The Frankish Reich

Now that's some good memory ...

Gavin is now in an identity politics pickle! Ordinarily you'd just appoint some boring career politician (often a white guy) to serve out the term and not get in the way of the primary contest. But no matter what he does, today's Democratic party will find fault with it for not ticking the right diversity box(es)

Good luck. It's a political talking point for both parties. Republicans aren't proposing any serious fixes ("the wall" is not addressing what is really happening, and Title 42 was a public health authority) because I suspect they like the video of the caravans entering. Democrats aren't proposing any serious fixes ("comprehensive immigration reform" for them means an amnesty for people who've been here a few years, and that won't do anything to stop new arrivals; in fact, it would likely encourage them) because they like to harp on how cruel Republican policies were. You are right: I think the clear majority of Americans see room for compromise and a coherent policy. The candidates we get don't, or it's not in their selfish partisan interests to propose it. I guess I should say "what a mess."

Well we can agree on that. it was basically the working principle of Obama’s first term, and Bill Clinton’s first term before that.

Andrew Tate. Russell Brand. Look it up. This is the insanity (or lack of good faith) of a lot of right wingers these days. Teacher assigns a book that includes a same sex teen romance? Groomer! Meanwhile, pervy adults who actually recruit teenagers into the commercial sex trade (Tate) or hit on 16 year olds when they're 30 (Brand) are just apparently guys with different lifestyles who not only should escape criminal consequences, but who should also in no way have their careers and money making impacted. Not "groomers" to you! Just like Humpty Dumpty. The word means precisely what you choose it to mean, nothing more or less.

First, I disagree with the notion that you can limit birthright citizenship. Vivek was correct (for me, his best moment) when he cited the exact language of the 14th Amendment. And there have been prominent legal scholars who have agreed with that take. But I think the plain language - born in the USA and subject to the jurisdiction thereof - applies to everyone born on US soil. Are you "subject to the jurisdiction" of the USA if you enter illegally? Well, in almost all cases, yes. You commit a crime, you can be prosecuted for it. You are expected to abide by the laws of this country even though you didn't come here legally. Vivek talked about diplomats, but they have that famous diplomatic immunity, which does exempt them from lots of laws of general applicability. Tim Scott jumped in and put it in historical context, as the 14th Amendment was clearly a post-Civil War Amendment about black Americans. But ... that's a tough argument for conservative legal scholars to make, as they always focus on the words of the text and not on things like the historical circumstances surrounding the adoption of an Article/Amendment. See the whole 2nd Amendment thing, in which the "well regulated militia" clause was basically brushed aside ...

And many litigants chose a trial before a judge ("bench trial") instead of before a jury. Particularly with this type of thing - financial crimes - if you think you have a strong case you want a trained lawyer/judge to be assessing the evidence rather than a bunch of unknown/wildcard jurors. So it's often a tactical choice even if you do have the right to a jury trial. (Note that the federal constitution gives you that right in a civil case in federal court, but that doesn't apply to states unless their individual constitutions have a similar right. I don't know about NY)

He also had Tyrod Taylor, who appears to be in the same solar system as Fields. I'm not saying those Bills offenses were great. They weren't! But they ran the ball effectively and we were a competitive team. If that's what the Bears want, then that's a path forward. If they want to tank, dump Fields, try to get Caleb, start from scratch? That's a path too. But you gotta choose.

This is exactly how a real journalist does it. Utterly unprepared congressman on the impeachment team, and the reporter won't let it slide.

True. Franchise QB is looking unlikely. Starting QB? I wouldn't give up on that yet. Hire Greg Roman!

"Bell cow" RB - I looked at the leading rushers the last 10 years. There are a few that averaged right about 20 carries per game, like Jonathan Taylor and Josh Jacobs the last couple years. But only 2 who went above that: Derrick Henry in 2020 and DeMarco Murray in 2014 (both around 23/24 carries). And obviously those were not great teams. Thing of the past. Cook + Harris + Latavius = today's model.

I liked CJ Spiller! And I'm liking James Cook now. Is there such a thing as a bell cow back anymore? Derrick Henry in his prime perhaps, but where's the guy consistently getting 20-25 carries a game? McCaffrey, if you add his catches, may be almost there, but that's not the traditional guy we think of. Cook is what he is, which right now is pretty damn good. Use him, don't abuse him, don't run him till he pukes!

"Anti-groomers" sure love to defend actual groomers, don't they ...

DeSantis: just stop doubling down on this. How about "it's a work in progress, and while I'm very happy with the overall emphasis, obviously there will be changes as it is rolled out." Symbolic of why he just can't seem to get traction.

Running. Which is a QB function too. Seriously, some OC somewhere could find a way to maximize his incredible talents. I'm not sure if he's Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts or Terrelle Pryor or Taysom Hill or Tim Tebow. And I'm really not convinced he's a starting QB. But he has a particular skill set that can help a functional team win games. That's obviously not the Bears. After watching the Dolphins-Broncos beat down, I had the same thought. McDaniel has optimized that offense for Tua, and Tua showed some incredible NBA point guard-style passing (check out those little forward pitches, impeccably concealed/timed/delivered for big gains), which is quite different than Josh Allen's down field passing game. Different skills, different offenses.

Yeah, it was kind of a failed experiment. I remember getting a lot of mail (those were the days) literature from them when I was applying to colleges. I have to admit I was interested - a state university that would be small scale, operated like one of the posh private liberal arts colleges. Not enough to entice me to Sarasota though. But whatever it's mission was, that seems to be thing of the past. So I don't mind trying to recenter it. But is there any demand for that kind of focus on the classics thing that DeSantis is pushing? Strikes me as the 2020s faddish equivalent (this time coming from the political right) of the original 1970s faddish theory that created it.

The legendary Takeo Spikes? Bad box? THAT Takeo Spikes, the same guy who led us to a 27-37 record in four (count 'em, FOUR!) legendary seasons? Shame on the Bills. He should get a special field level cabin built for him

Agreed. Haley seems to be playing the "maybe Trump will have a heart attack or somehow his base will abandon him" game. DeSantis? I'm not so sure he's not just positioning himself for 2028. Unless he's on Trump heart attack watch too. Christie: he must know in his heart that he has no chance. Grudge vs. Trump, but obviously no "I'm the Veep candidate" thing there. Everyone else: "I'm the VEEP!" Or maybe the Secretary of Agriculture (that Burgum guy)

Say it ain't so, Blitzie! See you on the other side.

Now I see the explanation: https://www.semafor.com/article/09/27/2023/fox-slashes-ad-prices-for-second-debate-as-primary-turns-into-snoozer There was plenty of incentive for advertisers to buy ads for the first contest, which helped drive record prices for airtime. (During the 2020 presidential debate, ABC charged a reported $375,000 for a 30-second spot during the general election debates.) It was the first time for audiences to see many of the candidates. And until just days before the debate, former President Donald Trump was still publicly toying with the idea of showing up. As non-Trump Republicans candidates fail to gain traction in the polls, there’s less incentive for advertisers to pay the same record rates as the first contest. “Sans Trump… these debates just aren’t big-time TV, because the GOP primary race has become a snoozer,” one ad buyer told Semafor. So there you go. Weird narrow-cast ads, mostly aimed at the geriatric crowd.

And I don't think you've watched enough Zach Wilson 😁

Long spot for a charity that seems to have something to do with veterans, headed by a guy with an incomprehensible accent. Ad for some kind of prayer app. Lengthy ad ostensibly touting South Dakota, really a product placement for Governor Randy Milf for VP. And so on.

I don't watch much Fox News, so the revelation for me tonight: this is an increasingly weird ass sheltered corner of America. I don't know this from watching the stupid debate. I know this by watching the bizarro commercials.

Siemian is not a good QB. He is probably an adequate backup QB. I'm not sure he's much different than Kyle Allen. But ... he won't aggressively go out of his way to lose you a game that your defense has given you a chance to win. I suspect that's what the Wilson dissenters on the defense are talking about. You don't have to be Aaron Rodgers, but you really don't have to be Nathan Peterman.

Yes. And that's exactly why you can't count out Biden. He's not gonna be running against Hypothetical Republican Nominee. He's gonna be running against Trump or one of these other deeply flawed candidates.