not intellectual warfare. Only the conservatives have the gravitas to fight the left.

If you're for Trump it doesn't matter what else you are. You're allied with the conservatives.

Since this is war, there's nothing necessarily wrong with that.

--Brant

[Peter]

3 hours ago, Brant Gaede said:

Not that they've turned their brains off, but that there doesn't seem to be anything to really write about.

It is frustrating when obvious words like "yoyo" are not in the official Scrabble Dictionary,. 

[Peter]

Thank you for your service Brant. It’s still the silly hour so here goes. I was no fan of the poorly executed and unwisely fought war, but after the shooting at Kent State, why was that great anti - Vietnam War Song by the Buffalo Springfield named “For What It's Worth"? Seriously? And calling the police and the National Guard “the heat” is an obvious sign of communist indoctrination. The song should have been called, “Paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep.” That's its best line. Listen to it again. Isn't that guitar work superb?

“For What It's Worth”

There's something happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking' their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

It's time we stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying, "hooray for our side"

It's time we stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step out of line, the men come and take you away

We better stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down? . . . .

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

6 hours ago, Brant Gaede said:

The Dems turned off their brains in the age of hate and get Trump and the "deplorables." Now they can't turn them back on.

Brant,

Styx has a video about the left being unable to meme. He's doing some videos exclusively for BitChute nowadays, so just click on the image and it will open over on BitChute.

THE LEFT LITERALLY CAN'T MEME (BITCHUTE EXCLUSIVE)

Styx has an interesting theory. He thinks only the self-sufficient kind of individualists have a good sense of humor. Those attracted to big government style authoritarian control are lacking in that department.

He's right at least as far as memes go. Leftist memes are not even groaners. They're usually inartful taunts and nothing more.

It's sad to see SNL turning into that.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Let's help Uncle Joe.

Sometimes his comments need a visual to get them going.

Yes indeedy-do.

He wants President Trump's job and he's taking no prisoners.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Yang and Bennett are out.

Bye Andrew Yang.

Bye Michael Bennett.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

There's more, but let this guy tell it.

He's got just the right tone.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

On 2/6/2020 at 2:42 PM, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

The Overton window just shifted a notch.

Hillary Clinton Will Not Rule Out Becoming Vice President: ‘Never Say Never’

Now there's this.

BREAKING: Mike Bloomberg 'wants Hillary Clinton as his running mate', sources close to his campaign tell Drudge

And the beat rolls on... and the beat rolls on...

Michael

[Peter]

Bloomin' Onion has been eating shrooms from Outback. I just can't image . . . . But maybe if she runs to be Der Fuhrer and he is her rich VP nominee.

[Peter]

From Real Clear Politics. Upcoming Democratic Presidential Primary Polling. Nevada, Sanders plus 7.  South Carolina, Biden by 8. Texas, Sanders by 2. Georgia, Biden by 18. Florida, Bloomberg by 1.   

Bloomberg by 1! Two quotes from Bloomin’ Onion.

"Put the cops where the crime is, which means in minority neighborhoods. So, one of the unintended consequences is, 'Oh my god, you're arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities.' Yes, that's true. Why? Because we put all the cops in minority neighborhoods. Yes, that's true. Why do we do it? Because that's where all the crime is. And the way you get the guns out of the kids' hands is to throw them up against the walls and frisk them."

“I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom.”

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Does anyone remember when Libertarian nominee for President in the 2016 elections, Gary Johnson, had his Aleppo moment? For those who don't remember, Johnson was being interviewed on TV (MSNBC at that) and they were discussing the Syrian refuge crisis. He was asked what he would do about Aleppo if elected. He asked, "What is Aleppo?" (If you yourself don't know, it's a city in Syria.  It was the center of the refugee storm on the Syrian side back then.)

The media had a heyday about this.

Well, Amy Klobuchar just had her Aleppo moment, except it was with the name of the friggin' President of Mexico, López Obrador.

There goes the bulk of the Latino support for her.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

And here's the funniest satire I've seen of the Dem primaries. It's from Prntly.

State Farm Cancels Bloomberg’s Life Insurance After Hillary VP Announcement

Quote

Michael Bloomberg stood tall this morning on a stack of books, telling his supporters and the media that he has decided upon his VP: Hillary Clinton.

Unfortunately for the tiny mayor, his decision just cost him in a way he never expected. State Farm called him up after actuaries calculated and crunched the numbers: he was no longer insurable.

They cited the fact that Hillary was intent on becoming the President “by hook or by crook” and that the billionaire’s life could possibly be at risk. ...

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Which Democrat won the Dem primary debate in Nevada tonight?

I say it was Hillary Clinton.

 

Michael

[Peter]

Feb. 22. Nevada Dem KLAS-TV/Emerson: Sanders 30, Biden 16, Buttigieg 17, Warren 12, Steyer 10, Klobuchar 11, Gabbard 2.  

March 3. Massachusetts Dem Polls, UMass Lowell: Sanders 21, Warren 20, Buttgieg 15, Biden 17 . . . . Bloomberg 12??? 

Uh, oh. That Bloombergererer 12 may cause an earthquake.   

[Peter]

1:42 am. Feb. 22, 2020. Bernie Sanders briefed by U.S. officials that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign by Shane Harris, Ellen Nakashima, Michael Scherer, Sean Sullivan 1 hr ago.

Well duh. Who is the most communistic of all the Democratic candidates?

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

On 2/20/2020 at 12:34 AM, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Which Democrat won the Dem primary debate in Nevada tonight?

I say it was Hillary Clinton.

Now Dick Morris is on board with the idea that Bloomberg was Clinton's secret weapon for a brokered convention nomination.

Former Clinton Adviser Has Theory About How Bloomberg and Clinton Are Scheming for Her to Become Nominee

Michael

[Peter]

Bernie’s trip to The Soviet Union to worship Josef Stalin was just so wrong. He says such wonderful things about Fidel Castro. I have no doubt he is in awe of Kim, of North Korea. Sanders is a disgrace and a traitor. If elected he follow the path of his idols and make America a dictatorship with gulags. Peter   

From The Blaze.  In a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday night, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders doubled down on comments he made in the 1980s where he praised late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. When asked about his current stance on Castro, the Democratic front-runner said he continues supporting aspects of his totalitarian regime. "We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba," Sanders told host Anderson Cooper before pivoting to defending Castro. "But it's unfair to say that everything is bad." He then began parroting talking points often cited by the country's communist government. "When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?" In a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday night, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders doubled down on comments he made in the 1980s where he praised late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. When asked about his current stance on Castro, the Democratic front-runner said he continues supporting aspects of his totalitarian regime. "We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba," Sanders told host Anderson Cooper before pivoting to defending Castro. "But it's unfair to say that everything is bad." He then began parroting talking points often cited by the country's communist government. "When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?" While it is true that Castro implemented a reading program on the island after seizing power in a bloody revolution in 1959, Cuba's literacy rate was already high for a Latin American nation at the time and its educational gains have been comparable to those of its peers in the years since.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

LOL...

Almost... almost...

Bloomberg bough... er... got those them there House Democrats.

Michael

[Peter]

Sorry I can't get rid of the space. Peter.

From The Times of Israel. By AP and TOI staff Sanders says he would weigh moving US embassy back to Tel Aviv if elected/ In Democratic party debate, Vermont senator calls Netanyahu a ‘reactionary racist,’ touts his months living in Israel; Bloomberg pushes back

Rival Mike Bloomberg pushed back, saying that moving the embassy was not a realistic possibility, while Elizabeth Warren refused to say what her policy would be . . . .

Bloomberg first Democratic party candidate to confirm speech at AIPAC Powerful pro-Israel lobby announces former NYC mayor’s appearance after rival Bernie Sanders snubs event; Pence, Pompeo also set to attend

 

In last days of campaign, Netanyahu stops shaking hands over coronavirus fears

By TOI staff

PM’s decision is ‘responsible’ as he meets thousands each day, aides say; defense minister’s adviser excluded from meeting with PM after daughter returns from Thailand with cold

[Peter]

South Carolina’s democratic primary is Saturday, Feb. 29^th and Biden is predicted to win in every poll on Real Clear Politics, though one obscure one showed him tying someone. Are Bloomberg supporters Michael Douglas and Dirty Harry ready for a fall? The poor dears may be suffering from brittle boner disease.

[Jon Letendre]

In case you haven’t figured yourself out yet — if you are still a Democrat it is because you are a fucking psychopath, please help cleanse the world and go jump off a bridge.

Democrats Block Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act in the Senate

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/born-alive-abortion-survivors-protection-act-fails-in-the-senate/

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

7 hours ago, Jon Letendre said:

In case you haven’t figured yourself out yet — if you are still a Democrat it is because you are a fucking psychopath...

Jon,

I know the following lady has a real problem with her humanity. From The Daily Caller:

CNN Report Describes A Baby Who Survives An Abortion As A ‘Fetus That Was Born’

CNN has since scrubbed the phrase from the report by Caroline Kelly. Here is the original passage as given in The Daily Caller article:

Quote

CNN covered the legislation in the Tuesday report: “Senate to vote on two abortion restriction bills,” an article in which CNN’s Caroline Kelly described a baby who survived an abortion as a “fetus that was born.”

CNN did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment about what a “fetus that was born” means.

“The second bill to be considered Tuesday is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, that would require abortion providers to work to ‘preserve the life and health’ of a fetus that was born following an attempted abortion as they would for a newborn baby, or face up to five years in prison,” Kelly wrote.

Here is how the offending paragraph now reads. From the CNN article:

Quote

The second bill to be considered Tuesday is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, pertains to cases in which "an abortion results in the live birth of an infant." It would require abortion providers to "exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age."

There is no mistaking how Caroline Kelly (and, by extension, the CNN brass) thinks of newborns from botched abortions. They are inhuman to her. Kelly's (CNN's) own words distinguishes "a fetus that was born following an attempted abortion" from "a newborn baby" as if they were two different life forms. One is a disposable thing and the other is a person.

The mindset behind this form of dehumanization in language makes it easy to see where genocide and mass exterminations of people come from. There's a reason these atrocities are always carried out at the time without widespread protest. The leaders get the people who do the actual killing, including those helping with it, to think like this. Often they manage to get the entire social group, especially onlookers, but even those who are unaware of the atrocity, to think like this.

How does it happen? That's a long topic, but it starts when something fundamental gets ill-defined and that definition starts getting accepted by the group.

Unfortunately, Ayn Rand made this same identification error when she referred to an unborn baby in the early stages of fetal development as "a piece of protoplasm."

I've mentioned this several times before as I am sure Rand said it. Where? Well, maybe I mentioned where in the past, but no time like the present to make absolutely sure. So I just looked that quote up and it's even worse than I thought all these years. The quote comes from "The Ayn Rand Letter, Vol. IV, No. 2,  November-December 1975, A Last Survey--Part I":

Quote

Never mind the vicious nonsense of claiming that an embryo has a "right to life." A piece of protoplasm has no rights—and no life in the human sense of the term. One may argue about the later stages of a pregnancy, but the essential issue concerns only the first three months. To equate a potential with an actual, is vicious; to advocate the sacrifice of the latter to the former, is unspeakable.

One method of destroying a concept is by diluting its meaning. Observe that by ascribing rights to the unborn, i.e., the nonliving, the anti-abortionists obliterate the rights of the living...

Rand not only calls the identification of a human embryo as human life ("in the human sense of the term") "vicious nonsense" and "unspeakable" because to her it advocates sacrificing an actual with a potential human life, she called "the unborn" "the nonliving." These are her words and I am not misinterpreting them by taking them out of context.

There is no way to parse this one. Rand considered embryos non-human.

And here she defined a point where I cannot go--not because of touchy-feely emotions. It's because of an error of identification. The individual human life-cycle starts at conception and ends at death. Notice that a life cycle pertains to a living entity, which means the entity is living. There is no potential human or nonliving state about any of this. A human is a human all the way from the start. Different stages of development exist for an individual human, but not a state as a different life form or a state as a different entity.

This is called the Law of Identity. Human is human. A is A. 

An individual human cannot be human and nonhuman at the same time, not even in the earliest stages of his or her life cycle.

And it most certainly is not vicious nonsense to recognize this fact.

From this error of Rand's, I can see how there can be so many followers of Objectivism who casually dismiss mass killing with indifference when they talk about certain issues. There is a dehumanization element and even category baked into Rand's ideas, values and rhetoric.

I reject that part.

Kill humans if one must. There are times when this must happen. But at least recognize that humans are being killed, not nonhumans.

Anytime dehumanization becomes an ideological habit or virtue, this inevitably leads to human slaughter of innocents--that is, if not stopped or held in check by people who do not think in such terms. 

Ayn Rand is not the equivalent of Caroline Kelly of CNN, but on this point, she's way too close for comfort.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

LOL...

This is priceless.

Michael