The Frankish Reich

Oh, I'll be glad to go on at greater length about the cultural phenomenon that is The Rise of the Horny Made-Over Conservative Mom if you'd like more. MTG, Boebert, Noem, that Moms for Liberty Threesome Mom ... just getting started.

Not sure if you consider me one of those "lefties," but I am an equal opportunity commenter on the appearance of political candidates. Here's one for Biden: wear glasses. Not just the sunglasses. Glasses. They help to hide those squinty eyes and may actually make him look smarter (not a high bar); more like an elder statesman than an old fart.

I see that the AZ Republican Party chairman who was urging her not to run was previously a Trump campaign guy who was then appointed by Trump to a cushy job at NASA. Who knows what he promised or was promised in exchange for that gig. So maybe it's time to get over all that "insider/outsider Trump vs. The Party Establishment" nonsense. All politicians, Trump and Lake included, are in it for themselves ... And remember: this is a weird race. Kyrsten Sinema is the incumbent, and no longer a Democrat. I don't think she's officially announced if she's running again as an independent. Ruben Gallego is the apparent Dem nominee - a House representative who's generally liberal but a bit unorthodox himself. So the Republican has to have more general appeal (at least that's what the pundits outside and, apparently, inside) the Party think.

You mean that's all? Back to our regularly schedule programming - the media. Matt Yglesias (paywalled; h/t Marginal Revolution) hits the nail on the head on what's going on with media: Conservatives find it annoying that American journalists are so left-wing. But in practice, this generates a much more complicated partisan landscape than you might think. The conservative audience is alienated by the values of mainstream journalism and spends a lot of time consuming propaganda news that is optimized for partisan purposes. The progressive audience finds mainstream journalism congenial enough that it’s hard to compete with, and yet, mainstream journalism produces a steady stream of negativity and ultra-specific focus on the idiosyncratic problems of young urban professionals.

Republicans want to win back the Senate. Their power brokers believe - with good reason - that a Kari Lake candidacy makes it less likely that they will succeed in that mission. I imagine this kind of gentle "persuasion" goes on in pretty much every race without an incumbent.

For what it's worth, PFF agrees with what I saw with my own eyes. Miller was terrible in the regular season: 45.4 on their rating scale, which is sub-replacement level player. But in the (small sample) of two playoff games, they rated him at 86.8, which is almost an elite level, and basically the same as he was in 2021-2022 pre-injury. My takeaway: I have no idea whether he'll be able to handle his pre-injury workload. But I think at a minimum he'll be an effective situational pass rusher next year. In other words, he'll be what Leonard Floyd was for us this year. And maybe, just maybe, quite a bit better. He's a special player, and like all HOF level players, has a special kind of drive to be among the best. Based on what I saw this year - including trying to come back too early - I'm guessing he has more than a little something left in the tank.

Odd to pair that with the lesbian haircut.

One thing I know for sure: the 9/11 hijackers didn't show their cards. Why should Pegula?

I believe Irv is from Rochester. @Irv, if you ever find yourself in Davos, "Garbage Plate" is "Mullteller" (with an umlaut over the u). They may understand French. It sounds a lot nicer: "Assiette Poubelle" Some even speak Italian. That's my favorite: "Piatto della Spazzatura."

Still a couple slots open in the Performative Ignorance Circle Jerk! Who's up next?

Spanish for delicious. It's a cookbook.

Yes, I have watched some (also CNBC), and I find nothing nefarious about it all. I'll have to go someday ...

Thanks. And the second part: if we want to get back at Davos Man and all those financiers who make tons of money while they try to run the world according to what's best for them, who should we elect? Why, none other than billionaire Donald J. Trump, father-in-law to Davos 2024 attendees Jared Kushner (an official appointee of his last administration) and his younger brother. Makes perfect sense to me.

Here's where we really see that the newfangled/post-Trump "Republican" Party is now all about class warfare. It is not about a rising tide lifting all boats. It is about getting retribution on all the financiers and capitalists who have made too much money on the backs of the "regular" (read: working class/non-professional middle class) workers. Hmm, we have a word for that kind of agenda, don't we? And it sure ain't "capitalist."

True. So let's take some time to read it, propose amendments, etc. But Trump is urging House Republicans to vote "no" unless it is an immigration restrictionist's wet dream. And in divided government, you'll never get that. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

The tweet literally says "with the buzz about migrants on flights, you may wonder how this is being done." The photo is deceptive since it is obvious how THAT particular individual got on a plane: he is a refugee, being resettled abroad from Chad. So I'm kinda not "wondering."

@B-Man, what is the "Post-Critical Examiner?" Do you know? Have you checked out who "publishes" (actually, who "posts" for) it? Is it in any way reliable? St. Bonaventure accepts 4 out of 5 applicants. I'd hate to see the 5th guy's scores.

Did you even read the caption? "A quick smile of a refugee departing from Chad. Copyright IOM 2019." Social media does make (some of us) stupider.

Here's a summary of what we know about the Senate compromise. Note the comment from Sen Lankford (R-OK), not exactly a bleeding heart: The proposal crafted by the Senate would toughen the asylum process with a goal of cutting the number of migrants who come to the southern border to make an asylum claim. Negotiators have worked on some policies intended to aid immigrants. The plan could include a pathway to citizenship for Afghans who came during the U.S. withdrawal from their country, along with work permits for migrants who enter the asylum system, according to two people familiar with the talks who were granted anonymity to discuss the private negotiations. But the package will mostly leave out broad immigration changes, like protections for immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as children, that have been foundational in previous Senate bills. "It will be by far the most conservative border security bill in four decades," said Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, the lead GOP negotiator.

You have no idea what's in the bill. Neither do I. But Senate Dems and Repubs are now behind it, so yes, it is a compromise.

Yes, it would. You know who else it would be good for? The working man and woman who get to keep their jobs instead of being laid off! The federal deficit situation that you are now all worked up about, since soft landing = higher GDP = higher tax revenues! It's almost as if it would be good for everyone. Except Trump, of course, who is publicly hoping for a sooner and steeper recession.

I agree. Just kind of sliced it. Although I don't know why he doesn't correct a bit more toward the left post ...

Because some posters are nothing more than Twitter (umm, X) repost monkeys, I will read and quote the article for their benefit: “The cruelty is astounding,” Biden said. “[It’s] an affront to a woman’s dignity, being told by extreme politicians to wait to get sicker and sicker to the point where her life may be in danger before you can get the care you need. That cruel reality is a result of extreme Republicans who for years made it their mission to end the Roe v. Wade decision,” he claimed. Ooh, the senility!!

So ... 2027 it is. I will make my reservations for SoFi.

It's like a Harry Potter thing - you don't choose the wand; the wand chooses you. I never "chose" to be a Bills fan. I was born in Buffalo, my first in-person game was at the old Rockpile, and even though my family moved away from Buffalo when I was a kid (back when I couldn't even watch the Bills on TV unless it was Monday night football), and even though there was the two decade drought, I never really wavered. I was briefly seduced by other teams (Chargers when I lived in SD mainly), but these affairs were ill-advised ... The Bills chose me; they may not choose your kid. Or this may just be a teenage crush.