The BlueSwan Basement of Absurd & Ignorant Posts VIII

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/william-barr-trumps-sword-and-shield

WILLIAM BARR, TRUMP’S SWORD AND SHIELD
The Attorney General’s mission to maximize executive power and protect the Presidency.


ast October, Attorney General William Barr appeared at Notre Dame Law School to make a case for ideological warfare. Before an assembly of students and faculty, Barr claimed that the “organized destruction” of religion was under way in the United States. “Secularists, and their allies among the ‘progressives,’ have marshalled all the force of mass communications, popular culture, the entertainment industry, and academia in an unremitting assault on religion and traditional values,” he said. Barr, a conservative Catholic, blamed the spread of “secularism and moral relativism” for a rise in “virtually every measure of social pathology”—from the “wreckage of the family” to “record levels of depression and mental illness, dispirited young people, soaring suicide rates, increasing numbers of angry and alienated young males, an increase in senseless violence, and a deadly drug epidemic.”

The speech was less a staid legal lecture than a catalogue of grievances accumulated since the Reagan era, when Barr first enlisted in the culture wars. It included a series of contentious claims. He argued, for example, that the Founders of the United States saw religion as essential to democracy. “In the Framers’ view, free government was only suitable and sustainable for a religious people—a people who recognized that there was a transcendent moral order,” he said. Barr ended his address by urging his listeners to resist the “constant seductions of our contemporary society” and launch a “moral renaissance.”

Eleven months after being sworn in, Barr is the most feared, criticized, and effective member of Trump’s Cabinet. Like no Attorney General since the Watergate era, he has acted as the President’s political sword and shield. When the special counsel Robert Mueller released the findings of his inquiry into connections between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia, Barr presented a sanitized four-page summary before the report was made public, which the President used to declare himself cleared. At the behest of the President, Barr launched an investigation of the F.B.I.’s Trump-Russia probe and the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia intervened on Trump’s behalf in the election. Rather than seek a nonpartisan commission, Barr appointed a federal prosecutor, reinforcing the President’s claims of a “coup.” When an exhaustive review by the Justice Department’s inspector general found no evidence of political bias in the F.B.I. investigation, Barr issued a statement misrepresenting its findings and arguing that the evidence in the Russia probe was “consistently exculpatory”—leaving out the fact that five people connected to Trump’s campaign have been indicted for lying to investigators.

Isn't it ironical though that you've got Honorable AG Barr because of disgusting "Russia Hoax" smear campaign from Libs against good ol' Sessions. Barr seems to be waaay more effective.

Believing and spreading conspiracy theories tends to backfire.

[GoTfan]

My first paragraph literally singles out people who think Bernie is a self-righteous crank who lost fair and square (i.e. Hillary hacks).  Also, I don’t single out Sanders supporters.  Plenty of Sanders supporters aren’t pointlessly obsessing over the 2016 primaries.  I have no quarrel with them.  

Anyway, the point is there are people being dumb in both camps (Berniecrats and Hacks for Hillary).  Yes, some of Sanders’ supporters sometimes do dumb things.  That’s not an attack on all Berniecrats; it’s a criticism of the ones who are doing the dumb thing in question.  Same deal with Hillary apologists.

Be more careful of what you write comrade or next time you will be labeled enemy of the people.

Sanders is not Stalin, despite what you think.

Stalin wasn't a capitalist and considering that economics is the only issue that matters for some people, I'm not sure why socialists have a problem with Stalin. Didn't the Soviet Union just do what needed to be done to achieve economic balance for the people and keep corporations out?

[Landslide Lyndon]

My first paragraph literally singles out people who think Bernie is a self-righteous crank who lost fair and square (i.e. Hillary hacks).  Also, I don’t single out Sanders supporters.  Plenty of Sanders supporters aren’t pointlessly obsessing over the 2016 primaries.  I have no quarrel with them.  

Anyway, the point is there are people being dumb in both camps (Berniecrats and Hacks for Hillary).  Yes, some of Sanders’ supporters sometimes do dumb things.  That’s not an attack on all Berniecrats; it’s a criticism of the ones who are doing the dumb thing in question.  Same deal with Hillary apologists.

Be more careful of what you write comrade or next time you will be labeled enemy of the people.

Sanders is not Stalin, despite what you think.

Stalin wasn't a capitalist and considering that economics is the only issue that matters for some people, I'm not sure why socialists have a problem with Stalin. Didn't the Soviet Union just do what needed to be done to achieve economic balance for the people and keep corporations out?

Why is this a bad post? There are many Bernie bros who say that economic policy is all that matters, and Stalin is still pretty popular among lefties all over the world.

[GoTfan]

My first paragraph literally singles out people who think Bernie is a self-righteous crank who lost fair and square (i.e. Hillary hacks).  Also, I don’t single out Sanders supporters.  Plenty of Sanders supporters aren’t pointlessly obsessing over the 2016 primaries.  I have no quarrel with them.  

Anyway, the point is there are people being dumb in both camps (Berniecrats and Hacks for Hillary).  Yes, some of Sanders’ supporters sometimes do dumb things.  That’s not an attack on all Berniecrats; it’s a criticism of the ones who are doing the dumb thing in question.  Same deal with Hillary apologists.

Be more careful of what you write comrade or next time you will be labeled enemy of the people.

Sanders is not Stalin, despite what you think.

Stalin wasn't a capitalist and considering that economics is the only issue that matters for some people, I'm not sure why socialists have a problem with Stalin. Didn't the Soviet Union just do what needed to be done to achieve economic balance for the people and keep corporations out?

Why is this a bad post? There are many Bernie bros who say that economic policy is all that matters, and Stalin is still pretty popular among lefties all over the world.

Thanks for saving me the effort of moving your post here.

[Landslide Lyndon]

My first paragraph literally singles out people who think Bernie is a self-righteous crank who lost fair and square (i.e. Hillary hacks).  Also, I don’t single out Sanders supporters.  Plenty of Sanders supporters aren’t pointlessly obsessing over the 2016 primaries.  I have no quarrel with them.  

Anyway, the point is there are people being dumb in both camps (Berniecrats and Hacks for Hillary).  Yes, some of Sanders’ supporters sometimes do dumb things.  That’s not an attack on all Berniecrats; it’s a criticism of the ones who are doing the dumb thing in question.  Same deal with Hillary apologists.

Be more careful of what you write comrade or next time you will be labeled enemy of the people.

Sanders is not Stalin, despite what you think.

Stalin wasn't a capitalist and considering that economics is the only issue that matters for some people, I'm not sure why socialists have a problem with Stalin. Didn't the Soviet Union just do what needed to be done to achieve economic balance for the people and keep corporations out?

Why is this a bad post? There are many Bernie bros who say that economic policy is all that matters, and Stalin is still pretty popular among lefties all over the world.

Thanks for saving me the effort of moving your post here.

Thanks for proving to me that you actually have no arguments.

[John Dule]

My first paragraph literally singles out people who think Bernie is a self-righteous crank who lost fair and square (i.e. Hillary hacks).  Also, I don’t single out Sanders supporters.  Plenty of Sanders supporters aren’t pointlessly obsessing over the 2016 primaries.  I have no quarrel with them.  

Anyway, the point is there are people being dumb in both camps (Berniecrats and Hacks for Hillary).  Yes, some of Sanders’ supporters sometimes do dumb things.  That’s not an attack on all Berniecrats; it’s a criticism of the ones who are doing the dumb thing in question.  Same deal with Hillary apologists.

Be more careful of what you write comrade or next time you will be labeled enemy of the people.

Sanders is not Stalin, despite what you think.

Stalin wasn't a capitalist and considering that economics is the only issue that matters for some people, I'm not sure why socialists have a problem with Stalin. Didn't the Soviet Union just do what needed to be done to achieve economic balance for the people and keep corporations out?

Why is this a bad post? There are many Bernie bros who say that economic policy is all that matters, and Stalin is still pretty popular among lefties all over the world.

It never ceases to amaze me how consistently awful you are to every single person on this site.

[GoTfan]

My first paragraph literally singles out people who think Bernie is a self-righteous crank who lost fair and square (i.e. Hillary hacks).  Also, I don’t single out Sanders supporters.  Plenty of Sanders supporters aren’t pointlessly obsessing over the 2016 primaries.  I have no quarrel with them.  

Anyway, the point is there are people being dumb in both camps (Berniecrats and Hacks for Hillary).  Yes, some of Sanders’ supporters sometimes do dumb things.  That’s not an attack on all Berniecrats; it’s a criticism of the ones who are doing the dumb thing in question.  Same deal with Hillary apologists.

Be more careful of what you write comrade or next time you will be labeled enemy of the people.

Sanders is not Stalin, despite what you think.

Stalin wasn't a capitalist and considering that economics is the only issue that matters for some people, I'm not sure why socialists have a problem with Stalin. Didn't the Soviet Union just do what needed to be done to achieve economic balance for the people and keep corporations out?

Why is this a bad post? There are many Bernie bros who say that economic policy is all that matters, and Stalin is still pretty popular among lefties all over the world.

Thanks for saving me the effort of moving your post here.

Thanks for proving to me that you actually have no arguments.

And your unsourced, unsubstantiated, apocalyptically stupid comment about Stalin being well-liked among lefties all over the world?

[Landslide Lyndon]

And your unsourced, unsubstantiated, apocalyptically stupid comment about Stalin being well-liked among lefties all over the world?

If instead of constantly itching for a fight you spent a few seconds using Google you'd have found some interesting things.
For example.

1)Stalin is as popular as ever in Russia. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/04/16/stalins-approval-rating-among-russians-hits-record-high-poll-a65245

2) The Greek Communist party is hardcore stalinist, and even many former ministers and high-ranking members of Syriza speak approvingly of him.

3) When the EU marked August 23d as European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, there were many angry reactions by far-left parties against it because they considered it unfair to put Stalin in the same sentence with Hitler.

You are welcome.

[GoTfan]

And your unsourced, unsubstantiated, apocalyptically stupid comment about Stalin being well-liked among lefties all over the world?

If instead of constantly itching for a fight you spent a few seconds using Google you'd have found some interesting things.
For example.

1)Stalin is as popular as ever in Russia. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/04/16/stalins-approval-rating-among-russians-hits-record-high-poll-a65245

2) The Greek Communist party is hardcore stalinist, and even many former ministers and high-ranking members of Syriza speak approvingly of him.

3) When the EU marked August 23d as European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, there were many angry reactions by far-left parties against it because they considered it unfair to put Stalin in the same sentence with Hitler.

You are welcome.

1) There are reasons other than that he's liked in Russia. I don't know, might have something to do with defeating an invasion? Or more likely Putin is being Putin and purposely rewriting history in order to make Russia appear better?

2) And the mask comes off. You're projecting the Greek left onto the global left which is something I have suspected for a while.

3) I'm on Google right now and can'tseem to find anything.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

3) When the EU marked August 23d as European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, there were many angry reactions by far-left parties against it because they considered it unfair to put Stalin in the same sentence with Hitler.

Disagreeing with "red equals brown" historiography is not the same thing as liking Stalin. wtf.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

And your unsourced, unsubstantiated, apocalyptically stupid comment about Stalin being well-liked among lefties all over the world?

If instead of constantly itching for a fight you spent a few seconds using Google you'd have found some interesting things.
For example.

1)Stalin is as popular as ever in Russia. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/04/16/stalins-approval-rating-among-russians-hits-record-high-poll-a65245

2) The Greek Communist party is hardcore stalinist, and even many former ministers and high-ranking members of Syriza speak approvingly of him.

3) When the EU marked August 23d as European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, there were many angry reactions by far-left parties against it because they considered it unfair to put Stalin in the same sentence with Hitler.

You are welcome.

I can understand that the victims of Stalin should have a day all their own.

[Landslide Lyndon]

I can understand that the victims of Stalin should have a day all their own.

I think it was perfectly fine having a day along with the victims of Nazism since Hitler and Stalin were essentially two sides of the same coin.

[KaiserDave]

But I'm skeptical of this polls number for Buttigieg, which contradicts the long term trends we've been seeing.

Yeah, you are right: he’s probably closer to 30% than 18% in reality.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

LOL now Lyndon is basically trying to associate Sanders with the Communist Party of Greece. Well at least he did so in the right thread.

[Tender Branson]

What’s your point ?

You're insane.

[Lord Halifax]

What’s your point ?

You're insane.

You should include the full quote. You left out: "Factoring in the MoE, both Sanders and ButtiPete are around 20%"

[Landslide Lyndon]

LOL now Lyndon is basically trying to associate Sanders with the Communist Party of Greece. Well at least he did so in the right thread.

I'm responsible for what I say, not what other people think I say.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

LOL now Lyndon is basically trying to associate Sanders with the Communist Party of Greece. Well at least he did so in the right thread.

I'm responsible for what I say, not what other people think I say.

Yes and you just cited the Communist Party of Greece in an argument about Bernie Sanders.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Yes and you just cited the Communist Party of Greece in an argument about Bernie Sanders.

I'm responsible for what I say, not what other people think I say.

[Sir Mohamed]

Cuellar is quite far-Left compared to the centrist GOP, what are you talking about?

[Fight for Trump]

South Africa is immensely better then Apartheid times under the democracy with the largest party being the ANC then the minority Boer dictatorship. Other then that you have a point.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I have come to realize that Trump is merely a stage in a greater process that began in 2008. America is becoming South Africa and I fear that the process is irreversible at this point.

The 1948 South African election and the 2016 US Presidential election both have eerily similar parallels: white people were freaked out over blacks/minorities ascending to power and they responded accordingly. South Africa voted in the National Party, which promised to disenfranchise blacks and institute what we now call Apartheid, and in 2016, white people elected Donald Trump president for his promise to deport Mexicans, ban Muslims, put blacks and other undesirables back in their places, and make America white again.

Charlottesville was a preview of the American right going forward. The American political system's structure of giving disproportionate power to the minority is what will have caused its eventual collapse. In the coming decades, the Republican Party will use the judiciary and minority rule tactics to suppress and eventually block blacks/minorities from voting altogether as they collectively make up the majority of American population.

As America becomes less white, white people will become angrier and more hostile to minorities. The Republican Party will use gerrymandering and the Supreme Court to dilute minority power. I fully expect the Supreme Court to strike down the Voting Rights Act in its entirety in the next few decades which will allow the GOP to reimplement Jim Crow voter suppression tactics straight out of the 1950s to ensure permanent white political power.

In South Africa, white people made up only about 20% of the population, yet they oppressed the other 80% both by not allowing them to vote, but also by dominating them economically. This allowed a few white plutocrats to seize most of the wealth, resulting in widespread poverty in Africa's most developed nation. We're seeing this here in the US as the richest 1% of Americans continue to hoard more and more of the wealth, leaving less and less for the rest of the population.

Yet despite the fact that the populations of both nations realize how badly they're getting screwed economically, they continue to reflexively vote based on race. We all know the feel-good story of Nelson Mandela and the 1994 South African election. But not everyone knows what happened afterward: the ANC became fixated on holding onto power at all costs instead of actually governing and has won every election since 1994 with at least 60% of the vote just by using cheap race baiting. Despite increasing poverty, skyrocketing crime, and lack of job opportunities, most South African voters keep reflexively voting for more of the same.

But there's a reason for this. Here in America, white people would be perfectly okay with living in a cardboard box and wearing burlap sacks for clothes as long as the undesirable racial minorities are adequately crapped on.

As America descends into a right-wing dystopia, the richest 1% will own upwards of 90% of all dollars that exist, unions will cease to exist, jobs will still pay $12/hour, milk and gas will both be $8.50 a gallon, the rent on your studio apartment will be $3,800 a month. Violent crime, drug addiction, and the suicide rate will all soar, and the system will be so rigged that there's no way out.

But at least we'll have made America white again, because that's what matters. I'm beginning to slowly accept that Trump will be re-elected and that progressivism is likely dead, killed by the anger of white people who put social stratification over their own economic interests.

America is and always has been an ignorant, uneducated, bigoted, backwards, racist country. Trump is the face of everything America has ever stood for: racism and white supremacy. He represents what this country has always been about, no matter how subtle the racism seemed to people. While we may or may not defeat Trump, Trumpism will live on forever and will rule America until its collapse.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Yes and you just cited the Communist Party of Greece in an argument about Bernie Sanders.

I'm responsible for what I say, not what other people think I say.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting

[PSOL]

South Africa is immensely better then Apartheid times under the democracy with the largest party being the ANC then the minority Boer dictatorship. Other then that you have a point.

sh**t I was high when I typed this, I meant that South Africa now is immensely better then the previous  Apartheid regime, no contest.

[Fight for Trump]

South Africa is immensely better then Apartheid times under the democracy with the largest party being the ANC then the minority Boer dictatorship. Other then that you have a point.

sh**t I was high when I typed this, I meant that South Africa now is immensely better then the previous  Apartheid regime, no contest.

That is not the absurd part of the post.